Week 10: Summative Assignment: Critique of Research Article
A research critique demonstrates your ability to critically read an investigative study. For this assignment, choose a research article related to nursing or medicine to critique.

Articles used for one assignment can’t be used for the other assignments (students should find new research articles for each assignment).
The selected articles should be original research articles. Review articles, meta-analysis, meta-synthesis, and systemic review should not be used.
Mixed-methods studies should not be used.

Your critique should include the following:
Research Problem/Purpose

State the problem clearly as it is presented in the report.
Have the investigators placed the study problem within the context of existing knowledge?
Will the study solve a problem relevant to nursing?
State the purpose of the research.

Review of the Literature

Identify the concepts explored in the literature review.
Were the references current? If not, what do you think the reasons are?

Theoretical Framework

Are the theoretical concepts defined and related to the research?
Does the research draw solely on nursing theory or does it draw on theory from other disciplines?
Is a theoretical framework stated in this research piece?
If not, suggest one that might be suitable for the study.

Variables/Hypotheses/Questions/Assumptions

What are the independent and dependent variables in this study?
Are the operational definitions of the variables given? If so, are they concrete and measurable?
Is the research question or the hypothesis stated? What is it?

Methodology

What type of design (quantitative, qualitative, and type) was used in this study?
Was inductive or deductive reasoning used in this study?
State the sample size and study population, sampling method, and study setting.
Did the investigator choose a probability or non-probability sample?
State the type of reliability and the validity of the measurement tools.
Were ethical considerations addressed?

Data Analysis

What data analysis tool was used?
How were the results presented in the study?
Identify at least one (1) finding.

Summary/Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations

What are the strengths and limitations of the study?
In terms of the findings, can the researcher generalize to other populations? Explain.
Evaluate the findings and conclusions as to their significance for nursing.

The body of your paper should be 4-6 double-spaced pages plus a cover page and a reference page. The critique must be attached to the article and follow APA guidelines.
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Visit the Student Resources tab or the WCU Library tab at the top of this page.
Points 280