NR593 Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Week 4 Assignment
Annotated Bibliography?
Choose a problem in your clinical area that you wish to research. Search online databases for five (5) research studies that have been done on the problem you are interested in studying from primary peer reviewed journals. These studies should have been done within the last 10 years.
Write an annotated bibliography of the articles you have found. Review the instructions below and the grading rubric before beginning the assignment.
Example of an Annotated Bibliography
Instructions: Begin your paper with a title page. Cite your articles in alphabetical order. After each citation write a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph. The purpose of the annotation is to let the reader know of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the studied being reviewed. In the article summary include:
the statement of the research problem and research questions,
the type of study, population studied and findings.
Then assess the articles by commenting about the authors, the significance of the problem addressed, reliability of information and any study bias.
Conclude with a reflection on the article. How well does it fit your problem? Was it helpful and how can the article be used to answer your research question?
The length of your paper should not exceed 5 pages, double spaced. It should be written in APA style with a title page. As you are citing your articles references within the paper, no reference page is needed. For additional information about writing annotated bibliographies click on the hyperlink below.
Cornell University Library (2020). Critically analyzing information sources: Critical appraisal and analysis.Ten things to look for when you evaluate an information source. Cornell University.
(Open source: CC NC-4.0)
NR593 Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Week 6 Assignment
Quantitative Research Article Critique
The Instructor will supply the student with a quantitative research article to critique.
This critique must be in APA format with a Title page, Reference page, and Level Headings separating the sections in the body of your paper. You will begin with an introduction. The body of your paper will answer the critiquing questions that are found in the Complete Quantitative Assignment Instructions. You will end the paper with a conclusion and a reference page.
Please upload your article in MS Word and submit using the 'Submit for grade' button.
ASPECT OF THE
REPORT TITLE
CRITIQUING QUESTIONS
? Is the title a good one, succinctly suggesting key variables and the study population?
ABSTRACT
? Did the abstract clearly and concisely summarize the main features of the report (problem, methods, results, conclusions)?
INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
? Was the problem stated unambiguously, and was it easy to identify?
? Is the problem significant for nursing?
? Did the problem statement build a persuasive argument for the new study?
? Was there a good match between the research problem and the methods used—that is, was a quantitative approach appropriate?
Hypotheses or esearch questions
? Were research questions and/or hypotheses explicitly stated? If not, was their absence justified?
? Were questions and hypotheses appropriately worded, with clear specification of key variables and the study population?
? Were the questions/hypotheses consistent with existing knowledge?
Literature review
? Was the literature review up-to-date and based mainly on primary sources?
? Did the review provide a state-of-the-art synthesis of evidence on the research problem?
? Did the literature review provide a strong basis for the new study?
Conceptual/theoret cal framework
? Were key concepts adequately defined conceptually?
? Was a conceptual/theoretical framework articulated—and, if so, was it appropriate? If not, is the absence of a framework justified?
? Were the questions/hypotheses consistent with the framework?
METHOD
Protection of participants’ rights
? Were appropriate procedures used to safeguard the rights of study participants?
? Was the study subject to external review by an IRB or ethics review board?
? Was the study designed to minimize risks and maximize benefits to participants?
Research design ? Was the most rigorous design used, given the study purpose?
? Were appropriate comparisons made to enhance interpretability of the findings?
? Was the number of data collection points appropriate?
? Did the design minimize biases and threats to the internal, construct, and external validity of the study (e.g., was blinding used, was attrition minimized)?
Population and ample ? Was the population identified? Was the sample described in sufficient detail?
? Was the best possible sampling design used to enhance the sample’s representativeness? Were sampling biases minimized?
? Was the sample size adequate? Was the sample size based on a power analysis?
Data collection and measurement ? Were the operational and conceptual definitions congruent?
? Were key variables measured using an appropriate method (e.g., interviews, observations, and so on)?
? Were the specific instruments adequately described and were they good choices, given the study population and the variables being studied?
? Did the report provide evidence that the data collection methods yielded data that were reliable, valid, and responsive?
Procedures ? If there was an intervention, was it adequately described, and was it rigorously developed and implemented? Did most participants allocated to the intervention group actually receive it? Was there evidence of intervention fidelity?
? Were data collected in a manner that minimized bias? Were the staff who collected data appropriately trained?
RESULTS
Data analysis
? Were analyses undertaken to address each research question or test each hypothesis?
? Were appropriate statistical methods used, given the level of measurement of the variables, number of groups being compared, and assumptions of the tests?
? Was the most powerful analytic method used? (e.g., did the analysis help to control for confounding variables)?
? Were Type I and Type II errors avoided or minimized?
? In intervention studies, was an intention-to-treat analysis performed?
? Were problems of missing values evaluated and adequately addressed?
Findings
? Was information about statistical significance presented? Was information about effect size and precision of estimates (confidence intervals) presented?
? Were the findings adequately summarized, with good use of tables and figures?
? Were findings reported in a manner that facilitates a meta-analysis, and with sufficient information needed for EBP?
DISCUSSION
Interpretation of he findings
? Were all major findings interpreted and discussed within the context of prior research and/or the study’s conceptual framework?
? Were causal inferences, if any, justified?
? Was the issue of clinical significance discussed?
? Were interpretations well-founded and consistent with the study’s limitations?
? Did the report address the issue of the generalizability of the findings?
Implications/reco mmendations ? Did the researchers discuss the implications of the study for clinical practice or further research—and were those implications reasonable and complete?
GENERAL ISSUES
Presentation
? Was the report well-written, organized, and sufficiently detailed for critical analysis?
? In intervention studies, was a CONSORT flowchart provided to show the flow of participants in the study?
? Was the report written in a manner that makes the findings accessible to practicing nurses?
Researcher credibility ? Do the researchers’ clinical, substantive, or methodologic qualifications and experience enhance confidence in the findings and their interpretation?
Summary assessment ? Despite any limitations, do the study findings appear to be valid—do you have confidence in the truth value of the results?
? Does the study contribute any meaningful evidence that can be used in nursing practice or that is useful to the nursing discipline?
NR593 Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Week 8 Assignment
Qualitative Research Article Critique
The Instructor will supply the student with a qualitative research article to critique.
This critique will be in APA format with a Title page, Reference page, and Level Headings separating the sections in the body of your paper. You will begin with an introduction. The body of your paper will answer the critiquing questions that are found in the Complete Qualitative Assignment Instructions. You will end the paper with a conclusion and a reference page.
ASPECT OF THE REPORT CRITIQUING QUESTIONS
TITLE ? Is the title a good one, suggesting the key phenomenon and the group or community under study?
ABSTRACT ? Does the abstract clearly and concisely summarize the main features of the report?
INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
? Was the problem stated unambiguously and is it easy to identify?
? Did the problem statement build a cogent and persuasive argument for the new study?
? Was the problem significant for nursing?
? Was there a good match between the research problem on the one hand and the paradigm, tradition, and methods on the other—that is, was a qualitative approach appropriate?
Research questions ? Were research questions explicitly stated? If not, was their absence justified?
? Were the questions consistent with the study’s philosophical basis, underlying tradition, conceptual framework, or ideologic orientation?
Literature review ? Did the report adequately summarize the existing body of knowledge related to the problem or phenomenon of interest?
? Did the literature review provide a strong basis for the new study?
Conceptual underpinnings ? Were key concepts adequately defined conceptually?
? Was the philosophical basis, underlying tradition, conceptual framework, or ideologic orientation made explicit and was it appropriate for the problem?
METHOD
Protection of participants’ rights
? Were appropriate procedures used to safeguard the rights of study participants?
? Was the study subject to external review by an IRB or ethics review board?
? Was the study designed to minimize risks and maximize benefits to participants?
Research design and research tradition
? Was the identified research tradition (if any) congruent with the methods used to collect and analyze data?
? Was an adequate amount of time spent with study participants?
? Did the design unfold during data collection, giving researchers opportunities to capitalize on early understandings?
? Was there an adequate number of contacts with study participants?
Sample and setting ? Was the group or population of interest adequately described? Were the setting and sample described in sufficient detail?
? Was the approach used to recruit participants or gain access to the site productive and appropriate?
? Was the best possible method of sampling used to enhance information richness and address the needs of the study?
? Was the sample size adequate? Was saturation achieved?
Data collection ? Were the methods of gathering data appropriate? Were data gathered through two or more methods to achieve triangulation?
? Did the researcher ask the right questions or make the right observations, and were they recorded in an appropriate fashion?
? Was a sufficient amount of data gathered? Were the data of sufficient depth and richness?
Procedures ? Were data collection and recording procedures adequately described and do they appear appropriate?
Procedures cont. ? Were data collected in a manner that minimized bias or behavioral distortions? Were the staff who collected data appropriately trained?
Enhancement of trustworthiness ? Did the researchers use effective strategies to enhance the trustworthiness/integrity of the study, and was there a good description of those strategies?
? Were the methods used to enhance trustworthiness adequate?
? Did the researcher document research procedures and decision processes sufficiently that findings are auditable and confirmable?
? Was there evidence of researcher reflexivity?
? Was there “thick description” of the context, participants, and findings, and was it at a sufficient level to support transferability?
RESULTS
Data analysis
? Were the data management and data analysis methods adequately described?
? Was the data analysis strategy compatible with the research tradition and with the nature and type of data gathered?
? Did the analysis yield an appropriate “product” (e.g., a theory, taxonomy, thematic pattern)?
? Did the analytic procedures suggest the possibility of biases?
Findings ? Were the findings effectively summarized, with good use of excerpts and supporting arguments?
? Did the themes adequately capture the meaning of the data? Does it appear that the researcher satisfactorily conceptualized the themes or patterns in the data?
? Did the analysis yield an insightful, provocative, authentic, and meaningful picture of the phenomenon under investigation?
Theoretical integration ? Were the themes or patterns logically connected to each other to form a convincing and integrated whole?
? Were figures, maps, or models used effectively to summarize conceptualizations?
Theoretical integration cont. ? If a conceptual framework or ideologic orientation guided the study, were the themes or patterns linked to it in a cogent manner?
DISCUSSION
Interpretation of the findings
? Were the findings interpreted within an appropriate social or cultural context?
? Were major findings interpreted and discussed within the context of prior studies?
? Were the interpretations consistent with the study’s limitations?
Implications/recom mendations ? Did the researchers discuss the implications of the study for clinical practice or further research—and are those implications reasonable and complete?
GENERAL ISSUES
Presentation
? Was the report well-written, well-organized, and sufficiently detailed for critical analysis?
? Was the description of the methods, findings, and interpretations sufficiently rich and vivid?
Researcher credibility ? Do the researchers’ clinical, substantive, or methodologic qualifications and experience enhance confidence in the findings and their interpretation?
Summary assessment ? Do the study findings appear to be trustworthy—do you have confidence in the truth value of the results?
? Does the study contribute any meaningful evidence that can be used in nursing practice or that is useful to the nursing discipline?
NR593 Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Week 11 Assignment
Research Presentation Poster
Design a Poster Presentation of a research study as a set of slides.
Here are a couple of sites that have some good information on making poster presentations, although in our case you would be putting each of the different 'sections' on a different slide:
USC. (n.d.). Tips for successful posters. University of South Carolina.
This is a short to the point instructional slide show.
Cornell Center for Material Research. (n.d.). Scientific Poster Design. Cornell University.
This is longer but has excellent 'good' vs. 'bad' examples.
You will include all sections below in your slide presentation.
Slide 1- Title of Research Study. Your Name, Date, Norwich University and course name- NR 522 Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice.
Slide 2- Abstract (less than 300 words)
Slide 3- Description of the problem and clear problem statement.
Slide 4- Research Question - if quantitative- clearly state the relationship between the independent and dependent variable. If qualitative- clearly state the central question and the associated sub-questions.
Slide 5- Methodology- discuss the type of study design, sample size and selection process, and how data will be analyzed. Discuss how you will recruit your sample and who will be the members of your research team. Discuss any tool you plan to use to collect data and how you store information to keep it confidential.
Slide 6- Results- this slide will be left blank until you complete your research.
Slide 7- Conclusion- For this assignment discuss the significance of what you plan to study and limitations of your study. Include information on generalizability, nursing implications, and suggestions for further research.
Slide 8- Reference list.
This will be graded using the attached grading rubric
