This is Dr.

Elaine Miller and we're doing Module 5, Session 3 where we're going to have an illustration of
a critique of a theoretically based research article. For this session, we have three objectives. The first is
review the essential components In critiquing a theoretically based research article. Number two,
discuss how the strengths and limitation of a research article are determined and communicated.

And then three, describe the gap in the evidence for the particular article examined. [BLANK_AUDIO]
The article that you will have the opportunity to evaluate and then receive feedback on is written by
Konicki and was published in 2012 in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. It's entitled Knowledge of
cardiovascular risk factors, self-nurturance, and heart-healthy behaviors in women.

And also please note how it's referenced, how it's listed, this is in correct APA format. Also, the article
link will be available to you in Module five. [BLANK_AUDIO] While we talk about the whole issue of
critiquing the literature, remember critiquing is different than reviewing. When you review the
literature, you're just stating what you find.

But when you have a critique, you're actually evaluating the strengths and limitations of a particular
research article. So as an advanced practice nurse, you need to be able to astutely critique the literature
and evidence. And determine its relevance to the refinement of nursing theory and its application to
nursing practice.

[BLANK_AUDIO] In addition, when we're looking at a theoretically based research article, it's important
to begin by looking at the background in the introduction. What problem really stimulated the research
that was about to be performed or is being reported. Is this topic important and significant? What
relevant information sets the stage for the study?

So one of the things you really want to do is look at the lit review. Look at the currency of the literature.
Determine if it is truly research based or just as we said, just expert based. So you really want strong
evidence, if possible. You want to clarify what is known and what is not known.

You want to identify what useful information or gap this study will address. And then what particular
theory and model is present that is shaping the study? And this relates to the design and execution of
the study. So if you have a theory based research study and it's testing theory, then the research
questions should emerge from the theory.

The design should adhere to the assumptions of the theory. Once again, we said it will not test the
entire theory. It probably will just test maybe one or two propositions or relationship between the
concepts, and then you need to be clear about the conceptual and operational definitions of the
concepts and how they fit with the particular theory you're examining.

[BLANK_AUDIO] In addition, when we're looking at a research article, we're interested in the methods.
What's the overall design? Is it a quasi-experimental study? Is it an experimental study? Is it a non-
experimental study? Is it descriptive? What are the sample characteristics? For instance, if you are
interested in a topic that pertains to older adults, but the majority of the research has been done on
pediatric and young adults, you need to look at that.
You need to say, well maybe that's why this study's being done, because it's focusing on people 55 and
older or 65 and older. So you wanna also look at the theory base. And we talked about how the theory
needs to fit like a glove with the particular questions and design of the study as well as interpretation.

And then you look at the data and how are the data collected? And the data should then help address
the research questions that have been identified. Then you look at the data analysis, all the human
rights issues we talked about, ethical considerations, informed consents. If you, once again, have a
theory testing article, you will have instruments, you want to know their reliability, which is the
consistency with which they measure the concepts as well as the validity, which is the accuracy.

And you also want to, if you have qualitative data, there's other aspects that you're gonna consider
when you're assessing the rigor of a qualitative study. [BLANK_AUDIO] As you look at a study, another
important element is the results. So do the results or the data collected, does it answer the research
questions and/or hypotheses presented?

So this is really important, as well as the tables making sense and the significance of the findings. So all
this should come together and help you determine the importance of this study. And then this leads to
discussion, which is interpretation if the theory driven or theory testing study, how do the findings
relate to one another?

What was learned? What were the limitations that occurred in this particular study? And then what
question remain? And what are specific applications? [BLANK_AUDIO] Finally, at the end of this module,
you will be given a particular article that you are gonna be asked to review and critique on your own.

And then what happens is you'll have a graded assessment. There will be ten questions, each worth half
a point, totaling five points. And what happens is you'll have a graded assessment to determine how
well you're able to identify the different components of an article that needs to be examined when
you're critiquing.

And so you will have this opportunity. The highest of two scores will be recorded in a gradebook. As
always if you have any questions or concerns let me know. The exemplar of how you would critique the
Konicki article is provided for you also in this course. So, we look forward to hearing from you.