“Critical appraisal is a systematic process used to identify the strengths and weakness of a research article in order to assess the usefulness and validity of research findings”

1. Prof Dr Nilima Sonawane
Principal
Institute Of Nursing Education , Mumbai
nilima.sonawane09@gmail.com
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF
RESEARCH ARTICLE

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Definition of Critical Review
• purposes for research critiques.
• guidelines for writing research critique.
• Understand the Rating scale for research critique.
• Identify critique of the study background and critique of the
methodological aspects.
• Describe the Ethical considerations and writing a research critique
• Apply knowledge in critique of the results , conclusion and
miscellaneous aspects of the study

4. “Critical appraisal is a systematic process used to
identify the strengths and weakness of a research
article in order to assess the usefulness and validity of
research findings”
Research critiques is a planned, careful critical
evaluation of a piece of research work against the
pre specified criteria to judge the strengths and
weakness of the research study.

5. WHAT IS CRITICALAPPRAISAL
• Application of rules of evidence to a study to assess
the validity of the data, completeness of reporting ,
methods and procedures, conclusions, compliance
with ethical standards.

6. After reading the article, critically appraise it

7. PURPOSES
• strength and weakness of the study
• suggestions
• judge the scientific merits of the study

8. GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A RESEARCH
CRITIQUE
• Read and understand the research report carefully
• Carryout the critical appraisal of all the aspects of the research
report
• Be objective and sensitive while framing the negative
comments , and be practical
• Keep a balance approach ;by presenting both strong and weak
points
• Alternative suggestions must be provided for further
improvement
• Positive and negative comments must be supported with
examples

9. ABOUT THE ARTICLE
 Identifying or tracing the source of the article
 About the journal:- • What type of journal?
 Who is the publisher of the journal?
 Under what section of the journal the article is
published? •
 What is the ISSN number of the journal?
 Is it peer reviewed or not?
 What is the year of publication?
 What are the Issue, volume and page numbers?

10. PEER REVIEW
• Peer review means that manuscripts when first
received by the journal editor are sent out to be
reviewed by several experts in the subject area of the
manuscript.
• The reviewer’s task is to assess the manuscript
critically for the quality of its Science, its logic, its
manner of presentation, and any other feature that
might reflect on its value in the literature.

11. ABOUT THE AUTHORS
• Is there a mention of author’s name/names?
• What are the author’s Credentials?
• What is the author’s affiliation noted for?
• What is the author’s current position, past experience,
and area of expertise?
• Is their evidence that the author had the necessary
consultative support and equipment to increase the
accuracy of the published material?
• Is the basic source of the knowledge presented the
result of experience, subjective opinion, authority

12. PURPOSE OF THE PUBLICATION
• Is the publication a research report, editorial,
literature review, case study, or “show-and-tell”
article?
• Was the purpose of the article to express an opinion,
to share an experience, or to share the findings of a
research study?
• Did the author make the purpose clear to the reader?

13. TITLE OF THE ARTICLE
• Does it indicate the topic and focus of the study?
• Does it indicate the research question?
• s the title meaningful and complete?
• Does it reflect Aim and objectives of the study?
• Does it give an idea of study population and study
setting?
• Does it give an idea about the design of the study?
• Does the title look catchy?
• Is it very short or overlong?

14. ABSTARCT
Abstract is An Abstract is
defined as an abbreviated,
accurate representation of
the contents of a document,
without added interpretation
or Criticism.
It is a brief summary of the
article which usually appears
at the head of the article.
Birds eye view

15. INFORMATIVE ABSTRACT
• It is best for papers describing original research.
• It should typically contain 100-250 words.
• It should ideally answer the following ;
• Aim & Objectives
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusion
• Key words

16. KEY WORDS
Key words or Key phrases are
intended for indexing and cataloguing
entries and facilitate the search from
literature databases.
The key words selected should
facilitate data search through search
engines when explode commands are
given to databases.

17. RESEARCH PROBLEM
• Is the problem statement clearly and concisely articulated?
• Is the problem significant for nursing profession and has the researcher
provided good argument for the significance?
• Is the researcher problem within the professional domain ?
• Is the problem not complex to study and appropriately delimited in its
scope ?
• Does the problem statement clearly depict the variables, population and
place of the study?
• Is the research problem feasible to study in reference to time , resources
,researcher’s ability and availability of respondents ?
• Is the research problem directed to develop or test the nursing theories ?

18. SMART
• Are the objectives in accordance with research problem ?
• Are the objectives stated in clear and concise form ?
• Are the objectives stated using accepted action verbs in logical
manner?
• Do the objectives describe why the study was designed
• Do the objectives reflect how results will be used
• Are the objectives clearly specified
OBJECTIVES

19. INTRODUCTION
The introduction and the conclusion are the
two sections in any form of writing which are
difficult to write.
It should ideally introduce the literature to
the reader.
It should provide a context and create a
rationale for the current study.
Introduction should have logically flowing
sentences which create a movement from
General (Background) to specific
(Foreground).

20. INTRODUCTION
• Is the introduction meaningful?
• Is it built on existing literature?
• Is it logically presented?
• Are the citations followed with correct references
in the list of references?
• Has it presented need for the study?
• Has it stated research question or hypothesis?

21. HYPOTHESES
• Are the hypotheses stated ? If not , does the researcher provide
sufficient information for not stating the hypotheses?
• Are hypotheses logically related with the research problem and
objectives?
• If stated, are the hypothesis are clear? Specific ? Testable?
• Whether hypotheses are stated in measurable terms by stating the
level of significance(e.g. P= 0.05) to accept or reject the
hypotheses?
• Are the hypotheses stated in a way that they express a predicted
relationship between two or more variables?

22. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
• Is conceptual framework appropriate and in accordance with
research problem ?
• Is conceptual framework based on a nursing theory or a theory
from other related disciplines?
• Are all the concepts in conceptual framework clearly,
adequately, and logically defined and articulated in way that
they help either in the testing or generation of a theory?
• Are the relationships among concepts within the model
described
• Does the selected model best explain the phenomena under
study

23. LITERATURE REVIEW
• Completely in accordance with research problem and
covers majority of available studies on the topic under
study?
• From the current and primary sources?
• Well-organized under subheadings in a chronological
order according to the year of the study?
• Presented in an analytical way to draw the meaningful
inferences?

24. METHODOLOGY
 Target population
 Study setting
 Study population
 Sampling frame
 Sample size
 Study design
 Measurement strategies and calibration /Instruments
 Statistical analysis • Ethical approval

25. RESEARCH DESIGN
• Is the design specified correctly ? what was the design
used?
• Is the design appropriate to answer the research
question?
• Did the researcher attempted to control for threats to
internal and external validity?
• Are the results of the independent variable
manipulation observable?
• Does the control extraneous variables?
• What improvements could be made in the research
design?

26. SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
• Is the sample representative of the population of interest
• Are the criteria for including and /or excluding people or
items from the sample clear and appropriate?
• Is an appropriate sampling technique used to draw from
population?
• Is the sample representative of the population of interest ?
• Is the sample size adequate for detecting difference between
groups? • Are the sample groups equivalent?
• Is there evidence of sampling error?
• Is there evidence of sample bias?

27. DATA COLLECTION METHOD AND TOOLS
• Are the instruments or other means for data collection
described sufficiently?
• Are the reliability and validity of instruments
addressed? Are these adequate?
• Are data collection methods described clearly?
• Are the data collection methods appropriate? could the
researcher mentioned the specific benefits and
problems faced by the research with particular methods
of data collection?

28. METHODS &MATERIALS
• Are the methods appropriate?
• Are the methods described in detail to allow for
replication?
• Are the methods in accordance with the ethical
standards for protection of animal and human
subjects?
• What method was used to assign subjects to groups
and to assign treatments to subjects?

29. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Are the participants safe from any physical harms, risks,
psychological and social distress, and discomfort?
• Is confidentiality of information & anonymity and
privacy of subjects was maintained?
• Was an appropriate written or verbal consent taken from
the study participants?
• Was the written permission obtained from the competent
authority to conduct the research study?

30. • If vulnerable populations were involved ,was special
consideration given to informed consent & study
procedure?
• Was the benefits of the study outweighed the risk for
individual subjects & a risk /benefit assessment
considered?
• Were subjects recruited ,selected & assigned to groups
in an equitable way?

31. RESULTS
1.Tables, Charts, and Graphs are to be used appropriately to
support the findings.
2.The first few tables provide subjective characteristics
(Descriptive statistics) and the later tables should describe
outcomes as measurements of dependent variables reported by
the study and analytic results (Inferential statistics).
3.Are the results presented in logical and comprehensible
manner?
4. Are the important results presented in both tables and text
matter?
5.Are the tables, charts, and graphs numbered properly and titled
properly?

32. RESULTS
1.Are these tables showing descriptive as well as inferential data?
2.Are the tables simple and alignment of information properly done?
3.Are the data given in text and tables match or tally with each
other?
4.Are the results based on aim and Objectives of the study?
• Is the process used to analyze data clear?
• Whether the processes for data analysis appropriate to answer the
research question?
• Do the results provide an answer to the research question?
• If tables are provided, are they clear and understandable?

33. DISCUSSION
• Are the results of the study
discussed in the light of previous
works with insight to the current
study results
• Does the researcher highlighted
major findings

34. DISCUSSION
• Discussion is majorly about interpreting and explaining the
results obtained.
• Inferences are drawn with respect to population, product and test
materials .
• Is the discussion meaningful?
• Does it highlight the important findings of the study?
• Is there enough explanation of all significant findings?
• Is the comparison logical and reasoned properly?
• What the limitations of the study are as presented in the
discussions? Does it open new vistas for further research?

35. SUMMERY & CONCLUSION
Summary should provide a gist of what study was about,
what was done and what was found. It is important to
arrive at our own conclusions after critically reading the
paper irrespective of the author conclusion.
The reasoning proposed by the author in reaching
conclusions should be rigorously analyzed and assessed
for its strength.

36. SUMMERY & CONCLUSION
• Has the study concluded concisely and precisely depicting most
significant findings?
• Are the conclusions drawn in accordance with study objectives,
hypotheses/assumptions, and conceptual framework?
• Are practical recommendations made towards improvement in
the nursing practices?
• Are the recommendations consistent with the research findings
and results?
• Are the recommendations made with suggested changes and
improvements in the methodologies of the further researcher
studies on similar topic?

37. REFERENCES
• Are the in-text references cited as per recommended
guidelines(e.g. using superscript format)?
• Are the references relevant and completely follow
the recommended style (e.g.Vancouver’s style)?
• Author(s). Title. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher;
Year.

38. RATING SCALE FOR RESEARCH
CRITIQUE
• The three -point rating scale may also be used for
critiquing a research
• Three points are as
1=Weak or absent.
2=Appropriate.
3=Strong

39. RATING SCALE FOR RESEARCH CRITIQUE
TITLE Yes No
• Does the title of the research report identify the major study variables and
the population under investigation
ABSTRACT Yes No
• Is the research abstract clearly written, highlighting the major features of
the investigation
STYLE OF ORGANIZATION Yes No
• Does the researcher present the research report in a clear, understandable
,and exciting way
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Yes No
• Do the objectives describe why the study was designed
• Do the objectives reflect how results will be used
• Are the objectives clearly specified

40. PROBLEM/HYPOTHEISIS UNDER STUDY Yes No
• Is the hypothesis clearly stated
• Has the hypothesis specified the relationship between the
variables
THEORTICAL FRAMEWORK Yes No
• Is a clear conceptual model describe in the study
• Are the major concepts of the models identified and defined
• Are the relationships among concepts within the model described
• Does the selected model best explain the phenomena under study
• Is the theorem to be tested clearly stated
LITERATURE REVIEW Yes No
• Has an in-depth review been conducted
• How recent are the identified publications
• Have any primary sources been used
• Is the methodology of the studies present in the description

41. RESEARCH DESIGN Yes No
• Is this the best-suited design for the study
• Are controls applied to the study of the greatest extent possible
• Are the extraneous variables identified or taken into account in the design
of the study
• Is there any evidence of bias in relation to the methods used
DATA COLLECTION MEASURES Yes No
• Is the level of data(nominal ,ordinal ,interval ,ratio)appropriate given the
focus of the study
• How valid and reliable are the instruments used in the study
SAMPLE Yes No
• Are there any factors related to the process that may have caused the
sample to be biased
• If random sampling was used has the process been described
• Are generalizations made that are not warranted given the sampling
procedure used

42. ANALYSIS OF DATA Yes No
• Have ratios ,rate , proportions and measures of central tendency been
correctly calculated
• Do the calculations provide useful information
• Is the confidence interval interpreted as the frequency with which the
population mean lies between the stated limits
• Are the results of the study expressed in terms of probability
ANALYSIS OF DATA Yes No
• Is the level of probability specified
• Is the level of significance reported
• Is the correct form of inferential test used
• If randomization is not used ,are results interpreted with that factor in
mind
FINDINGS OF STUDY Yes No
• Are the tables clearly labelled, and convey the desired information in a
clear simple fashion

43. FINDINGS OF STUDY Yes No
• Is each hypothesis addressed
• Are the study limitations discussed
• Does the interpretation of the results fit with other components of the
study
• Is adequate information presented relating to the statistical test used
DISCUSSION Yes No
• Are the results of the study discussed in the light of previous works
with insight to the current study results
• Does the researcher highlighted major findings
SUGGESTION FOR USE OF FINDINGS Yes No
• Does the researcher clearly identify how the study results related to
nursing practice , education and administration
REFERENCES Yes No
• Are the references relevant and completely follow the recommended
style

44. SUMMARY
A critique is a systematic way of objectively
reviewing a piece of research to highlight both its
strengths and weaknesses, and its applicability to
practice. Professionals often need to be able to
identify best current practice, and the ability to
evaluate and use published research is critical in
achieving this.

45. TAKE HOME MESSAGE