MASTERSKILL

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Critique
 Learning objectives
The students should be able to
2. Define critique
3. List out steps in conducting research
critique
4. Understand the research critique process
5. State the guidelines for conducting
research critique

S1-critique Jan 08
 Definition

A research critique is a careful appraisal of the

strengths and weaknesses of the study
 Steps in conducting research
1. Read and critique the entire study.

2. Examine the organization and presentation of the research

report. A well prepared report is complete, concise, clearly
presented and logically organized. It does not involve excessive
jargon that is difficult for students and practicing nurses to read.
The reference need to be complete and presented in a consistent
manner.

.
Con…
3. Examine the significance of the problem
studied for nursing practice.

4. Identify strengths and weakness of a

study. All studies have strengths and
weaknesses
5. Be balanced in the critique. Try not to be
overly critical in identifying a study’s
weaknesses or overly flattering in
identifying strengths
6. Provide specific examples of the strengths
and weaknesses of a study.

7. Provide a rationale for your critique.

8.Suggest modifications for future studies.

9. Discuss the feasibility of replication of the

study. Is the study presented in enough
detail to be replicated?

10. Discuss the usefulness of the findings for

practice.
 Critique process
1. Comprehension:
understanding the terms and concepts in the
report, identifying the elements or steps of the
research process such as problem, purpose,
framework and design.

2. Comparison:
requires what each step of the research
process should be like and then the ideal is
compared to the real.
Con..
3. Analysis:
Involves critique of the logical links
connecting one study element with another.

4. Evaluation:
The evaluation becomes a summary of
the study’s quality that builds on
conclusions reached during the first three
phases
 Guidelines

I. Title:
 Is the title a good one, succinctly suggesting key
variables and the study population?

II. Abstract:
 Does the abstract clearly and concisely
summarize the main features (problem,
methods, research conclusions)
 Con..

III.
Introduction

I. Problem statement:
 a. What is the study problem? Is it easy to locate?
 b. Is the problem stated clearly and unambiguously?
Is it easy to identify?
 c. Does the problem stated, expresses a relationship
between two or more variables
 d. Does the problem specify the nature of the
population being studied?
 con
ii. Purpose:
 a. What is the study purpose?
 b. Does the purpose narrow and clarify the
focus or aim of the study and identify the
research variables, population and setting?
 c. Is it worded appropriately? Are verbs used
appropriately to suggest the nature of the inquiry
 con

iii. Objectives:
 a. Formally stated? Clearly and concisely
stated?
 b. Logically linked to purpose?
 c. Linked to concepts and relationships from
the framework?
 d. Measurable or potentially measurable and
achievable?
 e. Do they clearly identify the variables and
population studied
 Con…
iv. Hypotheses:
 Are they
 a. Properly worded?
 b. Stated objectively?
 c. Stating a predictive relationship between
variables?
 d. Stated in such a way that they are
testable?
 Con…
v. Conceptual framework:
 a. Is the study framework identified? Is a
particular theory or model identified as a
framework for the study?
 b. Is the framework explicitly expressed or
must be extracted from the literature
review?
 d. Does the framework describe and define
the concepts and major features of the
theory?
 Con…
 e. Does the framework present the
relationships among the concepts?
 f. Is a map or model of the framework
provided for clarity?
 Con…

vi. Variables
a. Are the variables clearly defined based on
previous research and or theories?
b. Is the conceptual definition of a variable
consistent with the operational definition?
 Con…
c. Are the major variables or concepts
identified and defined)? Identify and
define the appropriate variables
included in the study: Independent
variables, Dependent variables,
Research variables
 Con…
IV. Review of literature
 a. Is the literature review presented?
 b. Are all relevant concepts and variables included in the
review?
 c. Are relevant previous studies identified and described?
 d. Are relevant theories and models identified and
described?
 e. Are the references current? Examine the number of
sources in the last five and ten years in the reference list.
 Con…
Methodology:

i. Ethical considerations:
 a. Are the rights of human subjects protected?
 b. Were appropriate procedures used to safeguard the
rights of study participants used?
 c. Was the study approved and monitored by an
institutional review board, research ethics board or
other similar ethics review committee?
 d. Was the study designed to minimize risks and
maximize benefits to participants?
 Con…
ii. Design:
 a. Is the research design clearly addressed? Identify the
specific design of the study.

 b. Does the research question imply a question about the

causal relationship between the independent and
dependent variables?

 c. What would be strongest design for the research

question? How does this compare to the design actually
used?
 Con…
iii. Setting:
 Discuss the setting and whether it was appropriate for the
conduct of the study.
iv. Population and Sample:
 a. Was the population identified and described? Was the
sample described in sufficient detail?
 b. Was the best possible sampling design was used to
enhance sample’s representative ness? Were sample biases
minimized?
 Con…

 sampling method adequate to produce a sample that is

representative c. Is the of the study population?

 d. Was the sample size adequate?

 e. Identify the inclusion and exclusion sample criteria.

 Con…

v.
Instrument/tools:

 a. Are all of the measurement strategies

/instruments identified and described?

 b. Identify the author of each measurement strategy.

Identify the type of each measurement strategy
(Likert, visual analogue, physiological
measurement, questionnaire, interview,
observation).
Con..
 c. Is the method used appropriate to the
problem being studied? Were the methods
used appropriate to the clinical situation?
Are they similar for all subjects?
 Con…
vi. Data collection:
 a. Did the researcher make the right decision about
collecting new data versus existing data for the study?

 b. Were the right methods used to collect the data?

 C. . Was the right amount of data collected? Were too

many data were collected in terms burdening study
participants?
 Con…
VI. Data analysis.
 a. Are data analysis procedures clearly described? What
statistical analyses are included in the research report?

 b. Do data analyses address each objective, Question or

hypothesis?

 Are tables and figures used to synthesize and emphasize

certain findings

 Are the statistics used appropriate to the problem, the

hypothesis, the method, the sample and the level of
measurement?
 Con…
VII. Discussion:
 a. What is the researcher’s interpretation of findings? Are all
important results discussed?

 b. Did the researcher identify and discuss important study

limitations ?

 c. Are there inconsistencies of the report?

 d. Are all major findings interpreted and discussed within the

context ?
 Con…
VII. Application and
utilization:
 a. How much confidence can be placed in the study
findings? Are the findings an accurate reflection of
reality? Do the study appear valid?
 What research questions emerge from the findings ?
 Does the study contribute any meaningful evidence
that can be used in nursing practice or that is useful
to the nursing discipline?
 Con…
VII. Conclusion:
 The exercise of a critique was a useful task to apply the
knowledge of research. Identifying the strengths and
weaknesses of the study including the constraints and
limitations, helped to review the research process. The exercise
gives a room for thoughtfulness and to hold the analysis in
practical terms. Thus the research critique gives room for the
authenticity of the information and to analyze the credibility of
the findings and to weigh the evidence base in terms of
practicality, objectivity, utilization, application and replication
possibility.