Project Preparation: Research Appraisal
Directions
Conduct four appraisals of research articles that answer your PICO question to find an evidence-based recommendation. Critique each of the four articles for their results, strengths, limitations, application to the PICO question, and application to the PICO population. In the next module, you will complete four more appraisals for a total of eight appraisals. To appraise each research study, choose an appropriate critical appraisal tool found in the Required Resources “Critical Appraisal Tools” section of the module. Since you will be choosing a tool appropriate for each study’s design, different tools can be selected. Use the Modules Two and Three Project Preparation Template in the What to Submit section below to provide information from each of your appraisals. Note that you do not need to submit the appraisal tools themselves as part of the assignment.
During your selection of these articles, continue to use the Search Tracker worksheet introduced in Module One. The search tracker is a valuable tool in documenting research articles when conducting a literature review. Its primary purpose is to help you keep a record of your search strategy, the sources you have searched, and the articles you have identified during the research process. The Search Tracker worksheet will be due in Module Four.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
1. Critical Appraisal Tool: Identify the appropriate critical appraisal tool based on each research article’s design.
2. Evidence Level: Identify the appropriate evidence level for each article.
3. Strengths: Evaluate each article’s strengths.
4. Limitations: Evaluate each article’s limitations.
5. Findings: Analyze each article’s findings. Include the statistical significance, effect, and any other results that are relevant to the findings.
6. Quality: Evaluate the quality of each study. Be sure to address the following for the type of study and provide evidence.
A. For qualitative studies: Does the study have confirmability (auditability, credibility, and fittingness)?
B. For quantitative studies: Is the study reliable (can the results be replicated) and valid (did the results of the study measure and answer what it said it was going to answer)?
7. Application to the Population: Assess each article for its application to the population included in the PICO question.
8. Application to the PICO Question: Assess each article for its application to the PICO question.
9. Primary, Peer-Reviewed Research Articles: Incorporate four current (within the last five years) primary, peer-reviewed research articles that support claims.
What to Submit
Submit your completed module two and three project preparation template. Your submission should cover four primary, peer-reviewed articles. The remaining four will be completed in the next module.
Template
Complete this template by replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information.
Module Two: Complete the first four article appraisals for this module.
Module Three: Complete the remaining four article appraisals for this module.
Article One
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Two
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Three
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Four
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Five
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Six
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Seven
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Article Eight
Reference in APA Format
[Insert text.]
Critical Appraisal Tool Used
[Insert text.]
Evidence Level
[Insert text.]
Strengths of the Article
[Insert text.]
Limitations of the Article
[Insert text.]
Findings
[Insert text.]
Quantitative Study: Validity
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Quantitative Study: Reliability
[Insert text. If the study is qualitative, delete this section.]
Qualitative Study: Confirmability
[Insert text. If the study is quantitative, delete this section.]
Application to the PICO Question Population
[Insert text.]
Application to the PICO Question
[Insert text.]
Complete the Tracker
Complete this template by replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information. For more information about searching for resources, refer to the course-specific information in the RN-BSN Library Guide.
Write the PICO Question: [Insert text.]
Inclusion Criteria: [Insert text.]
Exclusion Criteria: [Insert text.]
Search # Search Terms Database # of Articles Retrieved # of Articles Used
1 Population: [Insert text.]
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert Text]
2 Intervention: [Insert text.]
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert Text]
3 Comparison: [Insert text.]
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert Text]
4 Outcome: [Insert text.]
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert Text]
Combine search terms using the Boolean term “AND”
Search # Search Terms Database # of Articles Retrieved # of Articles Used
5
Population AND Outcome
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
6
Intervention AND Outcome
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
7 Intervention AND Outcome AND Population
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
8 Population AND Outcome AND Intervention
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
Combine search terms using the Boolean term “OR”
Search # Search Terms Database # of Articles Retrieved # of Articles Used
9 Population OR Outcome
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
10 Intervention OR Outcome
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
11 Intervention OR Outcome OR Population
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]
12 Population OR Outcome OR Intervention
Other Search Terms: [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.] [Insert text.]