Introduction (no heading). Give the reader a sense of what to expect in this paper (identify the article being appraised [cited appropriately] and state what parts of the appraisal will be included in this paper). Discuss author(s) qualifications to conduct the study (did educational preparation and clinical experience of author[s] support qualification to conduct study?). Discuss the clarity of the article title (were type of study, variables, and population identified?). Discuss the quality of the abstract (were purpose, design, sample, intervention, and key results presented?). (10 pts)
Literature Review (ROL). Briefly describe the clinical problem that prompted the study. Discuss the evidence provided for the significance (magnitude and impact) of the clinical problem (were magnitude and impact supported?). Discuss significance of the clinical problem to nursing? Identify the major topics discussed in the background in the ROL. Briefly explain whether the ROL section included sources current at the time of the study. Discuss whether the ROL included primary or secondary sources. Discuss whether the studies in the ROL were described, critically appraised, and synthesized to provide a clear summary of the current knowledge about the problem of interest. Explain how the ROL provided support for the current research study (were gaps in research knowledge discussed?). (20 pts)
Research Problem, Purpose, Research Questions/Hypotheses. Identify the research problem of the study. Identify the study purpose. Does the purpose clearly address a gap in nursing knowledge (research problem) identified in and supported by the ROL? If there are research questions and/or hypotheses, identify them and discuss whether they follow from the research problem and purpose? State whether each of these were implied or explicitly stated