Goal:
You will critically appraise a research design
Content Requirements:
You will select one research report with a qualitative design and one with quantitative design and answer the following questions regarding the following categories:
1. Discuss what is meant by the term Qualitative Research
· Briefly, describe the characteristics of qualitative research and identify nursing issues/phenomena that lend themselves to a qualitative research approach.
· Compare and contrast three different qualitative research methodologies.
· Briefly, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research evidence for informing nursing practice.
· Communicate how this research design used in research.
2. The study, sampling, data collection, analysis, rigor, findings and limitations
· Identify the purpose of the study.
· Briefly, describe the design of the study and explain why you think it is either appropriate or inappropriate to meet the purpose.
· Identify ethical issues related to the study and how they were/were not addressed.
· Identify the sampling method and recruitment strategy that was used.
· Discuss whether sampling and recruitment were appropriate to the aims of the research.
· Identify the data collection method(s) and discuss whether the method(s) is/are appropriate to the aims of the study.
· Identify how the data was analyzed and discuss whether the method(s) of analysis is/are appropriate to the aims of the study.
· Identify four (4) criteria by which the rigor of a qualitative project can be judged.
· Discuss the rigor of this study using the four criteria.
· Briefly, describe the findings of the study and identify any limitations.
· Use the information that you have gained from your critique of the study to discuss the trustworthiness and applicability of the study. Include in your discussion any implications for the discipline of nursing.
3. Discuss what you understand by the term Quantitative Research – Use the following dot points to guide your discussion (give reasons for your argument and support with references):
· Describe the characteristics of quantitative research.
· Identify nursing issues/phenomena that lend themselves to a quantitative research approach
· Differentiate between observational and interventional research designs and also between experimental and quasi-experimental designs.
· Briefly, outline the difference between inferential and descriptive statistics and their relationship to levels of measurement.
· Communicate how this research design used in research.
4. Critique the Quantitative Research Report – Use the following headings to guide your critique (in all discussions and explanations give reasons for your argument and support with references):
· The study
· Identify the purpose and design of the study.
· Explain what is meant by ‘blinding’ and ‘randomization’ and discuss how these were addressed in the design of the study.
· Identify ethical issues related to the study and how they were/were not addressed.
· Sampling
· Explain the sampling method and recruitment strategy that was used.
· Discuss how the sample size was determined – include in your discussion an explanation of terms used.
· Data collection
· Briefly, outline how the data was collected and identify any data collection instrument(s).
· Define the terms validity and reliability and discuss how the validity & reliability of the instruments were/were not addressed in this study and why this is important.
· Data analysis
· Outline how the data were analyzed.
· Identify the statistics used and the level of measurement of the data described by each statistical test – include in your discussion an explanation of terms used.
· Findings and limitations
· Briefly, outline the findings and identify any limitations of the study
· Use the information that you have gained from your critique of the study to briefly discuss the trustworthiness and applicability of the study. Include in your discussion an explanation of the term statistical significance and name the tests of statistical significance used in this study.
Submission Instructions:
· The paper is to be clear and concise and students will lose points for improper grammar, punctuation and misspelling.
· The paper should be formatted per current APA and 7-10 pages in length, excluding the title, abstract and references page.
· Incorporate a minimum of 3 current (published within last five years)
scholarly journal articles or
primary legal sources (statutes, court opinions) within your work.
· Complete and submit the assignment by 11:59 PM ET Sunday.
· Late work policies, expectations regarding proper citations, acceptable means of responding to peer feedback, and other expectations are at the discretion of the instructor.
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Grading Rubric
Your assignment will be graded according to the grading rubric.
No late submissions will be accepted!
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Final Essay/Paper Rubric
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Criteria
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Ratings
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Points
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Identification of Main Issues/Problems
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Distinguished – 10 points
Identify and demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the issues/problems.
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Excellent – 8 points
Identifies and demonstrate an accomplished understanding of most of issues/problems.
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Fair – 6 points
Identifies and demonstrate an acceptable understanding of most of issues/problems.
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Poor – 4 points
Identifies and demonstrate an unacceptable understanding of most of issues/problems.
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10 points
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Analysis and Evaluation of Issues/Problems
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Distinguished – 10 points
Presents an insightful, thorough analysis and evaluation of issues/problems.
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Excellent – 8 points
Presents a thorough analysis and evaluation of most of the issues/problems.
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Fair – 6 points
Presents a superficial or incomplete analysis and evaluation of issues/problems.
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Poor – 4 points
Presents unacceptable analysis and evaluation of issues/problems.
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10 points
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Demonstrates a Conceptual Understanding
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Distinguished – 10 points
Provides a thorough, competent and interpretive responses to all issues/problems, and shows a high level of conceptual understanding.
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Excellent – 8 points
Provides a competent and interpretive responses to all issues/problems, and shows a moderate level of conceptual understanding.
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Fair – 6 points
Provides a competent responses to all issues/problems, but lacks interpretation and a moderate level of conceptual understanding.
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Poor – 4 points
Provides an unacceptable response to all issues/problems, and lacks interpretation and a moderate level of conceptual understanding.
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10 points
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Use of Citations to Course Readings and Additional Research/Literature
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Distinguished – 10 points
Effectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Exceptional use of citations and extended referencing.
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Excellent – 8 points
Effectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Moderate use of citations and extended referencing.
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Fair – 6 points
Ineffectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Moderate use of citations and extended referencing.
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Poor – 4 points
Ineffectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Unacceptable use of citations and extended referencing.
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10 points
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Writing Mechanics and APA Formatting Guidelines
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Distinguished – 10 points
Demonstrate a high level of clarity, precision, and attention to detail. APA style is correct and writing is free of grammar and spelling errors.
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Excellent – 8 points
Demonstrate a high level of clarity. APA style and writing mechanics need more precision and attention to detail.
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Fair – 6 points
Demonstrate a moderate level of clarity. APA style and writing mechanics need more precision and attention to detail.
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Poor – 4 points
Demonstrates issues in writing and communicating clearly. APA style and writing mechanics need serious attention.
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10 points
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Total Points
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50
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This assignment DOES generate a TII score. It is the student’s responsibility to review your score and make appropriate adjustments. Students who use AI for writing their papers will receive an automatic zero (0) for a grade.
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