Critical Appraisal Strategies, Reading Research & Research Questions

Question 1

Critical Appraisal

Answer 1

Process of carefully and systematically examining research evidence to judge its trustworthiness, value, and relevance

Question 2

Level of Evidence 🔺

Answer 2

Lvl I: systematic review of meta-analysis of randomized control trial

Lvl II: a well designed RCT

Lvl III: control trial without randomization, quasiexperimental study

Lvl IV: single non experimental study, case-control, correlational, cohort studies

Lvl V: systematic reviews of descriptive & qualitative studies

Lvl VI: single descriptive or qualitative study

Lvl VII: opinion of authorized and or reports of expert committees

Question 3

The __________ drives methodology

Answer 3

research question

Question 4

Framing a clinical Question, PICOT

Answer 4

Population
Intervention
Comparison
Outcome
Time (optional)

Question 5

Clinical Question to Research Question

Answer 5

• If there is no answer to the clinical question after searching available evidence, then a research question may be developed, leading to a study

1. Define research question
2. Review the literature: to identify gaps in research
3. Examine clinical significance: does research question contribute to nursing knowledge?

Question 6

Statistical Significance vs Clinical Significance

Answer 6

Statistical: results from testing or experimentation is likely attributable to a specific cause, not chance

Clinical: helps determine if pt care should be changed based on results, what would make results clinically meaningful, requires judgement by clinicians

Question 7

Independent Variable

Answer 7

cause, X

Variable has the presumed effect in the dependent variable

Manipulated or not by researcher

Question 8

Dependent Variable

Answer 8

effect, Y

presumed effect of the independent variable on the outcome

is not manipulated
response that is measured

Question 9

Alternate Hypothesis

Answer 9

the researchers hypothesis, what we’re interested in

Question 10

Null Hypothesis

Answer 10

statistical hypothesis, identifies absence of relationship between IV and DV, no change, no effect

Question 11

Directional Hypothesis

Answer 11

specifies the expected direction of the relationship between the IV and DV, states which way the relationship exists

Question 12

Non directional Hypothesis

Answer 12

states the relationship between variables but not the direction, exploratory