SPIDER Acronym

Question 1

Critique of the study

Answer 1

> . What are the main findings/results?
. What are the overall conclusions?
. What were the strengths and limitations?
. Does the research question align with the methods, analysis, and conclusions?
. How trustworthy is the study?
. What are the implications for practice?
. What options for future research have arisen from this study?

Question 2

Critique of the study findings/results

Answer 2

> . What themes emerged? (e.g. from conducting focus groups or interviews in qualitative studies)
. What statistics resulted? (e.g. from conducting a survey or measuring variables in quantitative studies)?

Question 3

Overall conclusions of the study?

Answer 3

Discuss why this research matters:
>. Synthesize key points;
>. Demonstrate importance of ideas; and
>. Introduce new or expanded ways of thinking around the research topic.

Question 4

Research Question

Answer 4

This is the phenomenon of interest we want to explore (e.g. pain, loneliness in chronic disease, experience of giving birth). Qualitative research questions are trying to explore/understand a phenomenon/experience.

Question 5

Methodology

Answer 5

Refers to the approach or paradigm that underpins the research. A qualitative research methodology (ethnography, grounded theory, etc.) yields a different type of data from a quantitative research methodology. We will discuss quantitative methodologies in the 2nd half of this course.

Question 6

Methods

Answer 6

Data collection techniques (in SPIDER TOOL this is the D or design)

Question 7

Strengths and limitations

Answer 7

What were the strengths and limitations of the design of the study?
>. Was the selection of participants appropriate?
>. Was the method of data collection appropriate to the research question?
>. Was the data analysis process clearly described?

Question 8

Trustworthiness has four aspects

Answer 8

> . Credibility
. Transferability
. Dependability
. Reflexivity (also known as confirmability)

Question 9

Implications for practice

Answer 9

Impact of research on:
>. Policy decisions; 
>. Related fields of interest; 
>. Development of theories; or
>. Future research.

Question 10

Future research is birthed out of the following

Answer 10

>. Building on a particular finding;
>. Addressing a flaw in the research;
>. Examining or testing a framework;
>. Testing framework in new context; or
>. Re-evaluating or expanding on a framework or model.