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APPRAISING RESEARCH STUDIES. Professor Lisa High University of Windsor January 15 th , 2007. APPRAISING RESEARCH STUDIES. Five aspects of consideration : Their accuracy Their meaning Their importance The extent to which they can be generalized Their implications.
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APPRAISING RESEARCH STUDIES Professor Lisa High University of Windsor January 15th, 2007
APPRAISING RESEARCH STUDIES Five aspects of consideration: • Their accuracy • Their meaning • Their importance • The extent to which they can be generalized • Their implications
APPRAISING RESEARCH STUDIES • EVALUATES THE DECISIONS THE INVESTIGATOR = DETEMINATION OF HOW MUCH FAITH SHOULD BE PUT IN THEIR DECISIONS • FUNCTION: - not to hunt dogmatically for and expose mistakes - areas of adequacy and inadequacy - reflective of a thoughtful, objective and balanced consideration of the study’s validity and significance
Five Elements of an “APPRAISAL” • SUBSTANTIVE AND THEORETICAL DIMENSIONS • METHODOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS • ETHICAL DIMENSIONS • INTERPRETIVE DIMENSIONS • PRESENTATION AND STYLISTIC DIMENSIONS
SUBSTANTIVE & THEORETICAL DIMENSIONS • Significance of the problem = importance • Relevance of the problem to nursing • Contribution/improvement to nursing knowledge/practice • Maintain an objective evaluation
SUBSTANTIVE & THEORETICAL DIMENSIONS • Ask: given the topic, is research the next step • Replication necessary or not or maybe a “leap • “Congruence”– fit b/w research problem & study design, data collection & analyzing data • Research problem supported by a conceptual framework
METHODOLOGIC DIMENSIONS FOUR MAJOR DECISION POINTS: (Quantitative Study) • Research Design • Research Sample • Data Collection • Data Analysis
METHODOLOGIC DIMENSIONS FOUR MAJOR DECISION POINTS: (Qualitative Study) • Setting • Data Collection • Sample • Data Quality
ETHICAL DIMENSIONS • Is there any evidence that the “rights” of human subjects were violated • Is there any “potential ethical problems” considered • IRB process – informed consent - documentation • 2 types of “ethical transgressions: • Inadvertent actions – did not foresee • Aware of committing some violation of ethical principles –conscious effort
INTERPRETIVE DIMENSIONS • REPORT SHOULD INCLUDE: Discussion, conclusions, implication section • Discussions – conclusions/interpretations of all important results, not opinion, use of support/not of literature • Interpretations consistent with the results, evidence to support
INTERPRETIVE DIMENSIONS • Rational for rejection of findings • Limitations considered – research methods • Implications discussed - for nursing practice, theory or research, appropriate for study’s limitations • Recommendations consistent
PRESENTATION & STYLISTIC DIMENSIONS Major Points: • Sufficient detail – purpose, conceptual framework, designs, methods, handling of critical issues and interpretations • Well written? • Organized, logical presentation of ideas, smooth transitions • Is it concise?
PRESENTATION & STYLISTIC DIMENSIONS • Overt biases vs. objective style • Use of language as it befits the scientific inquiry • Title accurately capture the context • Abstract summarize • Reference use for all citations