Quantitative Critique Directions and Criteria
Overview: The ability to critically appraise research reports is imperative for all nurses. To effectively adopt this practice, a nurse must learn how to use a critical appraisal instrument that is designed to assist individuals with research report appraisal. In your Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt (2019) chapter 5 and specifically see page 126 Box 5.1 for the General Appraisal Overview (GAO) Elements and Questions for Critical Appraisal of Quantitative Studies. You will use this outline to form a critical appraisal of a quantitative research article.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
College of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing
NSG 313 Nursing Research
Quantitative Critique Directions and Criteria
Overview: The ability to critically appraise research reports is imperative for all nurses. To
effectively adopt this practice, a nurse must learn how to use a critical appraisal instrument that
is designed to assist individuals with research report appraisal. In your Melnyk & FineoutOverholt (2019) chapter 5 and specifically see page 126 Box 5.1 for the General Appraisal
Overview (GAO) Elements and Questions for Critical Appraisal of Quantitative Studies. You
will use this outline to form a critical appraisal of a quantitative research article.
Article Selection: Your professor will provide the article for this critique.
Writing Recommendations:
You will gain an understanding of quantitative studies through the required readings and online
lectures.
Grade: This paper is 10% of your total NSG 313 grade.
Length: There should be sufficient information to respond to each section of the critical
appraisal guidelines in an essay form. No maximum length is required. Points will be deducted
for yes/no or incomplete answers. You are expected to explain the answers in a complete but
succinct manner using appropriate grammar and spelling (i.e. complete sentences). You are
expected to cite references and develop a reference list.
Format: Title page, critical appraisal, and reference pages. Section headers should be included
in your paper and correspond to the critical appraisal guidelines in Table 18.1. You do not need
to include an abstract. APA format for citations and references is required. Please address the
prompts in essay format, meaning you are writing an essay and addressing each question in the
critical appraisal guidelines. Do not just answer the questions like a worksheet.
Submission Requirements: This project has been set up to be placed in the dropbox on the
required date.
Quantitative Grading Rubric:
Below are the sections found in Box 5.1 on page 126 (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt (2019). Each
section has several questions that need careful consideration. However, not all questions may be
applicable to your selected article. State this in your essay, do not omit questions just because
they are not pertinent to your article. Points are assigned to each section and earned by
answering the questions in a clear and comprehensive manner. Points are awarded to each
section in the critical appraisal guidelines and total 85 points. An additional 15 points are
assigned for proper grammar, spelling and APA format. Please be sure to spell check!