Need help with Critiquing a Nursing research journal

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Hi I am hoping I can get some clear answers and guidance

I have been given an assignment and its about selecting a current professional journal in nursing and to critique.

Honestly, I have no clue what I am meant to do but mainly the critique is my own evaluation about an article right?

However, when the assignment requires reference list? Would I requires the reference list about the journal articles topic OR about the research style used ie qualitative, quantiative.

When I see the assignment requirements, it just seems that I will be presenting the assignment based on what I have interpreted and evaluated with no reference list used besides the journal article that I selected to critique?

Look forward to your replies and offers of good help

Thanks:icon_roll:bugeyes:

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Specializes in Multiple.

Can you write out the exact words for your assignment please? I'm unclear whether you are being asked to critique a whole journal or one single article.

Either way you will need to reference your assignment - and it would depend on what you are saying in your assignment as to which references you use - but to make any statements in your critique, you should back them up with evidence - i.e. your reference sources

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Hi, okay its says

" Select a current article from a professional journal related to a legal/ethical issue for the childbearing family. An article critique is an evaluation of the article's strength, weaknesses and validity. It is used to inform the reader of the articles value through explanation, interpretation and analysis. You must present information that will allow the reader to make a judgement about the value of the article. Your critique should therefore focus on the article as a product, rather than the topic itself."

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Specializes in Multiple.
Hi, okay its says

" Select a current article from a professional journal related to a legal/ethical issue for the childbearing family. An article critique is an evaluation of the article's strength, weaknesses and validity. It is used to inform the reader of the articles value through explanation, interpretation and analysis. You must present information that will allow the reader to make a judgement about the value of the article. Your critique should therefore focus on the article as a product, rather than the topic itself."

OK - I think they key here is 'the value of the article'. Does the article do what it sets out to do? Look at the aims of the article as it states them. Does the article actually do what it states it aims to do? Does it give strong or weak evidence to support it? Does it offer the reader a valid explanation , detail and answers to its questions?

Does the article offer valid arguments or evidence for its statements? Does it examine the appropriate issues? Back up your responses to these questions with evidence from the article you have chosen.

Further websites that might be of help are:

http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/info/subjectg/healthinfo/critapprais.shtml

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill26.htm

http://www.medicine.ufl.edu/resid/goals_objectives/07-08/EBM%20Goals%20and%20Objectives.pdf

Good luck - and please let us know how you got on with this assignment!

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Wondering, where do the references fit in? As i need to give a refernece list but since this critique is of my evaluation, how I do reference what I am trying to state?

Thanks for the web links

Kylie

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Specializes in Multiple.

I think your references will be about the evidence, interpretation and analysis of the article - so text books which cover appraisal might be helpful - some of these might be in your library and be useful:

http://www.amazon.com/Qualitative-Research-Health-Care-Catherine/dp/1405135123/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200357280&sr=8-8

http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Based-Clinical-Practice-Nursing-Health/dp/1405157402/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200357280&sr=8-15

Have you got any set texts on your college reading lkist which cover appraisal and the theory of evidence based medicine because some general principles from these will apply too...

Good luck!

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Would you know of any articles that I can access for free online, that gives a good example of how critiquing an article is done? So I can get a clearer picture.

Thank you :bowingpur

Kylie

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Specializes in Multiple.

you could try the following:

www.chesapeake.edu/asc/writing/critiquehandout.pdf

http://www.marietta.edu/~peeblesm/452%20article%20critique.htm

and although a little long, this is interesting too scied.fullerton.edu/sced55x/articlecritique.pdf

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Specializes in Research, ED, Critical Care.

Also look at what references the author used in the article. Read those articles. Are they opinion leaders in the field? Has the work been validated? Is this a peer reviewed journal? Does the article answer questions or leave the reader wanting to know more? Does the article make sense? Are the conclusions understandable?

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