NURS 5366: Principles of Research in Nursing – Module 3 Assignment: Identifying Research Study Designs
Assessment Overview
Course: NURS 5366 – Principles of Research in Nursing (Inquiry & Evidence)
Assessment Type: Research Appraisal Worksheet / Short Answer
Weighting: 10% of Total Grade
Length: Complete analysis for 4 provided abstracts (approx. 200 words per abstract)
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Due Date: Sunday, 11:59 PM (CST) of Week 3
Context
Evidence-based practice (EBP) requires the ability to rapidly and accurately identify the methodology behind a published study. Before you can critique the quality of evidence or apply findings to clinical practice, you must determine how the knowledge was generated. A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) offers a different level of evidence than a qualitative phenomenological study. This assignment tests your ability to distinguish between quantitative and qualitative paradigms and to correctly label specific study designs based on the researchers’ methods sections.
Task Description
Download the file “Module_3_Research_Abstracts.pdf” from the course materials page. This document contains four (4) distinct research abstracts labeled A, B, C, and D.
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For each abstract, you must answer the following three questions in your submission document:
- Research Paradigm: Is this study Quantitative or Qualitative?
- Specific Design: What is the specific research design used? (e.g., Experimental/RCT, Quasi-Experimental, Correlational, Descriptive, Phenomenology, Grounded Theory, Ethnography).
- Rationale: Provide a 3–5 sentence justification for your classification. Quote one specific phrase from the abstract that supports your decision (e.g., mention of randomization, manipulation of variables, or exploration of lived experience).
Requirements & Formatting
- Template: You may recreate the table below or list the answers clearly using headers (Abstract A, Abstract B, etc.).
- Terminology: Use the precise terminology found in the Polit & Beck textbook. Do not use vague terms like “survey” if the correct design is “Descriptive Cross-Sectional.”
- Citations: If you define a specific design type in your rationale, cite the course textbook.
- File Name: Save your file as LastName_FirstName_NURS5366_Mod3.docx.
Grading Rubric / Marking Criteria
| Criteria | Exemplary (100%) | Competent (80%) | Needs Improvement (< 70%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Paradigm & Design | Correctly identifies the paradigm (Qual/Quant) and specific design (e.g., RCT, Ethnography) for all 4 abstracts. | Correctly identifies paradigms but mislabels 1 specific design (e.g., confuses Quasi-Experimental with Experimental). | Mislabels 2 or more paradigms or specific designs. |
| Rationale & Evidence | Justification is precise; correctly identifies key design features (randomization, control, blinding, or saturation) and includes direct quotes from the abstract. | Justification is correct but generic; lacks specific textual evidence from the provided abstract. | Rationale is missing, incorrect, or contradicts the design label provided. |
| Writing Mechanics | Terminology is professional and accurate; no spelling or grammar errors. APA format used for in-text citations. | Terminology is mostly accurate; minor errors do not distract from meaning. | Terminology is colloquial or incorrect; frequent errors impede comprehension. |
Sample Answer Content
The following text illustrates a correct analysis for a hypothetical Abstract E (Experimental Design).
Abstract E Analysis:
The research paradigm for this study is Quantitative. The specific design is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), which falls under the experimental category. Authors explicitly state that 150 participants were “randomly assigned using a computer-generated sequence” to either the intervention group receiving the new wound care protocol or the control group receiving standard care. Randomization and the manipulation of the independent variable (wound care type) are the hallmark features of an experimental design (Polit & Beck, 2021). Furthermore, the abstract mentions the use of inferential statistics (t-tests) to compare healing rates between groups, confirming the quantitative nature of the inquiry.
Reading Materials & References
- Gray, J.R. and Grove, S.K. (2020) Burns and Grove’s The Practice of Nursing Research: Appraisal, Synthesis, and Generation of Evidence. 9th edn. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Available at: https://www.elsevier.com/books/burns-and-groves-the-practice-of-nursing-research/gray/978-0-323-67317-4
- LoBiondo-Wood, G. and Haber, J. (2021) Nursing Research: Methods and Critical Appraisal for Evidence-Based Practice. 10th edn. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Available at: https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323762915
- Polit, D.F. and Beck, C.T. (2021) Nursing Research: Generating and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice. 11th edn. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. Available at: https://shop.lww.com/Nursing-Research/p/9781975110642
- Renjith, V. et al. (2021) ‘Qualitative research in nursing: A user-friendly guide for the uninitiated’, Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing, 25(1), pp. 13–19. doi: 10.1016/j.joon.2021.01.001
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