Assignment Prompt & Instructions
**files (2)**
– ## QualitativeArticlesforResearchClass.pdf
– ## Assignment3_ResearchCritique.pdf
**## QualitativeArticlesforResearchClass.pdf**
Heo, N., & Kim, J. (2026). Exploring nursing students' experiences with simulation-based
learning using educational electronic nursing records. Nurse Education Today, 158, 106926.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926
Munangatire, T., Tomas, N., & Asino, H. M. M. (2023). Nursing students' experiences and
expectations of clinical learning: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 124, 105758.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758
Jacob, A., Seif, S. & Munyaw, Y. Perceptions and experiences of diploma nursing students on
clinical learning. A descriptive qualitative study in Tanzania. BMC Nurs 22, 225 (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1
S K P. R. (2025). Challenges Experienced by Novice Undergraduate Nursing Students in Their
Clinical Learning Environment: A Qualitative Study. Cureus, 17(11), e97322.
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322
Alexander, L., Mills, C., Kumar, F., & Hunter, S. (2025). 'I Felt Like I Was Invisible': Nursing
Students' Experiences of Mental Health Clinical Placement-A Cross-Sectional
Study. International journal of mental health nursing, 34(4), e70112.
https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112
Cirban Ekrem, E., Kurt, A., & Kilci Erciyas, Ş. (2025). Understanding mothers' lived
experiences of postpartum depression: a qualitative phenomenological study. BMC pregnancy
and childbirth, 26(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4
Jones, K., Harrison, V., Moulds, M. L., & Lazard, L. (2022). A qualitative analysis of feelings
and experiences associated with perinatal distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC
pregnancy and childbirth, 22(1), 572. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9
•
[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926)
[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1)
[https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322](https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322)
[https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112](https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9)
**## Assignment3_ResearchCritique.pdf**
Write a 4–5 page scholarly critique of a qualitative research study. The primary article must
address a clinical area of interest, be peer-reviewed, published within the last five years, and cannot
be a systematic review or meta-analysis. The selected primary article is “A Qualitative Analysis of
Feelings and Experiences Associated with Perinatal Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” A
minimum of two peer-reviewed articles must be used: the primary article being critiqued and at least
one recent supporting article used to compare, support, or challenge the findings of the primary
study.The critique should evaluate the research problem and population of interest, research questions
or study aims, qualitative research approach, ethical considerations, sampling, data collection, data
analysis, results, findings, strengths, limitations, and implications for clinical practice or future
research. The paper should follow the IMRaD structure of Introduction, Methods, Results, and
Discussion, with appropriate Level 1 and Level 2 headings. It should also include an introductory
paragraph with a clear purpose statement and a conclusion.The supporting article should be
incorporated throughout the critique where appropriate, particularly when evaluating the significance
of the research problem, credibility of the findings, clinical implications, and overall quality of the
study. The paper must be written in third person, follow APA formatting, include appropriate
in-text citations, and contain a reference page listing every source cited in the paper.
Level 1
Heading
Level 2
Heading
Content Questions to Address
Introduction Research
Problem and
Population of
Interest
What is the research problem? Does the background build a
persuasive argument for why the study was needed? Is the
research problem clearly identified? What gap in previous
research were the researchers attempting to address? Who is the
population of interest? Why is this population important to
nursing or healthcare? Use the support article when
appropriate to show whether the problem is supported by
other recent research.
Introduction Research
Questions /
Study Aims
What research questions or study aims guided the study? Are
the questions appropriate for a qualitative study? Do the
questions focus on understanding participants’ experiences,
feelings, perceptions, or meanings? Are the research questions
consistent with the identified research problem?
Introduction Research
Tradition /
Qualitative
Approach
What qualitative approach or research tradition was used? Was
the research tradition clearly identified by the authors? If a
specific tradition was not identified, can the qualitative
approach be inferred from the methods? Are the data source,
data collection method, and analysis appropriate for the
qualitative approach? “Was the researchers’ philosophical or
methodological approach identified? Was there evidence of
reflexivity, or discussion of how the researchers’ perspectives
may have influenced the study?
Introduction Ethical Aspects
of the Study
Was the study reviewed and approved by an ethics committee,
IRB, or similar organization? Was informed consent obtained?
What steps were taken to protect participant privacy and
confidentiality? Was participation anonymous or confidential?
Did the study involve a potentially vulnerable population? If
so, were adequate protections provided?
Methods Sampling and
Participants
What sampling method was used? How were participants
recruited? What were the inclusion or exclusion criteria? Was
the sample appropriate for answering the research questions?
Was the sample sufficiently varied to represent different
experiences? Were there possible sampling biases or
limitations? How might the sampling method affect the
transferability of the findings?
Methods Data Collection What method was used to collect qualitative data, such as
interviews, focus groups, observations, or open-ended written
responses? Was the method appropriate for answering the
research questions? Were participants given enough
opportunity to describe their experiences in depth? If
self-report was used, was the chosen method appropriate? Were
the questions clearly described? If interviews were used, were
they recorded and transcribed? What strengths or weaknesses
were associated with the data collection method?
Methods Data Analysis
Approach
What type of qualitative analysis was used? How did
researchers develop codes, categories, themes, or patterns? Was
the analysis process explained clearly enough for the reader to
understand how the researchers moved from participants’
responses to the final themes? Were multiple researchers
involved in reviewing or discussing the coding? Was qualitative
software used? What steps were used to strengthen credibility,
dependability, confirmability, or rigor? Was the analysis
method appropriate for the research questions?
Results Results and
Themes
How were the main findings presented? What major themes,
categories, or subthemes were identified? Were the themes
clearly explained? Did the themes adequately represent the
participants’ experiences? Were participant quotations or
examples used to support the themes? Did the evidence
presented support the researchers’ interpretation of each theme?
Results Meaning and
Credibility of
Findings
Did the analysis provide a meaningful and insightful
understanding of the phenomenon being studied? Did the
researchers adequately conceptualize patterns in participants’
experiences? Were the findings believable and supported by the
qualitative data? Were there findings that were unexpected or
particularly important? Does the support article report similar
or different findings? Explain whether the second article
strengthens, contradicts, or adds to the findings of the primary
article.
Discussion Strengths and
Limitations
What limitations did the researchers identify? What additional
weaknesses can be identified? Consider the sampling method,
participant diversity, online data collection, depth of participant
responses, researcher interpretation, and ability to transfer the
findings to other populations. What were the major strengths of
the qualitative study?
Discussion Clinical
Practice and
Future
Research
Did the researchers identify implications for nursing practice,
patient care, screening, education, mental-health support, or
future research? Are those implications supported by the study
findings? How could nurses or other healthcare professionals
apply the findings? Does the supporting article provide
evidence for similar clinical recommendations?
Discussion Overall Quality What is the overall quality of the study? Consider whether the
research problem, research questions, sampling, data collection,
analysis, findings, and conclusions were consistent with one
another. What were the study’s strongest and weakest areas?
Was the study credible and useful to nursing practice?
Compare the primary article with the support article and
explain whether the support article strengthens or
challenges the credibility and clinical importance of the
primary study.
Conclusion — Briefly summarize the overall critique. Restate the most
important strengths and limitations of the primary article.
Explain the significance of the findings to nursing practice and
whether the supporting article strengthens the overall evidence.
Do not introduce new information.
**## Assignment3_ResearchCritique.pdf**
Write a 4–5 page scholarly critique of a qualitative research study. The primary article must
address a clinical area of interest, be peer-reviewed, published within the last five years, and cannot
be a systematic review or meta-analysis. The selected primary article is “A Qualitative Analysis of
Feelings and Experiences Associated with Perinatal Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” A
minimum of two peer-reviewed articles must be used: the primary article being critiqued and at least
one recent supporting article used to compare, support, or challenge the findings of the primary
study.The critique should evaluate the research problem and population of interest, research questions
or study aims, qualitative research approach, ethical considerations, sampling, data collection, data
analysis, results, findings, strengths, limitations, and implications for clinical practice or future
research. The paper should follow the IMRaD structure of Introduction, Methods, Results, and
Discussion, with appropriate Level 1 and Level 2 headings. It should also include an introductory
paragraph with a clear purpose statement and a conclusion.The supporting article should be
incorporated throughout the critique where appropriate, particularly when evaluating the significance
of the research problem, credibility of the findings, clinical implications, and overall quality of the
study. The paper must be written in third person, follow APA formatting, include appropriate
in-text citations, and contain a reference page listing every source cited in the paper.
Level 1
Heading
Level 2
Heading
Content Questions to Address
Introduction Research
Problem and
Population of
Interest
What is the research problem? Does the background build a
persuasive argument for why the study was needed? Is the
research problem clearly identified? What gap in previous
research were the researchers attempting to address? Who is the
population of interest? Why is this population important to
nursing or healthcare? Use the support article when
appropriate to show whether the problem is supported by
other recent research.
Introduction Research
Questions /
Study Aims
What research questions or study aims guided the study? Are
the questions appropriate for a qualitative study? Do the
questions focus on understanding participants’ experiences,
feelings, perceptions, or meanings? Are the research questions
consistent with the identified research problem?
Introduction Research
Tradition /
Qualitative
Approach
What qualitative approach or research tradition was used? Was
the research tradition clearly identified by the authors? If a
specific tradition was not identified, can the qualitative
approach be inferred from the methods? Are the data source,
data collection method, and analysis appropriate for the
qualitative approach? “Was the researchers’ philosophical or
methodological approach identified? Was there evidence of
reflexivity, or discussion of how the researchers’ perspectives
may have influenced the study?
Introduction Ethical Aspects
of the Study
Was the study reviewed and approved by an ethics committee,
IRB, or similar organization? Was informed consent obtained?
What steps were taken to protect participant privacy and
confidentiality? Was participation anonymous or confidential?
Did the study involve a potentially vulnerable population? If
so, were adequate protections provided?
Methods Sampling and
Participants
What sampling method was used? How were participants
recruited? What were the inclusion or exclusion criteria? Was
the sample appropriate for answering the research questions?
Was the sample sufficiently varied to represent different
experiences? Were there possible sampling biases or
limitations? How might the sampling method affect the
transferability of the findings?
Methods Data Collection What method was used to collect qualitative data, such as
interviews, focus groups, observations, or open-ended written
responses? Was the method appropriate for answering the
research questions? Were participants given enough
opportunity to describe their experiences in depth? If
self-report was used, was the chosen method appropriate? Were
the questions clearly described? If interviews were used, were
they recorded and transcribed? What strengths or weaknesses
were associated with the data collection method?
Methods Data Analysis
Approach
What type of qualitative analysis was used? How did
researchers develop codes, categories, themes, or patterns? Was
the analysis process explained clearly enough for the reader to
understand how the researchers moved from participants’
responses to the final themes? Were multiple researchers
involved in reviewing or discussing the coding? Was qualitative
software used? What steps were used to strengthen credibility,
dependability, confirmability, or rigor? Was the analysis
method appropriate for the research questions?
Results Results and
Themes
How were the main findings presented? What major themes,
categories, or subthemes were identified? Were the themes
clearly explained? Did the themes adequately represent the
participants’ experiences? Were participant quotations or
examples used to support the themes? Did the evidence
presented support the researchers’ interpretation of each theme?
Results Meaning and
Credibility of
Findings
Did the analysis provide a meaningful and insightful
understanding of the phenomenon being studied? Did the
researchers adequately conceptualize patterns in participants’
experiences? Were the findings believable and supported by the
qualitative data? Were there findings that were unexpected or
particularly important? Does the support article report similar
or different findings? Explain whether the second article
strengthens, contradicts, or adds to the findings of the primary
article.
Discussion Strengths and
Limitations
What limitations did the researchers identify? What additional
weaknesses can be identified? Consider the sampling method,
participant diversity, online data collection, depth of participant
responses, researcher interpretation, and ability to transfer the
findings to other populations. What were the major strengths of
the qualitative study?
Discussion Clinical
Practice and
Future
Research
Did the researchers identify implications for nursing practice,
patient care, screening, education, mental-health support, or
future research? Are those implications supported by the study
findings? How could nurses or other healthcare professionals
apply the findings? Does the supporting article provide
evidence for similar clinical recommendations?
Discussion Overall Quality What is the overall quality of the study? Consider whether the
research problem, research questions, sampling, data collection,
analysis, findings, and conclusions were consistent with one
another. What were the study’s strongest and weakest areas?
Was the study credible and useful to nursing practice?
Compare the primary article with the support article and
explain whether the support article strengthens or
challenges the credibility and clinical importance of the
primary study.
Conclusion — Briefly summarize the overall critique. Restate the most
important strengths and limitations of the primary article.
Explain the significance of the findings to nursing practice and
whether the supporting article strengthens the overall evidence.
Do not introduce new information.
**## QualitativeArticlesforResearchClass.pdf**
Heo, N., & Kim, J. (2026). Exploring nursing students' experiences with simulation-based
learning using educational electronic nursing records. Nurse Education Today, 158, 106926.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926
Munangatire, T., Tomas, N., & Asino, H. M. M. (2023). Nursing students' experiences and
expectations of clinical learning: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 124, 105758.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758
Jacob, A., Seif, S. & Munyaw, Y. Perceptions and experiences of diploma nursing students on
clinical learning. A descriptive qualitative study in Tanzania. BMC Nurs 22, 225 (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1
S K P. R. (2025). Challenges Experienced by Novice Undergraduate Nursing Students in Their
Clinical Learning Environment: A Qualitative Study. Cureus, 17(11), e97322.
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322
Alexander, L., Mills, C., Kumar, F., & Hunter, S. (2025). 'I Felt Like I Was Invisible': Nursing
Students' Experiences of Mental Health Clinical Placement-A Cross-Sectional
Study. International journal of mental health nursing, 34(4), e70112.
https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112
Cirban Ekrem, E., Kurt, A., & Kilci Erciyas, Ş. (2025). Understanding mothers' lived
experiences of postpartum depression: a qualitative phenomenological study. BMC pregnancy
and childbirth, 26(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4
Jones, K., Harrison, V., Moulds, M. L., & Lazard, L. (2022). A qualitative analysis of feelings
and experiences associated with perinatal distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC
pregnancy and childbirth, 22(1), 572. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9
•
[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926)
[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1)
[https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322](https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322)
[https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112](https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9)
**## Assignment3_ResearchCritique.pdf**
Write a 4–5 page scholarly critique of a qualitative research study. The primary article must
address a clinical area of interest, be peer-reviewed, published within the last five years, and cannot
be a systematic review or meta-analysis. The selected primary article is “A Qualitative Analysis of
Feelings and Experiences Associated with Perinatal Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” A
minimum of two peer-reviewed articles must be used: the primary article being critiqued and at least
one recent supporting article used to compare, support, or challenge the findings of the primary
study.The critique should evaluate the research problem and population of interest, research questions
or study aims, qualitative research approach, ethical considerations, sampling, data collection, data
analysis, results, findings, strengths, limitations, and implications for clinical practice or future
research. The paper should follow the IMRaD structure of Introduction, Methods, Results, and
Discussion, with appropriate Level 1 and Level 2 headings. It should also include an introductory
paragraph with a clear purpose statement and a conclusion.The supporting article should be
incorporated throughout the critique where appropriate, particularly when evaluating the significance
of the research problem, credibility of the findings, clinical implications, and overall quality of the
study. The paper must be written in third person, follow APA formatting, include appropriate
in-text citations, and contain a reference page listing every source cited in the paper.
Level 1
Heading
Level 2
Heading
Content Questions to Address
Introduction Research
Problem and
Population of
Interest
What is the research problem? Does the background build a
persuasive argument for why the study was needed? Is the
research problem clearly identified? What gap in previous
research were the researchers attempting to address? Who is the
population of interest? Why is this population important to
nursing or healthcare? Use the support article when
appropriate to show whether the problem is supported by
other recent research.
Introduction Research
Questions /
Study Aims
What research questions or study aims guided the study? Are
the questions appropriate for a qualitative study? Do the
questions focus on understanding participants’ experiences,
feelings, perceptions, or meanings? Are the research questions
consistent with the identified research problem?
Introduction Research
Tradition /
Qualitative
Approach
What qualitative approach or research tradition was used? Was
the research tradition clearly identified by the authors? If a
specific tradition was not identified, can the qualitative
approach be inferred from the methods? Are the data source,
data collection method, and analysis appropriate for the
qualitative approach? “Was the researchers’ philosophical or
methodological approach identified? Was there evidence of
reflexivity, or discussion of how the researchers’ perspectives
may have influenced the study?
Introduction Ethical Aspects
of the Study
Was the study reviewed and approved by an ethics committee,
IRB, or similar organization? Was informed consent obtained?
What steps were taken to protect participant privacy and
confidentiality? Was participation anonymous or confidential?
Did the study involve a potentially vulnerable population? If
so, were adequate protections provided?
Methods Sampling and
Participants
What sampling method was used? How were participants
recruited? What were the inclusion or exclusion criteria? Was
the sample appropriate for answering the research questions?
Was the sample sufficiently varied to represent different
experiences? Were there possible sampling biases or
limitations? How might the sampling method affect the
transferability of the findings?
Methods Data Collection What method was used to collect qualitative data, such as
interviews, focus groups, observations, or open-ended written
responses? Was the method appropriate for answering the
research questions? Were participants given enough
opportunity to describe their experiences in depth? If
self-report was used, was the chosen method appropriate? Were
the questions clearly described? If interviews were used, were
they recorded and transcribed? What strengths or weaknesses
were associated with the data collection method?
Methods Data Analysis
Approach
What type of qualitative analysis was used? How did
researchers develop codes, categories, themes, or patterns? Was
the analysis process explained clearly enough for the reader to
understand how the researchers moved from participants’
responses to the final themes? Were multiple researchers
involved in reviewing or discussing the coding? Was qualitative
software used? What steps were used to strengthen credibility,
dependability, confirmability, or rigor? Was the analysis
method appropriate for the research questions?
Results Results and
Themes
How were the main findings presented? What major themes,
categories, or subthemes were identified? Were the themes
clearly explained? Did the themes adequately represent the
participants’ experiences? Were participant quotations or
examples used to support the themes? Did the evidence
presented support the researchers’ interpretation of each theme?
Results Meaning and
Credibility of
Findings
Did the analysis provide a meaningful and insightful
understanding of the phenomenon being studied? Did the
researchers adequately conceptualize patterns in participants’
experiences? Were the findings believable and supported by the
qualitative data? Were there findings that were unexpected or
particularly important? Does the support article report similar
or different findings? Explain whether the second article
strengthens, contradicts, or adds to the findings of the primary
article.
Discussion Strengths and
Limitations
What limitations did the researchers identify? What additional
weaknesses can be identified? Consider the sampling method,
participant diversity, online data collection, depth of participant
responses, researcher interpretation, and ability to transfer the
findings to other populations. What were the major strengths of
the qualitative study?
Discussion Clinical
Practice and
Future
Research
Did the researchers identify implications for nursing practice,
patient care, screening, education, mental-health support, or
future research? Are those implications supported by the study
findings? How could nurses or other healthcare professionals
apply the findings? Does the supporting article provide
evidence for similar clinical recommendations?
Discussion Overall Quality What is the overall quality of the study? Consider whether the
research problem, research questions, sampling, data collection,
analysis, findings, and conclusions were consistent with one
another. What were the study’s strongest and weakest areas?
Was the study credible and useful to nursing practice?
Compare the primary article with the support article and
explain whether the support article strengthens or
challenges the credibility and clinical importance of the
primary study.
Conclusion — Briefly summarize the overall critique. Restate the most
important strengths and limitations of the primary article.
Explain the significance of the findings to nursing practice and
whether the supporting article strengthens the overall evidence.
Do not introduce new information.
**## QualitativeArticlesforResearchClass.pdf**
Heo, N., & Kim, J. (2026). Exploring nursing students' experiences with simulation-based
learning using educational electronic nursing records. Nurse Education Today, 158, 106926.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926
Munangatire, T., Tomas, N., & Asino, H. M. M. (2023). Nursing students' experiences and
expectations of clinical learning: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 124, 105758.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758
Jacob, A., Seif, S. & Munyaw, Y. Perceptions and experiences of diploma nursing students on
clinical learning. A descriptive qualitative study in Tanzania. BMC Nurs 22, 225 (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1
S K P. R. (2025). Challenges Experienced by Novice Undergraduate Nursing Students in Their
Clinical Learning Environment: A Qualitative Study. Cureus, 17(11), e97322.
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322
Alexander, L., Mills, C., Kumar, F., & Hunter, S. (2025). 'I Felt Like I Was Invisible': Nursing
Students' Experiences of Mental Health Clinical Placement-A Cross-Sectional
Study. International journal of mental health nursing, 34(4), e70112.
https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112
Cirban Ekrem, E., Kurt, A., & Kilci Erciyas, Ş. (2025). Understanding mothers' lived
experiences of postpartum depression: a qualitative phenomenological study. BMC pregnancy
and childbirth, 26(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4
Jones, K., Harrison, V., Moulds, M. L., & Lazard, L. (2022). A qualitative analysis of feelings
and experiences associated with perinatal distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC
pregnancy and childbirth, 22(1), 572. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9
•
[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106926)
[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.105758)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01362-1)
[https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322](https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97322)
[https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112](https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70112)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08538-4)
[https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04876-9)
**## Assignment3_ResearchCritique.pdf**
Write a 4–5 page scholarly critique of a qualitative research study. The primary article must
address a clinical area of interest, be peer-reviewed, published within the last five years, and cannot
be a systematic review or meta-analysis. The selected primary article is “A Qualitative Analysis of
Feelings and Experiences Associated with Perinatal Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” A
minimum of two peer-reviewed articles must be used: the primary article being critiqued and at least
one recent supporting article used to compare, support, or challenge the findings of the primary
study.The critique should evaluate the research problem and population of interest, research questions
or study aims, qualitative research approach, ethical considerations, sampling, data collection, data
analysis, results, findings, strengths, limitations, and implications for clinical practice or future
research. The paper should follow the IMRaD structure of Introduction, Methods, Results, and
Discussion, with appropriate Level 1 and Level 2 headings. It should also include an introductory
paragraph with a clear purpose statement and a conclusion.The supporting article should be
incorporated throughout the critique where appropriate, particularly when evaluating the significance
of the research problem, credibility of the findings, clinical implications, and overall quality of the
study. The paper must be written in third person, follow APA formatting, include appropriate
in-text citations, and contain a reference page listing every source cited in the paper.
Level 1
Heading
Level 2
Heading
Content Questions to Address
Introduction Research
Problem and
Population of
Interest
What is the research problem? Does the background build a
persuasive argument for why the study was needed? Is the
research problem clearly identified? What gap in previous
research were the researchers attempting to address? Who is the
population of interest? Why is this population important to
nursing or healthcare? Use the support article when
appropriate to show whether the problem is supported by
other recent research.
Introduction Research
Questions /
Study Aims
What research questions or study aims guided the study? Are
the questions appropriate for a qualitative study? Do the
questions focus on understanding participants’ experiences,
feelings, perceptions, or meanings? Are the research questions
consistent with the identified research problem?
Introduction Research
Tradition /
Qualitative
Approach
What qualitative approach or research tradition was used? Was
the research tradition clearly identified by the authors? If a
specific tradition was not identified, can the qualitative
approach be inferred from the methods? Are the data source,
data collection method, and analysis appropriate for the
qualitative approach? “Was the researchers’ philosophical or
methodological approach identified? Was there evidence of
reflexivity, or discussion of how the researchers’ perspectives
may have influenced the study?
Introduction Ethical Aspects
of the Study
Was the study reviewed and approved by an ethics committee,
IRB, or similar organization? Was informed consent obtained?
What steps were taken to protect participant privacy and
confidentiality? Was participation anonymous or confidential?
Did the study involve a potentially vulnerable population? If
so, were adequate protections provided?
Methods Sampling and
Participants
What sampling method was used? How were participants
recruited? What were the inclusion or exclusion criteria? Was
the sample appropriate for answering the research questions?
Was the sample sufficiently varied to represent different
experiences? Were there possible sampling biases or
limitations? How might the sampling method affect the
transferability of the findings?
Methods Data Collection What method was used to collect qualitative data, such as
interviews, focus groups, observations, or open-ended written
responses? Was the method appropriate for answering the
research questions? Were participants given enough
opportunity to describe their experiences in depth? If
self-report was used, was the chosen method appropriate? Were
the questions clearly described? If interviews were used, were
they recorded and transcribed? What strengths or weaknesses
were associated with the data collection method?
Methods Data Analysis
Approach
What type of qualitative analysis was used? How did
researchers develop codes, categories, themes, or patterns? Was
the analysis process explained clearly enough for the reader to
understand how the researchers moved from participants’
responses to the final themes? Were multiple researchers
involved in reviewing or discussing the coding? Was qualitative
software used? What steps were used to strengthen credibility,
dependability, confirmability, or rigor? Was the analysis
method appropriate for the research questions?
Results Results and
Themes
How were the main findings presented? What major themes,
categories, or subthemes were identified? Were the themes
clearly explained? Did the themes adequately represent the
participants’ experiences? Were participant quotations or
examples used to support the themes? Did the evidence
presented support the researchers’ interpretation of each theme?
Results Meaning and
Credibility of
Findings
Did the analysis provide a meaningful and insightful
understanding of the phenomenon being studied? Did the
researchers adequately conceptualize patterns in participants’
experiences? Were the findings believable and supported by the
qualitative data? Were there findings that were unexpected or
particularly important? Does the support article report similar
or different findings? Explain whether the second article
strengthens, contradicts, or adds to the findings of the primary
article.
Discussion Strengths and
Limitations
What limitations did the researchers identify? What additional
weaknesses can be identified? Consider the sampling method,
participant diversity, online data collection, depth of participant
responses, researcher interpretation, and ability to transfer the
findings to other populations. What were the major strengths of
the qualitative study?
Discussion Clinical
Practice and
Future
Research
Did the researchers identify implications for nursing practice,
patient care, screening, education, mental-health support, or
future research? Are those implications supported by the study
findings? How could nurses or other healthcare professionals
apply the findings? Does the supporting article provide
evidence for similar clinical recommendations?
Discussion Overall Quality What is the overall quality of the study? Consider whether the
research problem, research questions, sampling, data collection,
analysis, findings, and conclusions were consistent with one
another. What were the study’s strongest and weakest areas?
Was the study credible and useful to nursing practice?
Compare the primary article with the support article and
explain whether the support article strengthens or
challenges the credibility and clinical importance of the
primary study.
Conclusion — Briefly summarize the overall critique. Restate the most
important strengths and limitations of the primary article.
Explain the significance of the findings to nursing practice and
whether the supporting article strengthens the overall evidence.
Do not introduce new information.