NURS 1042 Research for Practice - Literature Appraisal Practice Flashcards

A set of practice flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on evaluating primary and secondary research papers, IMRaD structure, sampling, data collection, qualitative vs quantitative analysis, PRISMA, and meta-analysis.

What does IMRaD stand for in most research papers?

Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.

What is the purpose of peer review?

Peer review is the evaluation of a paper by experts in the field; it does not guarantee trustworthiness and common flaws include lack of originality, wrong design, inadequate sample size, unjustified conclusions, conflicts of interest, and poor writing.

What are the three main criteria to assess when evaluating a study's quality?

Results, validity, and applicability.

List five general questions to ask about any paper (as per the evaluation checklist).

Who wrote the paper? Is the title appropriate and illustrative? Is the abstract informative? What was the research design? What was the research question and why was the study needed? Do the results answer the question?

Why is sample and setting important in primary research appraisal?

A strong sample that closely resembles real-life patients enhances applicability; consider who was included/excluded, recruitment, setting, and whether ethical clearance was obtained.

When appraising data collection methods, what should you consider?

What data were collected, whether this was sufficient to answer the question, whether tools were validated and appropriate, what outcomes were measured, and how bias was avoided or minimized and validity/credibility strengthened.

In quantitative data analysis, what key questions should you ask?

Was the study large enough with adequate follow-up? Was blinding/masking used to reduce bias? Are the results statistically or clinically significant?

In qualitative data analysis, what factors contribute to credibility?

Adequate description of the analysis process, clear description of the phenomenon, reflexivity about the researcher’s role, multiple coders, validation techniques (e.g., triangulation, member checking), and supporting quotes.

What is PRISMA used for?

PRISMA provides a standard, structured checklist for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, promoting clarity and rigor.

Differentiate systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-synthesis.

Systematic review is an overview of primary studies; meta-analysis is a quantitative synthesis of numeric data; meta-synthesis is a qualitative synthesis of studies.

What is the general hierarchy of evidence levels?

Systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, case series/reports, and editorials/expert opinion.

What is a systematic review, and why is it useful in evidence-based practice (EBP)?

An overview of primary studies focused on a focused clinical question; uses prescribed standards (e.g., PRISMA) to ensure rigor and transparency.

What is the purpose of a flow diagram in PRISMA reports?

To describe the search and study selection process—from identified records to included studies.

What is meta-analysis?

A method that merges results from multiple independent quantitative studies to produce an overall effect estimate, examining homogeneity and deciding the best outcome measures to use.

What is the role of meta-analysis in addressing small studies or limited transferability?

It provides stronger evidence by combining data across studies, helping to overcome small sample sizes and improve generalizability.

What distinguishes primary (original) research from secondary (review) papers?

Primary research reports original data; secondary papers synthesize existing primary studies (e.g., systematic reviews, meta-analyses) and rely on structured methods to summarize evidence.

What are common problems found in published papers that learners should watch for?

Lack of originality, wrong design choice, inadequate sample size, unjustified conclusions, conflicts of interest, and poor writing.