Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 4: Critical

Appraisal of Research

Realtors rely on detailed property appraisals—conducted using appraisal tools—to
assign market values to houses and other properties. These values are then presented
to buyers and sellers to set prices and initiate offers.
Research appraisal is not that different. The critical appraisal process utilizes formal
appraisal tools to assess the results of research to determine value to the context at
hand. Evidence-based practitioners often present these findings to make the case for
specific courses of action.
In this Assignment, you will use an appraisal tool to conduct a critical appraisal of
published research. You will then present the results of your efforts.
To Prepare:
 Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you selected in Module 2 and the four systematic
reviews (or other filtered high- level evidence) you selected in Module 3.
 Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you selected in Module 2 and analyzed in Module 3.
 Review and download the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template provided in the
Resources. ( I have attached this in the email)
The Assignment (Evidence-Based Project)
Part 4A: Critical Appraisal of Research
Conduct a critical appraisal of the four peer-reviewed articles you selected by
completing the Evaluation Table within the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template.
Choose a total of four peer- reviewed articles that you selected related to your clinical
topic of interest in Module 2 and Module 3.
(topic of interest & articles – in the previous assignment we did) – I’ll let you know which

Note: You can choose any combination of articles from Modules 2 and 3 for your
Critical Appraisal. For example, you may choose two unfiltered research articles from
Module 2 and two filtered research articles (systematic reviews) from Module 3 or one
article from Module 2 and three articles from Module 3. You can choose any
combination of articles from the prior Module Assignments as long as both modules and
types of studies are represented.
Part 4B: Critical Appraisal of Research
Based on your appraisal, in a 1-2-page critical appraisal, suggest a best practice that
emerges from the research you reviewed. Briefly explain the best practice, justifying
your proposal with APA citations of the research.

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the
Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings

You can search for the book online (I attached second edition in the email)
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2018). Evidence-based practice in nursing &
healthcare: A guide to best practice (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
 Chapter 5, “Critically Appraising Quantitative Evidence for Clinical Decision Making” (pp.
124–188)
 Chapter 6, “Critically Appraising Qualitative Evidence for Clinical Decision Making” (pp.
189–218)

Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010a).
Evidence-based practice step by step: Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part I.
American Journal of Nursing, 110(7), 47–52. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000383935.22721.9c
Note: I will attach the article here
Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010b).
Evidence-based practice, step by step: Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part II:
Digging deeper—examining the “keeper” studies. American Journal of Nursing, 110(9),
41–48. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000388264.49427.f9
Note: I will attach the article here
Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010c).
Evidence-based practice, step by step: Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part III: The
process of synthesis: Seeing similarities and differences across the body of evidence.
American Journal of Nursing, 110(11), 43–51. doi:
10.1097/01.NAJ.0000390523.99066.b5
Note: I will attach the article here
Williamson, K. M. (2009). Evidence-based practice: Critical appraisal of qualitative
evidence. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 15(3), 202–207.
doi:10.1177/1078390309338733