Block 2 - Appraisal
Before starting your assignment, please review Module 3: Appraise in Nursing and Midwifery Research Modules.
The module is set up to mirror the assignment itself, and in many cases provides more explanation for what is being looked for in the questions.
Here are some additional resources to help you.
This video is an informal introduction to the assignment and some of the resources available to help you.
Not sure how to add your worksheet as an appendix?
How to have landscape pages within a document with portrait orientation
- Instructions for Microsoft Word
- If you have written your essay in Google Doc, download it as a Word file before adding the appendix.
Examples of library resources on nursing research
The library has many online books and articles on research methods, including study design, sampling, reliability and validity, and how to read and evaluate research.
LibrarySearch (the search box on the Library homepage) is a good place to explore these resources. Use the “Available Online” filter to see only ebooks and online articles.
These resources will help you critically appraise either a qualitative or quantitative research article. They are selected to be clear, student-friendly, and assignment-focused.
Critically appraising quantitative research
- ▶️ Critical Appraisal of a Quantitative Study (video) — Short walkthrough using an example paper.
- 🌐 Which statistical tests should I use? (2014) — Clear overview of common statistical tests.
- 🌐 What is a randomised controlled trial? — Plain-language introduction to RCTs.
- 📄 Step-by-step guide to critiquing quantitative research (2007) — Checklist-style guidance for appraisal.
- 🌐 CASP critical appraisal checklists — Free downloadable checklists for different types of studies (quantitative, qualitative, RCTs, cohort, etc.) to help guide your appraisal.
Critically appraising qualitative research
- ▶️ Critical Appraisal of a Qualitative Study (video) — Demonstration using a real qualitative article.
- 🌐 How to appraise qualitative research (2019) — Clear step-by-step overview.
- 🌐 Ensuring validity and reliability in qualitative research (2024) — What rigour means and how to evaluate it.
- 📄 Step-by-step guide to critiquing qualitative research (2007) — Straightforward checklist for evaluating a qualitative study.
General support for reading research
- 📘 How to Read and Critique Research (2022) — Student-friendly guide to evaluating research articles.
- 🌐 Understanding triangulation in research (2013) — Helpful if your chosen article uses multiple data sources or methods.
- 🌐 Bias in research (2014) — Common sources of bias and how to spot them.
Additional resources (helpful if you need more)
If you want more examples, background explanations, or extra support, the resources below provide more detail. These are not required for most assignments.
More on quantitative research
- 📖 Statistics in Medicine — Comprehensive introduction to medical statistics.
- 📖 Medical Statistics From Scratch — Beginner-friendly, step-by-step statistics guide.
- 📖 Interpreting Statistical Findings — Practical help understanding statistical results.
More on qualitative research
- 📖 Qualitative Research in Nursing & Healthcare — Comprehensive textbook on qualitative methods.
- 🌐 Tracy (2010): Big-tent criteria — Framework for evaluating qualitative research quality.
- 📖 Interpretive Description (Open Access) — Applied qualitative approach for clinical questions.
General research literacy
- 🌐 SAGE Research Methods Online — Database with definitions of research terms and detailed explanations of various research methods.
- 📖 Notes on Nursing Research (2025) — Clear overview of nursing research basics.
- 📘 How to Read a Paper — Short chapters on critiquing different study types.
- 🌐 Ethical context of nursing research — Key ethical principles in research.
- 🌐 Understanding triangulation in research — Why multiple methods strengthen findings.
These resources are optional and are mainly useful if you want extra examples, additional explanation of methods, or further background for future coursework or research roles.
