HCS/465 v7
Evaluating Research Critical-Thinking Prompts
HCS/465 v7
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Evaluating Research Critical-Thinking Prompts
Review the following prompts and examples to guide you in your evaluation of the research study you selected.
Research Steps
Define the problem.
Prompts:
· What is the problem identified in your chosen article? Example: The Ebola outbreak and its prevalence in West African nations
· Why is it a problem? Example: Ebola is a disease that is contracted from [finish the statement]. Its symptoms are [finish the statement]. [Insert information] amount of people die each year. This is a problem because [finish the statement].
· What is the problem that the article or research study is trying to resolve? Example: Ebola has spread among the West African people because of [insert reason]. This research seeks to identify solutions that will prevent it from spreading among the African people.
· Why is the problem important for health care administrators to study? The research article may not identify a specific reason the research is important to health care administrators. That is acceptable. Write about why a health care administrator would want to study this topic. How could knowledge of this topic help you as a health care administrator? Example: As an assistant manager of a nursing home, I know that many of the residents have watched the news reports on the Ebola outbreak in Africa and its potential outbreak in the United States. Because I know little about the disease and because I know the concern that the reporting of this disease has brought on the residents of the nursing home, I felt that it was my responsibility to know more about the disease and how to prevent its spread. Providing the residents with this knowledge can go a long way toward calming their fears and enabling them and their caregivers to take measures to prevent any outbreak.
Identify the purpose of the study.
Prompts: If the answers to these questions are not expressly stated in the article, consider its entirety and write what you think the answers are.
· What is the purpose of the study?
· What is the author trying to accomplish in this study?
Example: The purpose of the study was to create awareness of the Ebola outbreak, to provide statistical data to give an accurate account of the scope of the outbreak, and to identify known methods to minimize exposure, recognize symptoms, and prevent outbreaks.
Identify the study variables.
Prompt:
· What are the independent and dependent study variables?
· Independent variables represent inputs and can have any value.
· Dependent variables represent outputs or effects.
Example: The study collected data that observed changes in the number of people becoming infected by the Ebola virus by varying amounts of education/awareness being facilitated by the American Red Cross. The amount of education/awareness given by the American Red Cross is the independent variable, while the number of people who were or were not infected after public awareness efforts is the dependent variable.
Identify the research question and/or hypothesis.
Prompts:
· Was a research question or hypothesis provided in the article? If so, what is it? If not, why wasn’t one provided?
· What was the answer to the research question? Was the hypothesis accepted or rejected?
Example: The initial research question may be: What is the prevalence of Ebola in the West African nations after a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol was implemented? The research explains in depth the living conditions that exist in the West African nations and why the disease is so prevalent. It further identifies and explains existing research conducted by the CDC that confirms the medical community’s awareness of the disease and established protocol to prevent it. The hypothesis can be: There is no statistically significant difference in Ebola prevalence after the CDC protocol was implemented.
Research Methodology, Design, and Analyses
Explain the research methodology, design, and analyses.
Prompts:
· Was the research qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods? Explain your response.
· Which population or sample was studied?
· What was the sampling method and type?
· How long did the study take?
· How was the data collected?
· What type of statistical analysis was used?
Example: The research used quantitative data collected by the American Red Cross, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Data collection occurred over a 5-year period with help from 6 West African governments. The data tracked 100 residents from each country and monitored the spread of the disease among the citizens. Data analyses analyzed disease prevalence for decreases. Depending on Ebola prevalence, the research question can be answered. If Ebola prevalence decreased after implementing the CDC protocol, the hypothesis would be rejected.
Findings
Explain the research study’s findings.
Prompts:
· What were the research study’s findings?
· Were the research questions or hypotheses addressed?
Conclusion
Summarize the research study’s recommendations.
Prompts:
What were the research study’s recommendations?
Are the findings relevant to consumers, health care professionals, or both?
Explain the impact of the research to risk management and quality management.
Prompts:
How do the recommendations affect risk management and quality management in the health care environment?
How could you as a health care administrator use the information within this article as it relates to risk management and quality-improvement projects?
Example: The reporting of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa not only caused global panic, but also brought awareness of its cause and measures that can be taken to prevent its spread. The research conducted [finish statement]. As a health care administrator, I can use the information to [finish statement].
Copyright 2022 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2022 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
