15 Walking Rounds: Putting Together a Research Study Critique

Prerequisite Knowledge
  • How to critique both qualitative and quantitative research studies
Learner Setting Classroom
Strategy Type Small group, suggested small group size of 3-5 students
Time Faculty prep: 15 minutes

Delivery with students: Approximately 2-2.5 hours

Evaluation: Approximately half hour
Learning Objectives
  • Demonstrate how various aspects of a research article relates to other sections
  • Demonstrate ability to identify key aspects of a research study article
Materials/Resources One worksheet per group (see below)

Space to move about classroom or hallway
Strategy Overview This lesson helps students understand how the different sections of a research study relate to other sections, and identify key elements of each section of a research study.
Steps
  1. Develop an equal number of clinical questions that can be stated as a PICOT statement. For each statement, list 6 or 7 sections of a research study (PICOT, research question, type of study, population, sampling methods, variables (if applicable), data analysis/statistical analysis, etc. See two worksheets below as a template to use to develop additional worksheets if desired
  2. Post an equal number of worksheets as groups (example: 5 groups, 5 worksheets) at various stations around the room as you have teams. Each team starts in a different location and at a different section of the worksheet (see attached)
  3. Each team has 5 minutes to answer their section of the worksheet. They then rotate to the next worksheet, and have to answer any section of the worksheet they have not completed on a previous worksheet. Students rotate in a pattern around the room (for example, always moving to the right)
  4. By the end, each group of students should have completed each different section of the worksheet, and each worksheet should be complete
  5. Upon completion of all worksheets, ask students what was easy and difficult completing this assignment (hard to state variables if PICOT not yet completed, hard to determine data analysis of method not completed, need population before you can determine sample, etc.). Easy to work in order. Relate this to how they read studies—cannot read discussion or findings section before reading lit review, methods, etc.
  6. Discuss as a group each completed “study” to make sure the different aspects of the study correspond to the others
Evaluation Informal, discussion as above

Walking Rounds: Worksheet 1

A recent research study found that 20 minutes of exercise a day improves learning. The types of exercise included in the study were running, yoga, and swimming. You aren’t crazy about any of those types of exercise, but finals are coming up, and you’re looking for any help you can get and want to know which of these three worked the best.

Complete the table below regarding this problem

Starting Team Question Answer
7 What is the PICOT question? (Include the P, I, C, O, and T, and the complete sentence)
1 What are the variables you search for in the research? Which ones are the IV and the DV?
2 What types of validity and reliability will you look for in this study?
3 What type of data (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) would you look for and why?
4 What type of statistics do you need to answer the research question?
5 How would you interpret the statistics? (what would they mean?)
6 As a BSN prepared nurse, what would you look for in the study before applying it to your population?

Walking Rounds: Worksheet 2

You are interested in working at a hospital where you did a clinical rotation, and really enjoyed working with the staff on a particular unit. However, that unit uses a variety of shifts to accommodate staffing needs, including 8, 10, and 12 hour shifts. You want to know what shift would provide the best working conditions for you.

Starting Team Question Answer
7 What is the PICOT question? (Include the P, I, C, O, and T, and the complete sentence)
1 What are the variables you search for in the research? Which ones are the IV and the DV?
2 What types of validity and reliability will you look for in this study?
3 What type of data (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) would you look for and why?
4 What type of statistics do you need to answer the research question?
5 How would you interpret the statistics? (what would they mean?)
6 As a BSN prepared nurse, what would you look for in the study before applying it to your population?

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Innovative Lesson Plans for Active Learning Copyright © 2018 by Susan M. Strouse PhD, RN; Genevieve B. Elrod PhD, RN, OCN; and Karyn Butler PhD, RN, FPMHNP-BC, CNM is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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