1. Identify an area of clinical interest

Qualitative Mini Critique Due (10 points) Individual

Objectives

1. Identify an area of clinical interest

2. Find one peer-reviewed journal article (no older than 5 years) related to your clinical topic of interest. Do not use a meta-analysis or systematic review.

3. Critique the journal article, fully answering the following questions

4. This critique should be 3-4 pages (not including the cover page and reference page)

5. Utilize the APA levels of headings on page 62 of the APA Manual

6. APA formatting required (Include appropriate APA level/headings)

Ethical Aspects of a Study (1 point)

Were adequate steps taken to safeguard participant’s privacy?

How was confidentiality maintained?

Were vulnerable groups involved in research?

If yes, were special precautions instituted because of their vulnerable status?

Research Tradition (1 point)

Was the research tradition for the study identified?

If none was identified, can one be inferred? Are the data sources, research methods and analytic approach congruent with the research tradition?

Was there evidence of reflexivity in the design?

Sampling (1 point)

What type of sampling strategy was used?

Are sampling procedures clearly delineated in the study?

Data Collection (1 point)

Given the research question and characteristics of study participants, did the researcher use thebest method of capturing study phenomena (self-reports, observation)?

If self-report methods, did the researcher make good decisions about the specific method used to solicit information (focus group interviews, critical incident interviews)?

Were interviews tape recorded and transcribed?

Clinical Practice (1 point)

Did the researchers discuss the study’s implications for clinical practice or future research and if so, were the implications grounded in the study evidence, and in evidence from earlier research?

Data Collection (1 point)

What methods of data collection were utilized (Self-reports, Scales, Observation, and Rating Scales)? If self-report methods were used, did the researchers make good decisions about specific methods (in-person interviews, mailed questionnaires, etc.)?

If observational methods were used, did the report adequately describe what the observations entailed?