The aim of the assignment is to critique the research article, “Standardised antibacterial honey (medihoney) with standard therapy in wound care: randomized clinical trial” (2009) by Robson, Dodd & Thomas. The tool used for this is Step by Step Guide to Critiquing Research by Ryan, Coughlan; Cronin (2007). Critique is an objective, critical, and balanced appraisal of a research report’s various dimensions (Polit and Beck, 2004).
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The study was on the use of honey as medicine in wound healing. The research was done in the United Kingdom by a group of registered nurses and statistical masters. The study was completed in the year 2007 and was published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN). The study was based on the use of honey for wound dressing as an antibiotic and wound healing agent.
Arguably, the article is well written as it is concise and it does not contain any languages that are characterised to any particular group and are grammatically correct. The layout of the study is good and are given in a good order and kept the academic style of writing. Research reports are like stories, a story should be written in a way which catches the attention of the reader, like as research report should have a readable style. The current researches writing style is good, and is well understandable. No personal views are expressed in the study. The writer had omitted personal pronouns to get an ease in the reading.
Credibility variables concentrate on how believable the work appears and focus on the researcher’s qualification and ability to undertake and accurately present the study (Coughlan et al, 2007). The researchers were well qualified for the current study as their qualifications were stated in the article. Mostly nurses are eligible to do this type of study as they know the effect of dressing a wound. Statisticians also have a role in a research as there are so many calculations which were also included in the study. Methodology of a study is based on the credibility of the qualitative data and its subsequent findings (Polit &Hunger, 1999)
The title of the article gave an idea of the topic that and what the study is related to. The title is accurate and clear, too long or short titles can make the reader confusing (Coughlan et al, 2007). “Too long or short titles can be confusing and misleading to the readers” (Coughlan et al, 2007). In the study title is concise and is readable and has its reliability, the title is short too. The title is not more than 10- 15 words.
Abstract is a brief description or an outline of the entire article. The abstract should give a clear idea about the research and should include information regarding the purpose of the study, method, sample size and selection which is given clearly in the current article(Coughlan et al, 2007), And from the abstract the reader should able to find out the overall idea about the study. They have also pointed out for further research on this topic with some recommendations. The present study has an agreeable abstract which conveys idea about the study which is simple, clear and interesting for the readers. The abstract is not too long and also explains about the method, sample size and the selection method. The abstract gave an over view of the topic. The abstract also opens an end to further researches.
The introduction of the study will always be based on the research problem. Research problem is an enquiry which can be done through a disciplinary way (Polit and Beck, 2004). The purpose of a research highlights the overall sketch of main arguments and theory of the relevant research (Polit &Hungler, 1999). In the current research the purpose of the study is stated clearly and an overall idea of the study is been included in the introduction of the research. The research problem is identified and clearly stated in the study. The research was carried out in a step by step process. The article has a flow and a have an ease in reading and all the links are clear.
Critical summary of a topic which puts the topic or the research problem into a context is called as the literature review (Polit & Beck, 2004). Literature review always points out to the previous studies of the current topic. The review should be logical and its critical analysis should be balanced (Cougllan et al, 2007). In the present study the literature review is clearly illustrated and it is logically presented. The literature review offers a critical analysis. The reviews are mostly facts which were proved by proceeds. A good literature review will always have a good introduction (Cougllan et al, 2007), which is followed in this by the writer.
Frame work refers to the overall structure of a report which is based on a theory which was previously proved (Polit &Hungler, 1999). Hypotheses are from a primary source and of an empirical nature. Theoretical frame work is what which is found confusing by a researcher. A theoretical frame work is been identified in ethics. The theoretical frame work has been clearly stated step by step clearly. A sound theoretical frame work also identifies the various concepts being studied and relationship between those concepts. The theory is true and the hypothesis is relevant for the study. Theoretical frame work tends to be better developing in experimental and quasi-experimental studies and often poorly developed or nonexistent in descriptive studies (Burns & Grove, 1999).
The purpose of the aims and objectives is to create a link between the initially stated purposes of the study or research problem (Coughlan et al, 2007). Aims and objectives are the observations or measurement that reflects on the physical reality which is interpreted by the individuals, and can be argued that even such observations may be open to subjectivity (Gerrish & Lacey 2006). There is an aim for the study which is clearly stated in the abstract, introduction and also in the study. The hypothesis which is a statement or fact which can be tested or verified (Holloway & Wheeler, 2002). The research questions and the hypothesis is clearly identified and stated in the study. The hypothesis and the research questions reflect on the literature review.
The samples were chose with a great caution so as to minimise the errors. Samples are the selected units from a population, and sampling is the process of selecting appropriate people from a population for the research (Wood & Haber, 1994). The samples were chosen randomly from a group and were informed about the research and the procedures and the effect of the current procedure. The sample which was chose for the study was appropriate as they were patients who were having wounds. The size of the sample was also adequate as a small sample will not help in an appropriate conclusion. The size of the sample is also important in quantitative research as small samples are at risk of being overly representative of small groups within the target population. There was no inclusion or exclusion for the study as they chose an appropriate sample with ethical consideration. The risk of sampling errors decrease as larger sample used (Coughlan et al, 2007).
Autonomy infers that an individual has the right to freely decide to participate in a research study without fear of coercion and with the full knowledge of what is being investigated. Ethical committee or institutional review boards have to give approval before the research can be undertaken. There role is to determine the principles and to evaluate the validity of the research (Coughlan et al, 2007). There was ethical consideration for the data collection. All the participants of the study were fully informed about the research. All the participants were protected from all type of in case after effect, and were autonomous. Confidentiality of the subjects was censured by the researcher, and ensured the permission from an ethical committee.
In a research study the researcher should ensure that the reader should understand what is meant by the terms and concepts which are used in the research. All the operational terms, theories and concepts in the current study has been clearly identified explained and illustrated in the study, and have given proper reference and citations for the rational and the explanations. The organisation, reduction and transformation of the data of a study in order for a review are called as data analysis (Holloway & Wheeler, 2002). The methodology or the research design was clearly given to review the study. One of the main instruments in a study is methodology. The data gathering instruments of the methodology is cited in the study. The instrument used is appropriate as they could clearly get many results out of it. In the study 109 subjects participated in the research.
The system of analysing the facts with the collected data from the research is called as data analysis (Polit &Beck, 2004). Data analysis in quantitative research studies is often seen as a process which loses courage (Coughlan et al, 2007). Most of the data analysis is associated with complex language and statistical notations. The researcher should clearly identify what statistical tests were undertaken why these test was used and what were the results, which have been stated in the current article. In the current study analyse of the data is done in a better way. The strength and limitations of the study is also included in the study to revel the validity and reliability of the study.
The discussion of a study should flow logically from the data and should be related to the literature review thus placing the study in context (Russell, 2002). In the discussion part of the research is linked back to the literature review. The discussion part contains the strength and limitations of the study which is referred to the previous study that are made on the same subjects. All the limitations are also generalizability discussed. The research also extends an open end for further research on different aspects of his study; other recommendations are also given to the current study.
When doing a research or a research critique it is essential to quote the source of the information obtained, that should be included as in text or end text reference. In a research study the significance of the findings should be stated but these should be conceder within the overall strengths and limitations of the study (Polit & Beck, 2006). The reference should help the writer to find the source as quickly as possible (Pears & Shields). The copy of others idea is conceder as plagiarism which is serious offence. For the current study the researcher has used the Harvard referring system. The researcher has referred many books and research articles for his study and all the references have been quoted as in text and end text references. All the books referred for the study are appropriate as they are related to the subject or to the research vocabularies. The researcher was very much cautious about the plagiarism.
Evaluating the research article with the critiquing tool by Michael Coughlan and team members it was found that the study is arguable with credibility and reliability. The writers have carefully used the strategies in doing a research. The research is readable and understanding by lay men.
