State the name, degrees and job title of the nursing study's author. Find this information at either the very start or end of the research study. Is the author a nurse or other medical professional? Assess whether the researcher has credibility in the world of nursing.
Comment on the article's title. Does it adequately and accurately characterize the research? Long (more than 15 words) and short (three words or less) titles obscure meaning.
Judge the abstract, if given. Some research will not have an abstract that provides an overview of the study's purpose, methodology, findings and recommendations in a paragraph on a separate page at the start. Evaluate the abstract's sufficiency. However, do not denigrate the study for the absence of an abstract because some journals do not demand it.
Analyze the study's introduction by judging these elements: historical background about the subject (reasons for, or context of, the study); gaps in past research; research purpose or problem statement; preview of the study's sub-sections; thesis statement. First, look at the study as a whole and evaluate the presence of these elements, and then determine their effectiveness.
Evaluate the literature review if one substitutes for an introduction. All literature reviews should: identify the research problem; identify research methodology; identify keywords; provide the paper's sub-sections; present thesis. Address the same questions for an introduction: Does the literature review provide these elements and how well does the study articulate them?