How to appraise qualitative research.

Some nurses feel that they lack the necessary skills to read a research paper and to then decide if they should implement the findings into their practice. This is particularly the case when considering the results of quantitative research, which often contains the results of statistical testing. However, nurses have a professional responsibility to critique research to improve their practice, care and patient safety.1 This article provides a step by step guide on how to critically appraise a quantitative paper.### Title, keywords and the authorsThe title of a paper should be clear and give a good idea of the subject area. The title should not normally exceed 15 words2 and should attract the attention of the reader.3 The next step is to review the key words. These should provide information on both the ideas or concepts discussed in the paper and the subject area addressed in the article. These first steps can often influence your decision whether to read the entire paper.The authors’ names may not mean much, but knowing the following will be helpful:This can indicate how the research has been conducted and the authors’ competence on the subject. Basically, do you want to read a paper on quantum physics written by a plumber?### AbstractThe abstract is a resume of the article and should contain:The subheadings in the abstract will vary depending on the journal. An abstract …