Tyra Jackson

I realized that technology is greatly influencing clinical data. I began to wonder how

much data validity, accuracy, and reliability is affected. This is very important to have a standard

in the clinical field and to also have valuable consistent results and to limit any crucial errors. It

is a priority to have the appropriate data collection method, appropriate data collection

instruments, and appropriate data within healthcare to follow the standard for clinical reliability,

accuracy, and validity. My source “Critical appraisal and selection of data collection

instruments: A step-by-step guide” by Kathleen N. Dunemn , Carol J. Roehrs, Vicki L. Wilson

highlights how these keywords are involved in clinical research while trying to get to a

conclusion of what is the best way to gather and interpret information while standard while also

taking a look into any new developments that is being newly introduced.

The excerpt principles of the step-by-step list that involves Critical Appraisal and

Selection of Data Collection Instruments are established from the tenets of the measurement

theory, literature, and experience of the included authors involved with the schooling/education

and experience/practice research. The article was written by Kathleen N. Dunemn, Carol J.

Roehrs, Vicki L. Wilson supported by the school of nursing within the University of Northern

Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. Kathleen N. Dunemn, PhD, is an associate professor at the

university and has written a few nursing publications.

Within the article is an abstract from the “Journal of Nursing Education and Practice and

the online article provides information for nurse researchers to improve valid data through the

idea of using accurate instruments to collect data. The article has a comprehensive check list to

assist readers to swiftly and appropriately apprise quantitative research collection instruments.
The article’s main goal is to aid nurse researchers to objectively discuss, weigh information, and

make scholar conclusions. The clinical field has a variety of instruments to assist within research.

Instruments can affect the precision of the data collected. The article sets a standard for obtaining

dependable data.

The article communicates in great detail of conducting quantitative research. I agree with

the article statement of how “each data collection tool selected should undergo a comprehensive

critical appraisal to assess not only the characteristics of reliability and validity, but to also assess

the congruence of the measurement method with the research purpose, question(s), hypotheses,

design, study population, study setting, conceptual and operational definitions of the planned

study variables and the over-all measurement plans.” This statement represents the argument of

the article to educate the readers of significant information in terms of instruments to use for a

procedure to provide appropriate accurate data from a research perspective. The source provides

a step-by-step guide that provide multiple elements to complete an appropriate instrument

appraisal for instrument selection. The first step suggested is to “Conceptualize the proposed

quantitative research project” by gaining knowledge of the basic elements of the project. To gain

knowledge of the project the article explains the importance of understanding the problem,

reviewing any previous relevant written work, having a design plan and method while analyzing

research objectives and questions. The article continues to communicate the next step to “Find an

existing instrument for the proposed study”, after determining the elements of the research the

next step is to find an instrument that can assist the key elements found within step one. Once the

instrument has been identified the article suggest to complete an “Critical assessment of the

proposed measurement instrument”. This includes the assessment of the instrument availability,

access, purpose, historical background, content, internal consistency, reliability, and validity,
sampling, measurement, and analysis. After gaining an assessment in step three, the article

communicates to continue into step four to have a final decision of the instrument decided for the

interest of the study.

The source provides an academic perspective of research from an university to educate

the usage of appropriate instruments and accurate procedure. The article communicates the

standard for practice and how to improve the quality of research by educating the right procedure

in a logical way to find the proper data collection method and instruments to have appropriate

data within healthcare to follow the standard for clinical reliability, accuracy, and validity. This

written piece has provided me with general information of clinical research that I am using for

my dossier.

1: Citation: Roehrs, C. and Wilson, V. (2016). Critical appraisal and selection of data

collection instruments: A step-by-step guide. [online] Sciedu.ca. Available at:

http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/jnep/article/viewFile/10147/6397 [Accessed 4 Feb.

2019].