Weighing the Evidence When conducting original research, the final step researchers must complete is weighing the evidence and interpreting the meanings of their data, statistics, and analyses. This is the culmination of the research process in which all of the research methods and designs can be synthesized into a meaningful conclusion. In this stage, researchers should formulate explanations for what their data indicates, determine whether the data answers their initial research question, identify areas of uncertainty, and consider directions for further research. In this Discussion, you focus on one of the research articles that you identified for Part 2 of the Course Project (Literature Review). You then explore the process of how the researchers generated conclusions based on their data, consider other possible interpretations of their data, and formulate ideas for further research. To prepare: Review this week’s Learning Resources, focusing on how researchers find meaning in their data and generate sound conclusions. Pay particular attention to Table 2 in the article, “Study Design in Medical Research.” Revisit the 5 articles that you identified in Part 2 of the Course Project. Select one to consider for the purpose of this Discussion. Refer to article below: Al-Khawaldeh, O., Al-Hussami, M., & Darawad, M. (2015). Influence of Nursing Students Handwashing Knowledge, Beliefs, and Attitudes on Their Handwashing Compliance . Scientific Research Publishing . Doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.4236/health.2015.75068 Read sections of the chosen article where the data is presented, analyzed, and interpreted for meaning. What reasoning process did the researchers use to formulate their conclusions? What explanation did they give to support their conclusions? Were there any weaknesses in their analysis or conclusions? Consider possible alternate conclusions that the researchers could have drawn based on their data. Examine the findings that the article presents and consider how well they addressed the researcher’s initial question(s). What additional research could be done to build on these findings and gain a fuller understanding of the question? Post : 1) An APA citation and brief summary of the research article that you selected. 2) Describe the data and the results of any statistical tests or analyses presented in the article. 3) Explain how the researchers formulated their conclusion, any weaknesses in their analysis or conclusions, and offer at least one alternate interpretation of their data. 4) Propose at least one additional research study that could be done to further investigate this research topic. Readings Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2012).  Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Review Chapter 2, Fig. 2.1 Chapter 27, “Systematic Reviews of Research Evidence: Meta-analysis, Me.

1. Weighing the Evidence
When conducting original research, the final step researchers
must complete is weighing the evidence and interpreting the
meanings of their data, statistics, and analyses. This is the
culmination of the research process in which all of the research
methods and designs can be synthesized into a meaningful
conclusion. In this stage, researchers should formulate
explanations for what their data indicates, determine whether
the data answers their initial research question, identify areas of
uncertainty, and consider directions for further research.
In this Discussion, you focus on one of the research articles that
you identified for Part 2 of the Course Project (Literature
Review). You then explore the process of how the researchers
generated conclusions based on their data, consider other
possible interpretations of their data, and formulate ideas for
further research.
To prepare:
Review this week’s Learning Resources, focusing on how
researchers find meaning in their data and generate sound
conclusions. Pay particular attention to Table 2 in the article,
“Study Design in Medical Research.”
Revisit the 5 articles that you identified in Part 2 of the Course
Project. Select one to consider for the purpose of this
Discussion. Refer to article below:
Al-Khawaldeh, O., Al-Hussami, M., & Darawad, M. (2015).
Influence of Nursing Students Handwashing Knowledge,
Beliefs, and Attitudes on Their Handwashing Compliance
.
Scientific Research Publishing

2. . Doi:
http://dx.doi.org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.4236/health.2015.75
068
Read sections of the chosen article where the data is presented,
analyzed, and interpreted for meaning. What reasoning process
did the researchers use to formulate their conclusions? What
explanation did they give to support their conclusions? Were
there any weaknesses in their analysis or conclusions?
Consider possible alternate conclusions that the researchers
could have drawn based on their data.
Examine the findings that the article presents and consider how
well they addressed the researcher’s initial question(s). What
additional research could be done to build on these findings and
gain a fuller understanding of the question?
Post :
1)
An APA citation and brief summary of the research article that
you selected.
2) Describe the data and the results of any statistical tests or
analyses presented in the article.
3) Explain how the researchers formulated their conclusion, any
weaknesses in their analysis or conclusions, and offer at least
one alternate interpretation of their data.
4) Propose at least one additional research study that could be
done to further investigate this research topic.
Readings
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2012).
Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for
nursing practice

3. (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.).
Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Review Chapter 2, Fig. 2.1
Chapter 27, “Systematic Reviews of Research Evidence: Meta-
analysis, Metasynthesis, and Mixed Studies Review”
This chapter focuses on the different types of systematic
reviews. The chapter discusses the advantages of this type of
analysis and the steps for conducting a meta-analysis or
metasynthesis.
Dingle, P. (2011). Statin statistics: Lies and deception.
Positive Health
,
180
, 1.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
In this article, the author outlines how misleading statistics are
used to make false claims about the positive use of statin drugs
in order to retain a market share of sales for pharmaceutical
firms.
Katapodi, M. C., & Northouse, L. L. (2011). Comparative
effectiveness research: Using systematic reviews and meta-
analyses to synthesize empirical evidence.
Research & Theory for Nursing Practice, 25
(3), 191–209.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The authors of this article assert that more comparative
effectiveness research (CER) is necessary to accommodate the
elevated demand for evidence-based health care practices. The
article supplies a summary of methodological issues relevant to
systematic reviews and meta-analyses used in the process of
CER.
Stichler, J. F. (2010). Evaluating the evidence in evidence-
based design.

4. Journal of Nursing Administration, 40
(9), 348–351.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The quality of evidence used in EBP can vary considerably.
This article highlights the necessity of critically appraising
facility design research articles and using a hierarchical model
to rate the strength of evidence.
Bernd, R., du Prel, J.-B., & Blettner, M. (2009). Study design in
medical research: Part 2 of a series on the evaluation of
scientific publications.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International
,
106
(11), 184–189. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695375/pdf/Dts
ch_Arztebl_Int-106-0184.pdf
This article provides guidance in evaluating the study design of
scientific publications for reliability and credibility. The
authors suggest that the most important elements to consider are
the question to be answered, the study population, the unit of
analysis, the type of study, the measuring technique, and the
calculation of sample size.
Walden University. (n.d.a). Paper templates. Retrieved July 23,
2012, from
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm
(for review)
This website provides you access to the
School of Nursing Sample Paper
, which will serve as a template for formatting your papers.
Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012g).

5. Hierarchy of evidence pyramid
. Baltimore, MD: Author. (for review)
This multimedia piece explains the hierarchy of evidence
pyramid. The piece offers definitions and key information for
each level of the pyramid.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012n).
Weighing the evidence.
Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note:
The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
In this video, Dr. Kristen Mauk provides insight about how she
analyzed her data and interpreted meanings of what the data
showed. She describes how she drew conclusions based on the
results and how she explained unexpected findings that were
contrary to her initial hypotheses