Authors’ credentials: are they experts in the area?

What are the authors’ qualifications and affiliations?

Are the research study findings linked with the data collected?

Is there sufficient information provided on how the research was conducted?

Are the study findings believable?

Does the setting reflect the context of the research and its applicability?

Did the researchers discuss or refer to the documentation, or paper trail, of their decisions, and methods related to the research?

Can you identify from the research that field notes or memos were used?

Can you identify the researcher’s decision-making through a reflexive journal or diary?

Is there confirmation of ethical approval?

Can you identify good ethical practice, for example, consent, confidentiality, no harm or risk to participants or how these were minimised?

Are the relevant ethical issues identified and strategies to address these put in place?

Is there a clear account of how the data were collected?

Did the researchers make clear the participant recruitment process?

Is the data collection method justified?

Have the researchers discussed how the patterns and themes have emerged?

Can you identify the data analysis process?

Have the researchers discussed how or if they used triangulation in the study? (not all researchers use triangulation)

Have the researchers discussed member checking and if more than one researcher performed the analysis?

Can you identify the research trail created by the researchers?

Have the authors made clear the applicability of their findings to similar areas of practice?

Are the implications for practice discussed?

Can the findings be used to extend or modify existing theories, beyond healthcare, for example, in social science areas?

Do the findings inform practice?