Complete the Journal Article Critique paper about the article "Prevalence of xerostomia and hyposalivation and their association with quality of life in elderly patients in dependence on dental status and prosthetic rehabilitation: A pilot study" By Sebastian Hahnel, Simone Schwarz, Florian Zeman, Lina Schafer and Michael Behr.

RDH Community and Public Dental Health

Literature Critique Instrument for Evaluation of a Scientific Journal Article

Instructions: Student will obtain a community/public health-based, peer-reviewed journal article that has been written within the past 5 years to critique. The article must include the following information in order to properly critique: Abstract, Introduction (may not be labeled), Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Your critique paper will follow the same headings. The questions below should guide you in critiquing your article. Do not list the questions in your critique-It should be written in "paper" format. Be sure to use Times New Roman, 12 point font, and double spacing. A clean copy of the article must be submitted with your critique.

Abstract:

• What are the major points of the study outlined in the abstract?
• What does the abstract summarize as the study results?

Introduction:

• Is the purpose of the study clearly stated? What is it?
• What points are made in the literature to illustrate why the problem is being researched?
• State the research hypothesis being studied.

Methods:

• Is the experimental design described? What is it based on your knowledge of research design?
• Are the variables of the study defined and described? Identify the dependent, independent, and intervening variables of the study.
• What methodology was used to conduct the research? Was the instrumentation reliable and valid ? Explain why or why not.
• What was the sampling method? Was the sampling method appropriate for this type of study? Was the sample size sufficient to test the research hypothesis?
• Describe how instrument and/or rater reliability were discussed in the article.
• Describe how the testing instruments validated?
• Did the design utilize a control group? Why or why not was a control group needed in this type of study?
• Is the study of adequate duration to adequately test the hypothesis statement?

Results:

• What statistical measures were employed?
• Were the statistical measures parametric or nonparametric?
• Are significance levels recorded? What was the level of confidence used? Interpret the confidence level for this study.

Discussion:

• Are the methodological errors of the study discussed? What are they?
• Are the limitations of the study discussed? What are they?
• Have the research questions and/or the hypotheses been answered? Explain.
• Are alternative explanations given for the results that were obtained?
• Have generalizations been made? What are they? Do they seem reasonable?

Conclusion:

• What conclusions have been drawn as a result of the study?
• Do the conclusions logically follow the experimental findings of the study?
• Was the clinical significance of the study stated? Clinical implications?
• Did the study present ideas for additional research to be conducted?