Writing the Essay — "Tell the Story of the Study"
Write a short essay (about 1,500 words) that explains how good your chosen study is and why it matters for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). Use Torrens APA 7th edition for all citations and your reference list.
Writing Tips
- Use clear, evidence-based language, such as:
- "This may introduce bias…"
- "This strengthens the reliability of the findings…"
- "This limits how well the results apply to other settings."
- Link your comments directly to the article:
- "As reported in the Methods section…"
- "According to Table 2…"
- Avoid vague judgments like "This study is good." Instead, say:
"The use of blinding and intention-to-treat analysis strengthens the study’s reliability."
Suggested Essay Structure (Approximate Word Counts)
Introduction (100–150 words)
- Summarise the study’s aim and design in one or two sentences.
- Briefly explain why the topic matters for practice.
- End with a roadmap of what your essay will cover.
Study at a Glance (150–200 words)
- Describe the study design (e.g., randomised controlled trial, cohort study, systematic review, or qualitative).
- Identify the study question using the PICO framework (or SPIDER for qualitative studies) in one or two sentences.
Methods — How Trustworthy Was It? (300–400 words)
Use your completed CASP or JBI checklist to discuss study quality. Focus on the key points for your study type:
- RCT: randomisation, blinding, and how drop-outs were handled.
- Cohort: exposure and outcome clearly defined; follow-up long enough; confounding addressed.
- Case–Control: selection of cases and controls; recall or selection bias considered.
- Systematic Review: search methods, inclusion criteria, and how study quality was assessed.
- Qualitative: sampling, data collection, analysis, and credibility (reflexivity).
Use subheadings to make this section easier to follow.
Results — What Did They Find? (200–250 words)
- Summarise the main result using the study’s own numbers (e.g., risk ratio, odds ratio, mean difference).
- Include the 95% confidence interval (CI) if reported, and explain what it means.
- Discuss whether the result is both statistically significant and important in practice.
Applicability — Will It Help in Practice? (150–200 words)
- Are the participants, setting, and intervention similar to your context?
- Consider feasibility, ethics, and cultural relevance.
- Identify any barriers or facilitators that might affect how the findings could be used in real life.
Limitations and Biases (100–150 words)
- Identify the most important weaknesses of the study and explain why they matter.
- Focus on key risks of bias and how they might affect the results.
Conclusion and Takeaway (80–120 words)
- Summarise your overall judgment: how strong is this evidence and what does it add?
- Include 1–2 practice or research implications.
References
Language Tip
Preface your judgments with evidence, for example:
Because allocation concealment was not described, selection bias may be present, which could make the treatment appear more effective than it really is.