Article Critique
The Research Problem
The article “Effects of malaria infection on mosquito olfaction and behaviour: Extrapolating data to the field,” presents a recent research that was completed by Stanczyk, Mescher, and De Moraes in 2017. The study aims at investigating the issue of extrapolation based on what has been investigated in the past. To address the research problem, different laboratory test initiated by different researchers to examine the way mosquitoes parasite transmission are affected by malaria in the real world cases (Mescher & Moraes, 2017, p.7). Consequently, this helped the authors to determine if an additional investigation on the validity of extrapolation is necessary. The article has useful information, which is academic and can apply to the real world scenarios. However, an evaluation of the investigation demonstrated that the usefulness of the experiments that the researchers present are limited as they lack some supportive components in connection with medical analyses. With this understanding, this paper will focus on presenting both positive and negative critique of the aforementioned article.
Summary
From the laboratory research used with regards to manipulation of mosquitoes, it is evident that the plasmodium, which is the genus of parasitic alveolus’s causing malaria, influences the behaviour of mosquitoes, especially on the parasite’s feeding. However, no adequate evidence is available to indicate the effect of malaria on mosquitos’ behaviour. This article is based on extrapolating data, where the investigators used estimates from the observation to develop the findings of the study. The method is statistically relevant, as the value of the variables has been created based on the relationship with other variables obtained from the estimate.
Critical Evaluation
The article is laid into several sections, and in each chapter, the investigators display substantial information supported by available literature and laboratory studies. Throughout the content of the article, it is clear that the research is subjective, as it presents a work that has a feature of greater interpretation. In the introduction, the authors explain that laboratory-based evidence shows that mosquitoes are indeed influenced by malaria, mostly during the transmission process.
Review of Literature
The article is based on extensive literature, as the researchers use published articles, books, case studies, and other selected sources investigating the subject of the study. Moreover, the overall arrangement of the survey literature is clear and logical. Arguably, the article takes the form of a literature review, which could explain why the authors did not follow the contemporary format for research papers. For a detailed study, references are included where necessary and in a proper way to support the research problem. Contrarily, the referencing process is not well arranged in the figure where the researchers demonstrate behavioural alterations that were observed in the malaria-infected parasite and humans affecting the transmission parasites.
Hypothesis
Instead of the article listing the hypothesis utilised in the research, it has focused on stating the hypothesis. As a result, the hypothesis has direct impacts on the interpretation of the result of the survey. Therefore, it would have been better if the researchers list the hypothesis of the investigation because this would have made the study’s assumptions becomes comparable with the subject of the survey.
Method
The subject of the research is shown by the use of use a table indicating different laboratory research analysing the impact of malaria on the parasite’s biting and feeding behaviours. The table is simple to understand and is appropriately cited to support the research findings. However, it would have been more logical for the researcher to include the methodology chapter. This chapter would have helped provide an explanation on why the research is necessary, what previous authors have examined, the gaps in the literature that necessitated their study, and an explanation of the methodology and justification of the why they adopted this research design. The research does not show the sample that was used to compile the findings, which makes the study more complicated in relation to the aspect of reconciling the result of the study. Similarly, due to lack of sample presentation in the article, this makes it difficult for readers to compare the findings collected from different sources used in the research. Finally, the study failed to mention the limitation of the survey, which makes it lack a key component of research papers.
Instrument Validity and Reliability
The investigation does not show clear parameters or the method that has been used to carry out laboratory studies used to generate the research findings. This makes the research methodology applied less valid and reliable. The article could have been clearly written if the authors incorporated a valid instrument such as Experimental Hut Trails, as one of the most important tools used in nursing analyses to indicate the concept of parasite feeding. This is one way of using efficacy criteria to obtain recommendation in nursing research associated with malaria and mosquito bites (Moiroux et al., 2013, p.1). Additionally, some of the studies that were used to generate the findings were conducted between 1998 and 1999, which makes the survey to lose its reliability. This makes the presentation limits the results of the research by failing to focus solely on what current research says about the subject of study.
The conclusion of the article demonstrates that immune response could be used to explain the effect of malaria on parasite upon biting an infected organism. The researchers continue to propose that to present a conclusion based on facts and available information, more research is required. Additional research is necessary, especially one that will focus on the rate of Plasmodium transmission and challenges encountered while carrying laboratory studies on the effect of malaria on the behaviour of the mosquito parasite.
Conclusion
The article covers a fundamental gap in nursing, by identifying the critical impact of malaria on the plasmodium parasite. The authors describe how the data was obtained, through the review of past laboratory tests on the same subject. For a well-organised survey, the researchers utilised figures and tables that have been positioned appropriately to support their discussion by comparing arguments from different authors. Nevertheless, the article does show the assumption sections that would outline the ideas used to support the methodology. Besides, failing to explain the methodology used to select the reviewed articles and how they ensured that these articles met the required standards may have affected the results of the study.
References
Moiroux, N., Chandre, F., Hougard, J. M., Corbel, V., & Pennetier, C. (2017). Remote effect of Insecticide-treated nets and the personal protection against malaria mosquito bites. PloS one, 12(1), 1-13.
Stanczyk, N. M., Mescher, M. C., & De Moraes, C. M. (2017). Effects of malaria infection on mosquito olfaction and behavior: extrapolating data to the field. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 20, 7-12.
