UQ Library Guides: Evidence-based practice in health sciences: Step 4: Appraisal

Step 4: Appraise the evidence

Not all evidence can be trusted and knowing how to critically appraise it for yourself is vitally important.

Appraise the evidence
Module 3 of Answering Clinical Questions, University of Western Australia
Critical appraisal
Royal Melbourne Hospital - Evidence Direct
Critical appraisal tools
CEBM (Centre for Evidence-based Medicine)
Critical appraisal - Notes and checklists
SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network)
Critical appraisal tool
CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme)
Critical Appraisal Tools - UNiSA
List of critical appraisal tools according to research type.

Look at these readings to learn more about appraisal:

How to read a paper: Assessing the methodological quality of published papers
Greenhalgh, Trisha. BMJ 1997;315:305-308.
How to read a paper: Papers that summarise other papers (systematic reviews and meta-analyses)
Greenhalgh, Trisha. BMJ 1997;315:672-675.
How to read a paper: Papers that report drug trials
Greenhalgh, Trisha. BMJ 1997;315:480-483
How to use an article about therapy or prevention
Guyatt, Gordon et al. Users' Guides to the Medical LiteratureII. How to Use an Article About Therapy or Prevention B. What Were the Results and Will They Help Me in Caring for My Patients?. JAMA. 1994;271(1):59-63. doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03510250075039
How to read a paper: Papers that report diagnostic or screening tests (PDF, 268 KB)
Greenhalgh, Trisha. BMJ 1997;315:540-543
How to use an article about a diagnostic test (PDF, 5 MB)
Guyatt, Gordon et al. Based on the Users' Guides to Evidence-based Medicine and reproduced with permission from JAMA. (1993;270(21):2598-2601) and (1994;271(1):59-63). Copyright 1995, American Medical Association.
How to use an article about harm
Levine, Mitchell et al. JAMA. 1994;271(20):1615-1619. doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03510440075037.
Click on PDF to download the full article.