Critical appraisal

Question 1

What is critical appraisal

Answer 1

• systematically examining research evidence
• assess its validity, results and relevance before using it to inform a decision
• allowing us to make sense of research evidence and begin to close the gaps between research and practice
• quality of study designs is never certain, even if published

Question 2

How does one write a research paper?

Answer 2

1. Question:
   - Recognise the need for new information
   - Should be focused
2. Finding Evidence: If you have the wrong evidence, you’ll get the wrong answer to your question
3. Appraisal:
   - Evaluate the validity and usefulness of the details (relative to your question)
4. Acting on evidence:
   - what are you going to do with your new knowledge?
5. Evaluation and reflection:
   - You made changes. Did it impact as you wanted it to?

Question 3

What should be considered when doing a systematic review?

Answer 3

1. Systemiatic - research process
2. Logical - deductive/inductive
3. Empirical - evidence based
4. Reductive - generalisation
5. Replicable - methodology should be repeatable

Question 4

How does one approach a critical review?

Answer 4

1. Find models (be guided by others)
2. Problem formulation – which topic is under consideration and what are the constituent issues?
3. Literature search
4. Evaluation of findings (against your criteria/Q’s)
5. Analysis and interpretation of literature

• describe and analyse the existing evidence base (not a description)
• detail what gaps you’ve found
• reveal similarities and differences, consistencies and inconsistencies and controversies
• (try to) explain reasons for these…

Question 5

What are ideal studies for therapeutic methods

Answer 5

RCT
efficacy
alternative method

Question 6

What are ideal studies for diagnosis methods

Answer 6

cross sectional
efficacy
reliability

Question 7

What are ideal studies for prognosis

Answer 7

longitudinal cohort

Question 8

What are ideal studies for causation

Answer 8

cohort, case control, case report

Question 9

Checklist for critical analysis

Answer 9

Question 
Design 
Population 
Methods
Analysis 
Counfounders
Bias 
Intepretation

SEE NOTES