Lecture 30: Critical Appraisal

Question 1

What is a critical appraisal?
The process of ______ and ______ examining research to judge its _________, and its value and _________ in a particular _________

Answer 1

the process of carefully and systematically examining research to judge its trustworthiness, and its value and relevance in a particular context

Question 2

What is the correct order of the different components of a study paper? (9)

Answer 2

Abstract
Intro
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion and/or Key Points
References
Acknowledgements
Conflicts of Interest

Question 3

What is the abstract?

Answer 3

It provides a summary of the paper contents and includes the main findings

Question 4

What five things does the introduction contain?

Answer 4

• background to the research
• what was already known on the subject
• where gaps remain and evidence is not strong
• what the researchers wanted to investigate with this study
• aims and objectives of the study

Question 5

What does the method give detail about?

Answer 5

How to replicate the study

Question 6

What four things should the method include?

Answer 6

• an explanation on how participants were selected and excluded
• structure of the study
• how information will be measured/classified
• methods for statistical analysis and controlling for confounding

Question 7

What things should the results section show?

Answer 7

• reporting of all results in text, tables and figures
• a comparison of these results to the original aims and objectives
• assessment of chance, bias and confounding

Question 8

When looking at results in the text, tables and figures, what do you need to read and watch out for?

Answer 8

titles, axes, keys, notes at the bottom

you need to check whether the results are crude or adjusted and if they are adjusted, what have they been adjusted for?

Question 9

What does the discussion mention? (6)

Answer 9

• the researchers assessment of the implications of the results
• what the results mean
• strengths and weaknesses of the study design eg. whether they controlled for confounding
• whether the results are consistent with other studies
• whether there is evidence of causation
• the importance of the information in a Public Health context and clinical practice

Question 10

What does the conclusion and/or key points include?

Answer 10

it outlines what this study adds to current knowledge, and where to from here

Question 11

Is the conclusion and/or key points always included?

Answer 11

no

Question 12

What are the references?

Answer 12

a list of research papers referred to in this paper that can be used for further research

Question 13

What are the acknowledgements?

Answer 13

thanking contributors to the writing of the paper and the people contributing to the research itself, including the finding of the research

Question 14

What is meant by the conflict of interest section?

Answer 14

it identifies potential conflicts of interest

Question 15

What are two frameworks to help us consider aspects of study designs as you read the paper?

Answer 15

GATE

PECOT

Question 16

What are two big questions that we need to ask when we are considering conflicts of interest, particularly financial conflicts of interest?

Answer 16

• was the research funded by people who have financial interest in the outcome of the study?
• were they involved in conducting the study, analysing data, or controlling for the results that were published?

Question 17

What can the GATE help you with?

Answer 17

• helps you look at potential bias that would have featured eg. response rate? loss to follow up? what do they do to help with confounding in the design or analysis stage

Question 18

Where you can find incredibly useful and helpful questions that you can ask yourself while reading the study to really get a great understanding study and to think critically about the things that it has done well and things it has done done so well?

Answer 18

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