Critical appraisal

A definition

Critical appraisal is the process of systematically assessing and interpreting research studies by asking 3 key questions:

  1. Is the study valid?
  2. Are the results reliable?
  3. Can I generalise from this study to my workplace?

Critical appraisal is an essential part of evidence-based practice and allows us to assess the quality of research evidence and decide whether a reported piece of research is good enough to be used in decision making.

Source: Manchester PCTs Evidence Based Practice for Community Nurses

Critical appraisal resourcesOpen

What is Critical Appraisal? Short and clear guide commissioned by AVENTIS and produced by Hayward Medical plc.

Critical Appraisal of Health Care Literature Brief introductory guide from Cardiff University for critically appraising published literature and web sites with links to resources and definitions of key terms.

Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Resources available from CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) part of the NHS Public Health Resource Unit.

ScHARR Links to numerous critical appraisal tools, guides and resources.

Centre for Evidence Based Medicine Resources for appraising information including worksheets that may be downloaded.

Critical Appraisal of the Journal Literature Overview and links to resources from the University of Kent

General resourcesOpen

Bandolier NHS monthly publication that covers evidence-based medicine.

Bandolier Learning Zone contains essays on various topics. Also contains a series of 'What is' guides that offer short and clear explanations on several topics commissioned by AVENTIS and produced by Hayward Medical plc including What is A Systematic Review? and What is Evidence Based Medicine?

DatabasesOpen

Journal articles, research studies, clinical trials and other resources may be found by searching online databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and many other databases which may be accessed via our Databases page, which includes guides and summaries of the databases. You should evaluate the information found in these databases for its usefulness to your situation and practice. Other useful information sources are listed below.

INTUTE offers free access to a searchable catalogue of evaluated internet sites and resources under many subjects including
Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health, Medicine and Social Sciences.

The Cochrane Library Here is a summary of the various databases that make up the Cochrane Library:
(Acknowledgements: Kate Light & Carol Lefebvre - The Cochrane Centre, York)

  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR)
    • Full text high quality systematic reviews updated at least every 2 years reviewing the effects of health care interventions
    • Reviews contain evidence about the effectiveness of interventions i.e. which interventions work best
    • Contains Protocols - a summary and rationale of a review currently being written
    • All reviews are prepared by the Cochrane Collaboration
  • Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE)
    • Provides information of previously published systematic reviews of the effects of health care
    • Contains Systematic reviews not found in Cochrane
    • Abstracts only not full text
    • Critically Appraised
  • NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED)
    • A companion to the CRD Databases of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness
    • Summaries of Economic evaluations of healthcare interventions
    • Papers included are those that provide an examination of both the costs and outcomes of alternative treatments
    • Abstracts only not full text
    • Critically Appraised
  • Health Technology Assessment Database (HTA)
    • Contains information on healthcare technology assessments
    • Health care technology is defined as prevention and rehabilitation, vaccines pharmaceuticals and devices, medical and surgical procedures and the systems within which health is protected and maintained
    • Not Critically Appraised
  • Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR/Central)
    • Contains references to controlled trials identified through the hand searching of journals and databases such as Medline and Embase
    • Not Full text
    • Not Critically appraised
  • Cochrane Methodology Register (CMR)
    • Contains references to material on methods used in reviews, randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses
    • Includes conference proceedings, books and journal articles
    • Articles taken from the MEDLINE database and from hand searching
    • Not Full text
  • Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews
    • Full text systematic reviews of methodological studies
    • Contains Protocols - a summary and rationale of a review currently being written.

BooksOpen

The following books on Critical Appraisal are available for loan from the library:

The Pocket Guide to Critical Appraisal
I K Crombie
Shelfmark: B.AW/Cro

The Doctor's Guide to Critical Appraisal
Narinder Gossall
Shelfmark: B.AW/Gos

Nursing Research: methods, critical appraisal, and utilization
Geri Lobiondo-Wood
Shelfmark: IX.AR/LoB

Making Sense of Critical Appraisal
Olajide Ajetunmobi
Shelfmark: B.AW/Aje

A-Z of Medical Statistics: a companion for critical appraisal
F Pereira-Maxwell
Shelfmark: BBW/Per

 

Literature Search Request Form

We offer one-off, comprehensive searches with an option for updates based on an original search and will endeavour to carry out your search within 48 hours.

Submit a literature search request