Critical Appraisal Tools

Health care staff need to know how to appraise and interpret the research literature in order to effectively apply it for the benefit of patients. The skills in interpreting research studies are commonly known as critical appraisal skills.

The library service holds a number of resources to assist those wishing to gain these skills. These include workbooks for those wanting to learn at their own pace via self-directed learning and toolkits of worked examples and guided exercises for those wanting to set up regular CASP workshop meetings with a small group of colleagues.

Library staff are available to assist with the facilitation of CASP workshops – contact us  to discuss your requirements.

Checklists

• CASP critical appraisal checklists
• CEBM critical appraisal checklists
• SIGN (Scottish intercollegiate guidelines network) critical appraisal checklist
• PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database) scale
• AMSTAR – A measurement tool to assess systematic reviews.

Toolkits

• IMPACTE Groups Toolkit Created by the information specialist at Quality:MK to support Improving Medical Practice by Assessing CurrenT Evidence groups in Primary Care

• Evidence-Based Medicine Toolkit A collection of tools for identifying, assessing and applying relevant evidence for better health care decision-making.

• CATmaker  a software tool which helps you create Critically Appraised Topics, for key articles you encounter about Therapy, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Aetiology/Harm and Systematic Reviews of Therapy.

• Five stages of evidence-based medicine

• Understanding health research – This tool will guide you through a series of questions to help you to review and interpret a published health research paper.

E Learning

• Finding and Appraising the Evidence – These modules take you through the process of how to find the evidence and then how to assess the validity and reliability of the published research in order to provide effective and efficient healthcare.

Glossaries

• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions: Glossary

Understanding Statistics

• Bandolier: What are confidence intervals and p-values?
•  Chris Cates explains: p-values and confidence intervals
• BMJ Learning module – Understanding statistics 2: is there a significant difference (access with NHS OpenAthens)
• Bandolier: What is an NNT
• Chris Cates explains: No Need To be confused

Download the library resource guide for Critical Appraisal Skills (to be updated)