Module 1: Professional Accountability and Prescribing
Lesson 5
Step 4: Appraise/Critique
Appraising or critiquing the research articles found to determine methodological quality and relevance.
In practical language, this is about checking to see if the evidence is “good enough”. One should take the time to critically appraise the articles using a standardized template. Many critical appraisal tools (CATs) are available online. Be sure to find the correct CAT for the type of research article you have found.
Some recommended sources of CATs include:
- Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (2013) – CASP Checklist
- Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (2017) – Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (UK)
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (2010) – An Introduction to Evidence-Informed Public Health and a Compendium of Critical Appraisal Tools for Public Health Practice
