Literature Evaluation and Critique

All health professionals are expected to be able to identify and critically evaluate research evidence relevant to their practice. In order that they can do this, an understanding of the different study designs is essential, as is an appreciation of the circumstances in which each can be appropriately used. The inherent limitations of different study designs need to be understood. An awareness is needed of recommended standards in the design and conduct of each study type. A critical appraisal requires a systematic approach, relevant to the specific study design employed. Methodological standards and critical appraisal tools have been developed and are widely available to assist in this task. In this chapter, a systematic approach to critical appraisal of the literature and signposts to useful resources to assist in this task are outlined.