A Guide to Critical Appraisal

A GUIDE TO CRITICAL APPRAISAL IN 26 QUESTIONS

1. What is the research question?

2. What is the study type?

3. Is the study type appropriate for the research question?

4. What is the population of interest

5. For descriptive studies: What is the sampling frame, sampling method and
response rate?

6. For what proportion of the sample do you know the outcome?

7. Is there likely to be selection bias?

8. Is selection bias likely to threaten the validity of the results?

9. What are the study factors (exposures) and how are they measured?

10. Is there likely to be measurement error?

1
 A Guide to Critical Appraisal

11. Is measurement error likely to be an important source of bias?

12. What are the outcome factors and how are they measured?

13. Is there likely to be measurement error?

14. Is measurement error likely to be an important source of bias?

15. Are all directly relevant outcomes assessed?

16. What important potential confounders are considered?

17. Are there any important potential confounders that have not been considered?

18. Have the researchers controlled for confounding in the study design and/or
analysis?

19. Are confidence intervals and/or p-values provided? What do they indicate
concerning the significance of the findings?

20. Is the power of the study mentioned? If so, was there sufficient power to answer
the research question.

2
 A Guide to Critical Appraisal

21. Is random error or chance a possible explanation for the study results?

22. Describe the main findings of the study.

23. What conclusions did the authors reach about the study?

24. What do you think are the three main strengths of this study?

25. What are its three major weaknesses?

26. Do you agree with the conclusions that the authors reached? Why or why not?