LibGuides: International Oncology Subject Guide: Step 3: Critically Appraise the Evidence

Evidence Based Practice

Literature Review

Open Access & Predatory Publishers

Oncology Resources

Step 3: Critically Appraise the Evidence

A critical appraisal or systematic evaluation of research papers should be undertaken to determine the methodological quality of studies. If the study addresses a clear, focused question, and uses valid methods to address this question, also if there are valid results of this study that are important, and if these valid, essential results are applicable to the targeted patient or population.

Resources for Appraising Tools:

Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE)
The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) Instrument evaluates the process of practice guideline development and the quality of reporting.
Center for Evidence Based Medicine (CEBM)
CEBM developed critical appraisal tools for different types of medical evidence. Example appraisal sheets are provided together with several examples.
Checklists for Assessing Study Qualities (COSMIN)
The tool includes the following checklists:
1. COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist for PROMs 2. COSMIN Risk of Bias tool to assess the quality of studies on reliability or measurement error of outcome measurement instruments 3. COSMIN Study Design checklist 4. COSMIN Reporting checklist
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Tool for Assessing Risk of Bias (RoB)
In a Cochrane review, this appraisal process is described as the assessment of risk of bias in included studies.
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Tools & Checklist (CASP)
Critical appraisal tools designed by CASP for systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case control studies, economic evaluations, diagnostic studies, qualitative studies and clinical prediction rule. The tools are free to download and can be used by anyone under the Creative Commons License.
Critical Appraisal Tool (MetaQAT)
The MetaQAT is a tool for appraising public health evidence. A meta-tool is a tool that orients the user to the appropriate use of several critical appraisal tools and places them within a larger framework to guide their use.
Critical Appraisal Tools (CAT)
A list of critical appraisal tools, linked to the websites where they were developed
Joanna Briggs Institute Critical appraisal tools (JBI)
JBI Critical appraisal tools developed by the JBI and collaborators and approved by the JBI Scientific Committee following extensive peer review. JBI critical appraisal tools can also be used in Critically Appraised Topics (CAT), in journal clubs and as an educational tool.
A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews Checklist (AMSTAR2)
AMSTAR 2 was developed to appraise systematic reviews of randomized and non-randomized studies.
Risk of Bias in the Review (ROBIS)
ROBIS has been developed using rigorous methodology and is currently aimed at four broad categories of reviews mainly within healthcare settings: interventions, diagnosis, prognosis and aetiology.

Tutorial: Duke University Medical Centre Library & Archives

Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice- Appraise
This tutorial will focus on the first question: are the results of the study valid? The issue of validity speaks to the "truthfulness" of the information. The validity criteria should be applied before an extensive analysis of the study data. If the study is not valid, the data may not be useful.

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