Critical Appraisal - Physical Therapy - Dallas - LibGuides at Texas Womans University

What Is Critical Appraisal?

Critical appraisal is the process of systematically examining research to objectively assess its validity, results, and relevance.

Regardless of what type of research you are assessing, It is always necessary to consider the following questions.

Has the research been conducted in such a way as to minimize bias?
If so, what does the study show?
What do the results mean for the particular patient or context in which a decision is being made?

Useful Resources

Principles of Critical Appraisal
A chapter on critical appraisal from Cochrane, an international not-for-profit organization that publishes systematic reviews out of the UK.

The following is a short list of the critical appraisal tools and worksheets available which can be used for various types of studies and reviews.

AMSTAR: A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews
Assesses the quality of a systematic review by helping users differentiate between systematic reviews, focusing on their methodological quality and expert consensus.
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (Oxford) EBM Tools
Includes links to CATmaker, a computer-assisted critical appraisal tool, as well as a series of critical appraisal tools and worksheets.CATmaker requires a file to be downloaded for use.
Cochrane: Assessing Risk of Bias in a Randomized Trial
Chapter from the Cochrane Handbook detailing the Cochrane risk of bias assessment for randomized trials
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme
Provides worksheets to appraise randomized control trials, systematic reviews, cohort studies, case control studies, qualitative research, economic evaluations, diagnostic tests, and clinical prediction rules.
The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation
GRADE working group guidelines and publications for grading the quality of evidence in healthcare research and policy.
JAMA Evidence Critical Appraisal Worksheets
Critical appraisal worksheets from on topics including diagnosis, harm, therapy and qualitative research.
Joanna Briggs Institute
JBI’s critical appraisal tools are generally used in nursing and assist in assessing the trustworthiness, relevance and results of published papers with downloadable worksheets to appraise for RCTs, systematic reviews and other studies.
PEDro Scale
Published by the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, this is an excellent webpage providing access to a range of appraisal resources including a tutorial and appraisal tool.