6 Critical Appraisal of the Literature
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Discuss common questions to ask before literature appraisal.
- Discuss the CRAAP test.
Carrying out Critical Appraisal
Assessing the research methods used in research studies is a prime step in its critical appraisal. This is done using checklists which are specific to the study design.
Standard Common Questions for Beginning Appraisal:
- Why was the study done?
- A clear explanation of why the study was carried out.
- The brief background literature (in the introduction) presented in a study should identify the gap that this research was designed to fill.
- What is the research question?
- What is the study type (design)?
- What is the sample size? How was the sample selected?
- Are the measurements of major variables valid and reliable?
- What important potential confounders are considered?
- What is the statistical method used in the study?
- Statistical results.
- What conclusions did the authors reach about the research question?
- Are ethical issues considered?
Credibility of Sources
The first step in appraising research is determining its credibility. If it is determined to be not credible, then stop there and move onto a different article.
- You should pay attention to the publisher and check for any conflicts of interest. Is the publisher a for-profit company that could benefit from the research of a product?
- Does the researcher have a conflict of interest (COI) related to the research? Is there a statement about COI?
- Non-peer reviewed research articles should be scrutinized for credibility.
- Websites that are not peer-reviewed should be checked for credibility and used sparingly, if at all.
There are different approaches pertaining to the two main research types, or paradigms of research.
- Quantitative research: The focus of critical appraisal is on validity and reliability.
- Qualitative research: The focus of critical appraisal is on rigor and trustworthiness.
CRAAP Test
A tool that can be used to determine the potential credibility of internet sources. As mentioned earlier in the course, Google Scholarly and the internet can be a great source of information, but be wary about the information out there. The CRAAP test is a way to help filter through some of the internet’s confusion of validity.
- C: Currency (timeliness): Is the source current and does it reflect current practice?
- R: Relevancy: Is the source relevant to the topic?
- A: Authority: Where is the source from?
- A: Accuracy: Is the source reliable, trustworthy, and correct?
- P: Practice: What is the intention of the information?
Licensing and Attribution
This chapter is adapted from Chapter Twelve: Appraise the Evidence: Putting it All Together to Critically Examine Published Evidence in Evidence-Based Practice & Research Methodologies by Tracy Fawns and licensed CC-BY-NC-SA
