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Quality of Evidence Checklist

Ask A c qui r e App r aise A ppl y Assess EB P P r o c ess

Critically appraising the quality of a study is an essential component of the 5-step process of evidence-based practice. The quality of evidence checklist serves as an overview to facilitate this step.

What is Critical Appraisal?

After formulating your research question, and gathering relevant evidence, the next step in evidence-based practice is to critically appraise the evidence. This systematic evaluation involves assessing a research article’s methodology, focusing on key factors including validity, reliability, generalizability, and relevance to your specific research topic or clinical question. Working through this process will help you identify strengths and weaknesses of an article, ensuring the use of high-quality evidence for making informed decisions.

Starting Questions 

Critical appraisal should start with asking general questions. Use the checklist below to help you assess the key components a research article:

  • Is the article peer-reviewed and from a scholarly source?
  • Who wrote the article? What is their affiliated institution?
  • Who funded the study?
  • Does the study clearly identify a research topic or question?
  • Does it address or relate to your research?
  • What study type or design was used?
  • Does the study follow a clear methodology, drawing conclusions that clearly identify study limitations?

Further Review

If you are working on an annotated bibliography, preparing for a journal club, on a clinical rotation, or working on an in-depth research project, consider these questions in addition to the ones above:

  • Are sampling methods, inclusion criteria, and population size described and justified?
  • Does the sample accurately reflect the population?
  • Does the study use a research method that is appropriate for the research question?
  • What conclusions about the research question did the authors reach?
  • Are the study findings statistically significant?
  • Are there any obvious biases or confounding variables?
  • How was the outcome measured?
  • Do the findings match the study aims?
  • Can the results be replicated?
  • What implications does the study have for your project, assignment, or clinical practice?

If you have questions about any of these terms, refer to the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Glossary of Terms.

Additional Tools & Checklists

Free, downloadable tools and checklists to help you perform critical appraisal across a number of different study types. These tools may vary depending on the type of study or research being appraised.  

Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP)
Critical appraisal checklists, including a useful how-to guide.
JBI Critical Appraisal Tools
Checklists for a broad range of research study types.
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Critical Appraisal Tools
Critical appraisal worksheets for different types of research studies. Includes worksheets in multiple languages.
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Glossary of Terms
Brief definitions of some of the common methodological and statistical terms you may encounter in research articles.

Supplementary Resources

Critical appraisal takes time and expertise but is essential for understanding how quality evidence can support clinical decision-making. These resources will help you to deepen your understanding of the process.

Questions & Help

If you have questions on this, or another topic, contact a librarian for help!