Critical appraisal tools: relax, it's much worse than you think
Conference Contribution ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Background: A review of critical appraisal tools (CATs) was undertaken. The review specifically focused on the design and evaluation of new CATs, as reported in the peer reviewed literature. Results: Of the 45 CATs reviewed, 26 (58%) were applicable to more than one research design, 11 (24%) to true experimental studies, and the remaining eight (18%) to individual research designs. Comprehensive explanations of how a CAT was developed and guidelines to use the CAT were available in five (11%) instances. There was no validation process reported in 12 CATs (27%) and 34 CATs (76%) had not been tested for reliability. Discussion: Systematic reviews are important from a clinical and policy viewpoint. However, many CATs have been developed that disregard: basic research techniques; the evidence for CAT design; and validation and reliability testing. Conclusions: Researchers should take care when choosing a CAT.
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9
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1744-1609
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Pages Count
1
Location
Adelaide, VIC, Australia
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
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DOI
10.1111/j.1744-1609.2011.00182.x