How to perform a critically appraised topic: part 2, appraise, evaluate, generate, and recommend

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2011 Nov;197(5):1048-55. doi: 10.2214/AJR.11.7249.

Abstract

Objective: This article continues the discussion of a critically appraised topic started in Part 1. A critically appraised topic is a practical tool for learning and applying critical appraisal skills. This article outlines steps 4-7 involved in performing a critically appraised topic for studies of diagnostic tests: Appraise, Appraise the literature; Evaluate, evaluate the strength of the evidence from the literature; Generate, generate graphs of conditional probability; and Recommend, draw conclusions and make recommendations.

Conclusion: For steps 4-7 of performing a critically appraised topic, the main study results are summarized and translated into clinically useful measures of accuracy, efficacy, or risk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Clinical Competence*
  • Decision Making
  • Diagnostic Imaging*
  • Evidence-Based Medicine*
  • Humans
  • Information Storage and Retrieval
  • Medical Informatics
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Research Design*
  • Review Literature as Topic*
  • Statistics as Topic