Making Sense Of Critical Appraisal

This handy pocket companion provides all the necessary guidance on how to understand medical research publications, read them critically and decide whether the content of those papers is clinically useful in the care of patients. Illustrated throughout with medically relevant examples, the accessible text encompasses all relevant aspects of study design and clinical audit to give a clear framework to support critical reading for the novice and more experienced reader.

This handy pocket companion provides all the necessary guidance on how to understand medical research publications, read them critically and decide whether the content of those papers is clinically useful in the care of patients. Illustrated throughout with medically relevant examples, the accessible text encompasses all relevant aspects of study design and clinical audit to give a clear framework to support critical reading for the novice and more experienced reader.

The Third Edition of this introduction to research for students and professionals in health and social care now contains material on literature searching techniques, meta-analysis, data protection, and critical appraisal tools. Many people find research concepts difficult to grasp, but this book makes it easy by providing a straightforward guide to the basics. Topics covered include: - the role of research in health and social care - the research process - quantitative and qualitative approaches - how to develop critical skills, and - implementing research findings. The book also features a glossary of research terms and a critical appraisal framework.

Offers a range of sample comparative journal extracts enabling Foundation Year doctors and MRCGP and MRCPsych candidates to practise their critical appraisal skills. This title includes extracts that cover the whole spectrum of critical appraisal, together with exercises for the reader to work through independently to improve their technique.

This handy pocket companion provides all the necessary guidance on how to understand medical research publications, read them critically and decide whether the content of those papers is clinically useful in the care of patients. Illustrated throughout with medically relevant examples, the accessible text encompasses all relevant aspects of study design and clinical audit to give a clear framework to support critical reading for the novice and more experienced reader.

'The authors are not advocating that all people need to be involved in research but certainly argue the need for practioners to develop their research skills and expertise. This text removes some of the mystique of research and would certainly encourage the practioner to explore some of the areas raised in more depth. I would consider it to be an essential text for any social and health care practioner whether they are in practice or pursuing further studies. - Nurse Education Today, Volume 24, Issue 1, January 2004 Research is now a crucial function of health and social care practice. All professionals in these fields need to understand research and be able to apply it in their daily care. Making Sense of Research aims to demystify research by introducing the relevant and essential elements. The authors provide a foundation of research knowledge by explaining the role of research in health and social care, giving an overview of the research process and presenting a range of approaches both quantitative and qualitative. There is an emphasis on the development of critical skills and how to implement research findings in practice. Additionally, they cover ethical issues involved in research and the dissemination of evidence gained through research. This completely revised and updated Second Edition is an invaluable introductory text for students and qualified practitioners in the health and social care professions who have no prior training or experience in the area. It includes new material on internet research, and the examples and reading lists have been fully updated.

The best-selling introduction to evidence-based medicine In a clear and engaging style, How to Read a Paper demystifies evidence-based medicine and explains how to critically appraise published research and also put the findings into practice. An ideal introduction to evidence-based medicine, How to Read a Paper explains what to look for in different types of papers and how best to evaluate the literature and then implement the findings in an evidence-based, patient-centred way. Helpful checklist summaries of the key points in each chapter provide a useful framework for applying the principles of evidence-based medicine in everyday practice. This fifth edition has been fully updated with new examples and references to reflect recent developments and current practice. It also includes two new chapters on applying evidence-based medicine with patients and on the common criticisms of evidence-based medicine and responses. How to Read a Paper is a standard text for medical and nursing schools as well as a friendly guide for everyone wanting to teach or learn the basics of evidence-based medicine.

This book presents a logical system of critical appraisal, to allow readers to evaluate studies and to carry out their own studies more effectively. This system emphasizes the central importance of cause and effect relationships. Its great strength is that it is applicable to a wide range of issues, and both to intervention trials and observational studies. This system unifies the often different approaches used in epidemiology, health services research, clinical trials, and evidence-based medicine, starting from a logical consideration of cause and effect. The author's approach to the issues of study design, selection of subjects, bias, confounding, and the place of statistical methods has been praised for its clarity and interest. Systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and the applications of this logic to evidence-based medicine, knowledge-based health care, and health practice and policy are discussed. Current and often controversial examples are used, including screening for prostate cancer, publication bias in psychiatry, public health issues in developing countries, and conflicts between observational studies and randomized trials. Statistical issues are explained clearly without complex mathematics, and the most useful methods are summarized in the appendix. The final chapters give six applications of the critical appraisal of major studies: randomized trials of medical treatment and prevention, a prospective and a retrospective cohort study, a small matched case-control study, and a large case-control study. In these chapters, sections of the original papers are reproduced and the original studies placed in context by a summary of current developments.