# Critical appraisal: methods, evidence and applicability

Decision workbook and teaching example · 2026-10-06

The completed case is fictional. Its values and decisions are not actual findings; complete your project using relevant permissions, methods and requirements.

- Project: ____________________
- Researcher and role: ____________________
- Date and version: ____________________
- Data seen before the decision: ____________________
- Aim and scope: ____________________

## Completed example

| Stage/decision | Example | Check or action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Question | An assessable claim | Can the design answer it? |
| Sample | Origin and selection | Are generality limits explicit? |
| Measure | Definition and quality evidence | Is likely error assessed? |
| Analysis | Missingness, confounding and intervals | Are assumptions defensible? |
| Conclusion | Strengths, gaps and claim consequences | Is judgment tied to evidence? |

## Complete your own record

| Topic | Actual decision and reason | Evidence link and status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Question | __________ | __________ |
| Sample | __________ | __________ |
| Measure | __________ | __________ |
| Analysis | __________ | __________ |
| Conclusion | __________ | __________ |

## Completion checks

- [ ] Create an evidence/judgment/consequence table.

## Changes and limitations

| Date | Change | Data known at decision time | Reason | Consequence for claim | Reviewer |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ |

## Sources and further reading

- [CASP — Critical appraisal checklists](https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/)
- [EQUATOR Network — Reporting guidelines](https://www.equator-network.org/)
- [Think. Check. Submit. — Journal checklist](https://thinkchecksubmit.org/journals/)

Related guide: https://didgar-research-site1.vercel.app/en/guides/critical-appraisal/