Mini course · Intermediate level
Critical Appraisal of a Research Paper
Judge whether a study is trustworthy, and whether its results apply to your patients.
What is Critical Appraisal of a Research Paper?
Not every published study is reliable or relevant. Critical appraisal is the systematic process of judging a study's validity, results and applicability before using it in practice. This course teaches a structured approach to appraising randomised controlled trials, cohort and case-control studies, systematic reviews and clinical guidelines, recognising common sources of bias, and using established appraisal checklists.
- Duration
- 1.5 hours
- Lessons
- 5
- Level
- Intermediate
- Format
- Online, self-paced
What you'll be able to do
- Identify the study design of a described research paper
- Assess the risk of bias in a randomised controlled trial
- Appraise an observational study for confounding and selection bias
- Evaluate the quality of a systematic review
- Judge whether a clinical guideline is trustworthy
- Decide whether study results apply to a described patient group
Who this course is for
Course content
5 lessons · 1.5 hours total · free preview available
1Why Appraise
16 minFree preview· Course content
Why Appraise
Validity, results and relevance.
2Appraising Trials
20 min· Course content
Appraising Trials
Available after you enroll.
3Appraising Observational Studies
18 min· Course content
Appraising Observational Studies
Available after you enroll.
4Appraising Reviews and Guidelines
20 min· Course content
Appraising Reviews and Guidelines
Available after you enroll.
5From Appraisal to Practice
16 min· Course content
From Appraisal to Practice
Available after you enroll.
Earn a credential employers can check
Every AIHCM credential has a unique ID that anyone can verify online in seconds.
Issued: on completion
How it works
- Finish all 5 lessons at your own pace.
- Get your digital credential with a unique ID.
- Share it — employers can verify it at aihcm.us.
Questions people ask
Do I need to understand statistics first?
Basic understanding helps. Biostatistics Without Fear is a good preparation.
Which checklists are used?
The course draws on widely used appraisal frameworks and provides its own practical checklists.
Is it useful for journal clubs?
Yes. A journal club template is included.
What should I take next?
Research Methods for Clinicians or Systematic Reviews Explained.