Research
How to Review and Critically Evaluate a Scientific Research Article
South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care- Research Mentorship
“The more you read the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”
The first step in becoming involved in clinical research is learning how to read and evaluate research articles. We all know that our profession is facing imminent changes. Technology is progressing more rapidly than ever, patient management and treatment intervention is becoming more complex, and the ability to provide the best care possible depends largely on the ability to understand and implement the information garnered from high quality scientific research.
The following is an (edited), comprehensive checklist featured in an AARC article on facilitating research, by Dean Hess. The commentary is entirely mine, so please don’t blame him for that.
Journal
Why are you looking at this journal?
Is it reputable?
Is it peer-reviewed?
What is the impact factor of this journal?