Critical appraisal of a research paper

Write down the population, intervention or exposure, comparator and outcome. Then identify the study design. A randomized trial, cohort study and diagnostic study answer different questions and need different appraisal criteria. MedLit separates these fields so you can inspect them before interpreting a result.

A title and citation are not enough for a substantive appraisal. An abstract can describe a result while omitting allocation, missing data and outcome changes. MedLit labels full-text, abstract-only and metadata-only coverage. When a needed passage is unavailable, the defensible judgment is unclear, not a guessed answer.

Open the bias and evidence sections and compare each supporting quotation with the paper. Exact quote matching checks that text was present; it cannot establish that the model interpreted it correctly. Look for limitations in selection, measurement, confounding, attrition and selective reporting that matter for the study design.

An internally credible result may not apply to another population, setting or outcome. Consider effect size, uncertainty and the wider body of evidence. MedLit structures your review and exports it for discussion. It does not replace a systematic review, peer review or clinical judgment.

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