Systematic Reviews

Standard quality assessment criteria for evaluating primary research papers from a variety of fields.

Prepared by: Kmet, L.M., Lee, R.C. & Cook, L.S.
Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, 2004.

Contents includes: Table 1: Checklist for assessing the quality of quantitative studies Table 2: Checklist for assessing the quality of qualitative studies (QualSyst Tool)

QUADAS - a quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies.

QUADAS is recommended for use in systematic reviews to evaluate the risk of bias and applicability of primary diagnostic accuracy studies

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Training Modules for Systematic Reviews Methods Guide
Workshop presentation that focuses on quality assessment of studies for reviews.

The MMAT is intended to be used as a checklist for concomitantly appraising and/or describing studies included in systematic mixed studies reviews (reviews including original qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies).

For observational studies

The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine in Oxford (UK) provides tools to develop, teach and promote evidence-based health care. Their site provides useful tools and downloads for the critical appraisal of medical evidence. Example appraisal sheets are provided together with several helpful examples.

The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) helps people to find and interpret the best available evidence from health research.

The JBI Rapid Assessment Protocol internet database (JBI RAPid) is an online training resource that provides a framework for critical appraisal of research papers using established data collection tools. RAPid has been designed to assist individual practitioners or students to acquire the skills of posing relevant questions about the feasibility, appropriateness, meaningfulness of an intervention or professional activity. (Requires registration with JBI)

Part 2 - Chapter 8
Assessing Risk of Bias in Included Studies

Assessing the Risk of Bias of Individual Studies in Systematic Reviews of Health Care Interventions

This is a chapter from the methods guide, "Methods Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews."