Critical Appraisal

Training

The Library and Knowledge Service offers Critical Appraisal sessions tailored to the needs of your department. Training can be from 1 hour to half a day as required and can be delivered virtually or at a location to suit you. 

Topics covered may include: 

• Why we need to critically appraise
• What to look out for in a paper
• Types of bias
• How to identify different study designs
• Strengths and weaknesses of different study designs
• Basic statistics (p-values, confidence intervals)
• Using checklists to appraise a paper

To arrange a training session please complete our Training Request form.

Request Training

If you have any questions about Critical Appraisal contact the library at: library@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk.

​Journal Clubs

Reasons to have a journal club include:

• Keeping abreast of new knowledge
• Promoting awareness of current research findings
• Learning to critique and appraise
• Sharing knowledge and experience
• Helping to put research into practice

We can support your journal club by offering critical appraisal training sessions, advice on how to set up your journal club and assist with facilitation, and access to journal articles and other useful resources.

For more guidance on critical appraisal, research design, statistics, checklists and setting up a journal club, please see our Critical Appraisal Guidance page.

Critical Appraisal Guidance