How this step helps: Once you have completed your CASP, JBI, or CEBM checklist, you need to turn your notes into clear sentences for your essay. This step shows you how to write about your critical appraisal in an academic way. The examples below demonstrate how to link checklist questions to your own written analysis.
When you use a critical appraisal tool (such as CASP or JBI), you’ll answer questions about the study’s design, methods, results, and relevance. These examples show how to turn those checklist answers into sentences for your essay.
Here’s how you might write about an RCT using your checklist answers.
Checklist question: Was the treatment assigned randomly and kept hidden from researchers?
“Participants were randomly assigned using a computer-generated sequence, but the method for hiding group allocation was not described, which could lead to selection bias (when group assignment affects results).”
Checklist question: Were participants and researchers unaware of group assignments?
“Blinding was used for both participants and outcome assessors, which helps reduce bias and improve the reliability of the results.”
Checklist question: What were the results, and how precise are they?
“The treatment group showed a 25% improvement (risk ratio = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.60–0.90), which is statistically significant and likely to be meaningful in practice.”
Cohort studies follow people over time. Use your appraisal tool to highlight study strengths or weaknesses.
Checklist question: Were the groups similar at the start?
“The exposed and unexposed groups were similar in age and gender, but differences in smoking status were not reported, which may have influenced the results.”
Checklist question: Was the follow-up long enough and complete?
“Participants were followed for five years with minimal dropouts, which supports the reliability of the outcome data.”
Case–control studies compare people with and without a condition to look for possible causes.
Checklist question: Were cases and controls selected appropriately?
“Cases were drawn from hospital records and controls from the general population, which may introduce selection bias due to differences in healthcare access.”
Checklist question: Was exposure measured accurately?
“Exposure was self-reported, which raises concerns about recall bias, especially for events that occurred years earlier.”
Systematic reviews combine results from multiple studies to summarise the evidence.
Checklist question: Was the search thorough?
“The authors searched five databases and trial registries using detailed strategies, which increases confidence that relevant studies were included.”
Checklist question: Did they assess the quality of included studies?
“The review used the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool to assess study quality, which strengthens the credibility of the findings.”
Checklist question: Were the results consistent across studies?
“The included studies showed similar results, and statistical heterogeneity was low (I² = 15%), suggesting the findings are reliable.”
Qualitative studies explore experiences or meanings. Use your tool to describe how researchers collected and analysed the data.
Checklist question: Was the research method suitable for the topic?
“The study used a phenomenological approach to explore lived experiences, which was appropriate for the research question.”
Checklist question: Was data collected and analysed carefully?
“Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic coding, with clear descriptions of how themes were developed.”
Checklist question: Did the researchers reflect on their own role?
“The authors included a reflexivity statement, which helps readers understand how their perspectives may have influenced the analysis.”
Use one or two sentences like these for each checklist question you discuss in your essay. This shows that you can interpret the checklist, apply it to your article, and write in a clear, academic style.