We critically appraise the literature in order to:
- Weigh up the evidence for usefulness
- Assess benefits and strengths for research against flaws and weaknesses
- Assess if findings are reliable and useful in our own context for decision-making
Not all studies are trustworthy. In order for your systematic review to represent the best possible evidence, the research team must critically appraise each study thoroughly before it is included. The criteria by which you assess included studies should be clearly outlined in your report/protocol. You should also maintain a record of which studies have been left out, and the grounds for which they were excluded.
