Checklists for Research Study Appraisals

Vivek GuptaOctober 14, 2021

Understanding how research studies get appraised makes you a better researcher in the sense that you are likely to address all those critical issues when writing up a proposal as well as in the stage of manuscript preparation. Few resources for these checklists are presented below before we dive into some study specific guidances

The EQUATOR Network – Visit
Critical Appraisals Skills Programme (CASP) – Visit

Cross-Sectional Studies

STROBE Guidelines checklist for Surveys is widely accepted: Visit

STROBE_checklist_cross-sectional Download

The points addressed in the checklist include

Heading	Sr.	Hint
TITLE AND ABSTRACT	1	(a) Indicate the study’s design with a commonly used term in the title or the abstract
		(b) Provide in the abstract an informative and balanced summary of what was done and what was found
INTRODUCTION
Background / Rationale	2	Explain the scientific background and rationale for the investigation being reported
Objectives	3	State specific objectives, including any prespecified hypotheses
METHODS
Study design	4	Present key elements of study design early in the paper
Setting	5	Describe the setting, locations, and relevant dates, including periods of recruitment, exposure, follow-up, and data collection
Participants	6	(a) Give the eligibility criteria, and the sources and methods of selection of participants
Variables	7	Clearly define all outcomes, exposures, predictors, potential confounders, and effect modifiers. Give diagnostic criteria, if applicable
Data sources/ measurement	8*	For each variable of interest, give sources of data and details of methods of assessment (measurement). Describe comparability of assessment methods if there is more than one group
Bias	9	Describe any efforts to address potential sources of bias
Study size	10	Explain how the study size was arrived at
Quantitative variables	11	Explain how quantitative variables were handled in the analyses. If applicable, describe which groupings were chosen and why
Statistical methods	12	(a) Describe all statistical methods, including those used to control for confounding
		(b) Describe any methods used to examine subgroups and interactions
		(c) Explain how missing data were addressed
		(d) If applicable, describe analytical methods taking account of sampling strategy
		(e) Describe any sensitivity analyses
RESULTS
Participants	13*	(a) Report numbers of individuals at each stage of study—eg numbers potentially eligible, examined for eligibility, confirmed eligible, included in the study, completing follow-up, and analysed
		(b) Give reasons for non-participation at each stage
		(c) Consider use of a flow diagram
Descriptive data	14*	(a) Give characteristics of study participants (eg demographic, clinical, social) and information on exposures and potential confounders
		(b) Indicate number of participants with missing data for each variable of interest
Outcome data	15*	Report numbers of outcome events or summary measures
Main results	16	(a) Give unadjusted estimates and, if applicable, confounder-adjusted estimates and their precision (eg, 95% confidence interval). Make clear which confounders were adjusted for and why they were included
		(b) Report category boundaries when continuous variables were categorized
		(c) If relevant, consider translating estimates of relative risk into absolute risk for a meaningful time period
Other analyses	17	Report other analyses done—eg analyses of subgroups and interactions, and sensitivity analyses
DISCUSSION
Key results	18	Summarise key results with reference to study objectives
Limitations	19	Discuss limitations of the study, taking into account sources of potential bias or imprecision. Discuss both direction and magnitude of any potential bias
Interpretation	20	Give a cautious overall interpretation of results considering objectives, limitations, multiplicity of analyses, results from similar studies, and other relevant evidence
Generalisability	21	Discuss the generalisability (external validity) of the study results
OTHER INFORMATION
Funding	22	Give the source of funding and the role of the funders for the present study and, if applicable, for the original study on which the present article is based

Appraisal of Systematic Reviews

This checklist is based on the 2005 article by Akobeng. The CASP checklist is quite similar.

Sr.	Question	Hint
1	Clearly focused question?	Population, Intervention, Comparators, Outcomes [PICO]
2	Right type of studies included ?	Cross-sectional / Case-Control / Cohort / RCTs / Economic etc
3	Attempted to identify all relevant studies? Publication bias	Databases, LanguagesSearch Strategy, Unpublished literature
4	Quality of all the studies included was assessed ?	Independent review by 2 reviewers
5	If done: was it reasonable to do meta -analysis / research synthesis ?	Heterogeneity analysis and Explanations
6	6a. Presentation of results presented	Measure of effect used
	6b. What are the main results?	Key outcome
7	Precision of the results	95% / 90% CIs
8	Results applicable to your local population?	similarity of study population to your population, benefit v harm, patients preferences, availability, and costs
9	Were all important outcomes considered?	Possible alternative outcomes that may be relevant
10	Likely influence on practice or policy based on results of the review?