Journal Club Appraisal Tools
Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tools are are variety of appraisal method tools that enable you to assess the methodological quality of an article. These tools offer a number of questions that deal broadly with some of the principles or assumptions that characterise qualitative research. To interpret the CAHE Journal Critically Appraised Paper summaries you will require the appropriate CASP tool indicated in the Critically Appraised Paper (CAP) summary. The CASP used tools are:
CASP RCT tool (Randomised Controlled Trial): A Randomised Controlled Trial is a scientific study where participants are randomised in to a treatment or control group to test the efficacy of the treatment in question.
CASP SR tool (Systematic Review): A Systematic Review is a structured collation and summation of all of the available evidence pertaining to a specific topic.
CASP Cohort tool: A Cohort study tracks a group of people (cohort) over time to determine items such as risk factors for disease/condition and/or effects of treatment on that condition.
CASP Case Control tool: A Case Control Tool compares intervention effects or outcomes in a group of patients with a specific condition against a matched group of control subjects (without condition).
CASP Qualitative Tool: A Qualitative Tool appraises qualitative studies which report findings narratively rather than by statistical or numerical data.
The four CASP tools as are provided courtesy of Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust 2002. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust. If permission is given, then copies must include this statement together with the words Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust 2002. However, NHS organisations may reproduce or use the publication for non-commercial educational purposes provided the source is acknowledged.