1. What question did the study ask? Patients Intervention – Comparison – Outcome(s) 2. Was the assignment of patients to treatments randomized? How does randomization affect bias in this study? 3. Were the groups similar/equivalent at the start of the trial? How does similarity of groups affect bias in this study? 4. Aside from the allocated treatment were the groups treated equally? How does this approach affect bias in this study? 5. Were all subjects enrolled in the trial accounted for in considering the sample and data analysis? Were they analyzed in the groups to which they were randomized? How does the presence or absence of these strategies affect bias in this study? 6. To what extent was blinding used in the study? How does the presence or absence of blinding affect bias in this study? 7. Critique the reliability and validity reporting for the instruments used in the study. Discuss how the data analysis was appropriate to report the strength of findings for an RCT. Critical Appraisal Related to External Validity: 1. What is the overall strength, quality, and consistency of the evidence provided by the findings of this study? Does the SQC of evidence justify applicability of the findings to practice?
