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Research skills guide_new

Search - finding the evidence

Identify & locate the best available evidence-based research to answer your question

Once the question has been clarified, the next task is to begin to identify & locate the best available evidence-based research to answer your question:

What level of evidence/study type is required?

The type of evidence you require is dependent upon whether your research is primarily qualitative or quantitative in nature, and whether the focus is clinical or non-clinical.

Where to search 

The published journal literature is not the only source that you may need to consult.  Other avenues to consider include statistical sources and the grey literature.

What level of evidence and study type are required?

The level of evidence/ study type you require is dependent upon whether your research is primarily qualitative or quantitative in nature, and whether the focus is clinical or non-clinical.

Quantitative and Clinical Research

Levels of Evidence Research Question & Study Type

Evidence-Based Practice: Study Design.
Medical Center Library and Archives, Duke University
[Web-page] Accessed 2017 Mar 9

Query Type Study Type
Aetiology Cohort study
Diagnosis Prospective, blind comparison
Therapy RCT, cohort, case control, case series
Prognosis Cohort, case control, case series
Harm RCT, cohort, case control, case series
Prevention RCT, prospective

Qualitative and Non-Clinical Research

Levels of evidence Research question & Study type
Qualitative level of evidence pyramid Qualitative Research Study Types

Center for Evidence-Based Management. What are the levels of evidence? [Web page]. Accessed 2016 Aug 15

 

Center for Evidence-Based Management. Which research design for which question? [Web page].Accessed 2016 Aug 15

Useful resources

Where to search 

The published journal literature is not the only source that you may need to consult.  Other avenues to consider include statistical sources and the grey literature.

Some useful resources: