How to perform a critically appraised topic: part 1, ask, search, and apply.
OBJECTIVE
This article outlines the first three steps involved in performing a critically appraised topic for studies of diagnostic tests: Ask, formulate a question; Search, search the literature; and Apply, apply a level of evidence to the retrieved literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Critically appraised topics provide a structured approach to formulating a clinical question, effectively searching the literature, assigning a level of evidence to the obtained literature, appraising the literature, and making recommendations for clinical practice.
Department of Radiology, Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, 48109-5302, USA. ainekell@med.umich.edu
Aine Marie
AM
Kelly
Paul
P
Cronin
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D012196:Review Literature as Topic