SPHHS 681: The MPH Capstone

tips and tools for students enrolled in the online MPH program and working on their capstone

A few words about evaluation

Depending on the type of information you are using, you will want to use different criteria to evaluate it.

The links below focus resources to help evaluate the quality or strength of evidence for a research study.

For tips on evaluating online sources like websites and social media posts, check out the subpage on the left, Tips for Evaluating Online Sources.

Critical Appraisal Tools from JBI
Joanna Briggs Institute at the University of Adelaide provides these checklists to help evaluate different types of publications that could be included in a review.

Study Quality Assessment Tools
from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) Checklists
"Critical Appraisal skills enable you to systematically assess the trustworthiness, relevance and results of published papers. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) has over 28 years of significant and unrivalled expertise in the delivery of training to healthcare professionals."
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Grades
"For 40 years, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force) has improved the health of people nationwide by making evidence-based recommendations on preventive services. Clinicians, healthcare professionals, patients, families, and communities all look to the Task Force to help them know what works and what doesn’t in preventive care."