Critical appraisal is a systematic process used to identify the strengths
and weaknesses of a research article in order to assess the usefulness and
validity of research findings. The most important components of a critical
appraisal are an evaluation of the appropriateness of the study design for
the research question and a careful assessment of the key methodological
features of this design. Other factors that also should be considered
include the suitability of the statistical methods used and their subsequent
interpretation, potential conflicts of interest and the relevance of the
research to one’s own practice.