Finding the evidence
CASPFew (Critical Appraisal Skills: Finding
the Evidence Workshop)
What is it?
A CASPFew is essentially a searching skills workshop that aims to help
participants improve their ability to find evidence systematically about
clinical effectiveness, especially in reviews and other summaries. Finding
the evidence is one of the three essential elements of evidence based
decision making.
What's involved?
Workshop programmes are tailored to meet the needs of their audience.
The following are a list of core elements that can be incorporated into
a workshop programme: -
- introduction
- group work
- feedback sessions
- session on sources of evidence
- session on searching for evidence
- practical session - either on query formulation or searching
- libraries and centres of evidence
- summary and evaluation
Integral components of the workshop include: -
- hands-on most of all and priority given to practice
- help while doing searching
- modelling of practical techniques - "show us how"
- examples of "effective" searches on "owned" problems
- clear, minimal theory, tied to, or arising from, practice
- something to take away (e.g. search results)
Audience
Anyone who wants to gain awareness and to learn practical skills in searching
sources in evidence-based health care. If you've attended a CASP appraisal
workshop, going on a Few is the next natural step.
What will you get out of it?
Objectives
- to be aware of the range and quality of available sources of evidence
about effectiveness, irrespective of format
- to be aware of how searching techniques and search strategies may
affect outcome and to be aware of the problems associated with searching
different sources
- to be aware of the options available to obtain and organise journal
articles and other documents
- to share and learn from the experience of other participants
Resources available
The CASPfew web pages continue to evolve in
order to support further workshop development and implementation. As well
as providing background information and contact details the site contains
a toolkit of programmes, slides, scenarios, exercises and examples for
use in local workshops. In addition there is a sources of evidence and
filters database.
Who to contact for more information?
CASPFew Programme Manager: Claire Spittlehouse, Public Health Resource
Unit
By phone: Tel:
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