Yes, it is Quantitative No, it is Qualitative What is Qualitative?

Evidence Leveling Navigation Tool – A Guide for Leveling Your Evidence 

Just like a GPS, the tool on the next page will guide you along the superhighway of translational research; it will help you locate your article on the evidence hierarchy and determine its appropriate level of evidence.

As you approach each question (think: possible exit), stop and open the information link beside it. These links provide you with key information to help you decide whether to keep going or to take that exit!

Be sure to keep this navigation tool open on your computer as you will want to access the live hyperlinks along the way.

Here are a few tips to help you achieve success with this tool and with your leveling:

1. Print out all five of your articles—don’t try to read and analyze your articles by reading them online!

2. Focusing on one article at a time, do a first reading of the entire article for information and interest only-don’t try to identify the research — just read it.

3. Then do a 2nd reading – carefully underlining points that you think may be key pieces of information; research/project aim, sample, how they collected their data and how it was analyzed, limitations, and conclusions.

4. Finally, using the navigation tool as a guide, make your decision about the level of evidence. Be sure to stop at each decision point to read the helpful information in the hyperlinks before making your decision to either continue on down the road or take that ‘level exit’.

Remember that we have other great resources to help you with leveling; live cohorts, asynchronous cohort materials, live Q & As, and as always—the Course Mentors!

Good luck on your journey along the translational research highway to evidence based practice!

Is it Research? How Do You Know if It’s Research or Expert Opinion?

Yes No –Choose Expert Opinion (VII)

Is It a Single Study or Some Type of Review? What Do We Mean by a ‘Type of Review?’

Single A Review (Level I or V?) Types of Reviews

Is It Quantitative? What is Quantitative?

Yes, it is Quantitative No, it is Qualitative What is Qualitative? (Level VI)

Is it Some Type of Experimental Study? Experimental or Non-Experimental-THAT is the Question!

Yes No Non-experimental (Level IV)

Are the Three Hallmarks, Randomization of The Sample, A Control Group, And an Intervention Group Present? The Three Hallmarks-What to Look For

Yes No Quasi-experimental (Level III) Knowing Quasi!

RCT, True Experimental (Level II)