The Pyramid of Evidence
The final piece of finding articles for your literature review is to identify the correct type of article or evidence. Something that is important to understand is that different study types provide stronger or weaker levels of evidence. To understand this concept, we can use the pyramid of evidence. As you travel higher up the pyramid, the evidence that is concluded from the study gets stronger.
Study designs such as systematic reviews summarize the entire literature around specific research rather than performing an experiment or study. These are considered secondary studies.
For your assignment in this course, you will be asked to identify Primary Studies. The image will help you to understand the difference. It is also important to note that just because a study is a systematic review, does not mean that it is free from bias or high quality information. Evaluation is key.
Evaluation Strategies
Questions to ask:
- Who is the author and what are their credentials in this area?
- Does the author cite their sources?
- When was the study published and who was it published by?
- Is this study peer-reviewed?
- Are the facts presented in the study accurate?
- Do the author(s) clearly explain their methods?
Learning how to evaluate a scholarly work in your field takes time, but in general, a reputable source will be transparent in its methodologies, cite factual information, and clearly state any potential biases and inconclusive evidence. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you are unsure!
