Critically Appraised Paper (CAP) Guidelines

Critically Appraised Paper (CAP) Guidelines
THERAPY: Hand et al, 20091

This document is a manuscript guideline for writing the Critically Appraised Topic for “A comparison of whole-body vibration and
resistance training on total work in the rotator cuff” by Hand et al (2009).
To use this document:
These instructions are a structured, step-by-step guide to completing CAP 1.
Manuscript format:
Single-spaced, left-justified, 10 to 12 point font (same font size throughout document), in TNR or Arial/Helvetica. No other
formatting is needed (e.g., centered headers, drop case for the first letter of a paragraph),
For more information on critical appraisal of a therapeutic intervention article, see the CAP – Therapy Guidelines for Authors
document.
All submitted CAP manuscripts should include all sections as detailed below. Further, beyond just reporting the information from
the reference study, a critique of the methods and results of the reference study is required. CAP manuscripts that fail to include
critical appraisal and the potential for incorporation into clinical decision-making, will be rejected.
TITLE
The title should capture the central concept(s) of the CAP. It should not just be the article title of the study that is being critiqued.
Good titles are directional. This means that they tell the direction of the main result of the CAP (not what the author says).
Example of a non-directional title vs. directional title:
NON DIRECTIONAL TITLE: The Effects of a Supervised Pelvic Floor Training Program on the Prevalence of Postpartum
Diastasis Recti Abdominis: A Critically Appraised Paper.
DIRECTIONAL: A Supervised Pelvic Floor Training Program Has Minimal Effect on the Prevalence of Postpartum Diastasis
Recti Abdominis: A Critically Appraised Paper
Please include “[TITLE]: A Critically Appraised Paper” as part of the title
REFERENCE
Provide the complete citation of the reference study in AMA or APA format
FOCUSED CLINICAL/PROFESSIONAL QUESTION
Enter a focused, answerable clinical foreground question using the PICO formula. This 3 or 4-part Clinical Question using the
Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) format should be generated based on the content of the reference paper: