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Athletic Training & Evidence-Based Practice

Online and print library sources for athletic trainers using evidence-based practice

Critically Appraised Topics

6.  INFORM
with CATS

 Communicate what you learned in your evidence-based practice with the greater athletic training and allied health community.

What did you learn in your EBP? How can you communicate your findings with others?

Critically Appraised Topic

Critically appraised topics (CATs) synthesize research about a clinical question in a concise format.  There is no standard format for a CAT in athletic training or other health professions.  Listed below are sections often included in a CAT:

  • Clinical scenario
  • Focused clinical question
  • Key findings
  • Clinical bottom line
  • Search strategy with inclusion criteria
  • Search results
  • Implications for practice and research

For more information, see chapter 12 of Van Lunen, B., Hankemeier, D., & Welch, C. (2015). Evidence-guided practice : a framework for clinical decision making in athletic training. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Incorporated

The links below provide example CAT papers and poster presentations.

CAT Examples

Since CATs for athletic training do not have a standardized format, see the following CAT examples for possible paper and poster formatting.