Impact of a foundation-level msw research course on students' critical appraisal skills

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has increasingly been put forth as a new paradigm of social work practice. One of the critical elements of EBP is the ability of consumers of research to be able to critically appraise research evidence. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the extent to which an introductory MSW research methods course affected student attitudes toward, and aptitude in, using research evidence. The study used a modified version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme instrument developed in the health care profession. Findings indicated that students reported an improvement in subjective attitude toward research. However, there was no significant change in students' ability to critically appraise research evidence.