EAL Terminology

The following terms are used throughout the EAL:

Conclusion Statement 
A concise statement of the collective research on a given evidence analysis question.

Data Extraction Tool (DET)
A highly structured tool designed to extract data to carry out a more rigorous and in-depth synthesis. This tool is used in new EAL projects and replaces the worksheet template.

Evidence Analysis Question 
Generally formulated using the PICO approach (Population; Intervention; Comparison; Outcome), practice questions reflect the everyday practice dilemmas faced by dietitians.

Evidence-Based Dietetics Practice  
Involves the process of asking questions, systematically finding research evidence, and assessing its validity, applicability and importance to food and nutrition practice decisions; and includes applying relevant evidence in the context of the practice situation and the values of clients, customers and communities to achieve positive outcomes.

Evidence Strength/Grade
The strength of the evidence for the conclusion statement. The EAL uses 1-Good; II-Fair; III-Limited; IV-Expert Opinion; V-Not Assignable. Click for grade descriptions.

Evidence Summary
A systematic, scientifically rigorous approach to summarizing knowledge across a number of research studies, so that the variations in studies and contradictory study results can be understood within a single conclusion; it provides a status of the scientific conclusion. Typically, it includes the type of study, population studies, number of subjects, methods used, main findings and study limitations.

Forest Plot
An essential tool to summarize information on individual studies, give a visual suggestion of the amount of study heterogeneity, and show the estimated common effect, all in one figure.

GRADE Method of Assessment
The GRADE approach (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) is a method of assessing the certainty in evidence (also known as quality of evidence or confidence in effect estimates) and the strength of recommendations in healthcare. It provides a structured and transparent evaluation of the importance of the outcomes of alternative management strategies, acknowledgment of patient and public values and preferences, and comprehensive criteria for downgrading and upgrading certainty in evidence.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
The criteria used in defining the search strategy for filtering the identified research reports. The EAL uses only peer-reviewed research (articles published in a peer-reviewed publication). The exclusion criteria includes the reason for the exclusion of research articles reviewed but excluded.

Overview Table
Table of summarizing results from the research articles used to answer an evidence analysis question. It allows the user to assess the most important findings. Table headings include factors that the work group or the research indicates are important considerations when comparing and synthesizing the research findings.

Quality Criteria Checklists
Checklists of questions to help determine the relevance and validity of primary and review articles. Click to view. 

Risk of Bias Assessment
Risk of bias assessment, sometimes called "quality assessment" or "critical appraisal", helps to establish transparency of evidence synthesis results and findings. A risk of bias assessment is often performed for each study included in a review. 

Scoping Review
A scoping review is a form of knowledge synthesis that addresses an exploratory research question aimed at mapping key concepts, types of evidence, and gaps in research related to a defined area or field by systematically searching, selecting, and synthesizing existing knowledge.

Search Plan Strategy
Plan for identification and inclusion of articles and reports which include specific terms. Both word search and keyword search using MeSH definitions are used. The plan includes databases to search for, like PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, DARE, ERIC, and AHRQ, 

Study Design Table
A table that indicates which questions from the quality criteria checklists are most relevant for different study designs. Click to view. 

Summary of Findings (SoF) Table
A table which presents a summary of the main results of a review, together with an assessment of the quality of the evidence, in a highly standardized format. Each SoF table includes information about one of the review's comparisons.

Systematic Reviews 
A systematic review is a summary of scientific research that uses explicit and reproducible methods to systematically search, critically appraise, and synthesize a specific issue. It synthesizes the results of multiple primary studies related to each other by using strategies that reduce biases and random errors.

Umbrella Review
A review of multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses rather than primary studies, thus offering a comprehensive perspective on a research area. The process uses explicit and systematic methods to search for, and identify, systematic reviews on related research questions in the same topic area.

Worksheet
A template used to collect details from the research articles used by the workgroup to determine the evidence summary and conclusion. Click to view.
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