NOTE: A complete questionnaire covering the criteria was available from Dr. Oxman in 1991.
Criteria: 10 items pertaining to search, inclusion criteria, bias, validity and other factors
Different point scales can be used for the responses, such as:
(1) 2 point scale (yes or no)
(2) 5 point scale (excellent, good, fair, poor, none)
(3) 7 point scale
Scales with more than 7 points probably do not offer any benefit.
total score =
= SUM(points for all 10 criteria)
Limitations:
• The goal of the evaluation is determining how well an overview approximates truth. Since truth may be uncertain, the ability to compare an instrument versus a gold standard (criterion validity) may be limited.
• Factors affecting scientific quality such as the quality of the presentation or importance of the subject are not addressed.
