How to Read Health Research
Research literacy guides to help you understand study designs, evaluate evidence, and ask better questions. Learn the skills to read health information critically.
Practical Guides
Step-by-step guides for reading and evaluating health research.
How to Read Medical Research
A practical introduction to reading medical studies, understanding structure, and identifying what conclusions you can draw.
How to Understand a Clinical Study
Break down the sections of a clinical study — abstract, methods, results, and discussion — and what to look for in each.
Systematic Review vs Meta-Analysis
Understand the difference between these two common evidence synthesis approaches and why each matters.
Relative Risk vs Absolute Risk
Learn why relative risk numbers can be misleading without absolute context, with worked examples.
How to Prepare Health Questions for Your Doctor
A framework for organizing questions and context before an appointment so the conversation is productive.
How to Evaluate Health Information Online
A checklist for assessing the credibility, sourcing, and motivation behind health content you find online.
How to Read Lab Reference Ranges
Understand how reference ranges are constructed, why they vary, and what they do and do not tell you.
Research Literacy Topics
Core concepts that help you evaluate the strength and meaning of research findings.
Study Designs
Understanding different types of research studies and their strengths.
Randomized Trials
How RCTs work and why they are considered strong evidence.
Observational Studies
Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies explained.
Systematic Reviews
How systematic reviews synthesize evidence from multiple studies.
Meta-analyses
Combining data across studies for stronger conclusions.
Correlation vs Causation
Why correlation does not imply causation.
Relative vs Absolute Risk
Understanding risk reduction numbers in health research.
Statistical vs Clinical Significance
A result can be statistically significant but not clinically meaningful.
Confounding
How hidden variables can distort research findings.
Sample Size
Why sample size matters for reliable conclusions.
Bias
Types of bias that can affect research results.
Surrogate Outcomes
When intermediate measures are used instead of final outcomes.