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What Kind of Article Is This?: Levels of Evidence

I found it in a database, but I don't know if it fits my assignment requirement. What is this?

Levels of Evidence

What type of article provides the strongest evidence?

Look at the pyramid below.  The evidence provided in an article becomes stronger the higher up it falls on the pyramid.

Levels of Evidence

Levels of Evidence

When conducting medical research:

  • Consider the level of evidence your source provides, even if it is peer-reviewed.
  • Start at the top of the pyramid for the most reliable evidence.
  • Remember: some questions may not have top-level research yet.
  • Definitions of these articles types can be found here.Pyramid diagram that shows the level of evidence provided by different source types

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