Athletic Training

Welcome! This guide is designed to help you learn how to use K-State Libraries' many resources to complete your athletic training assignments.

Library Research Guide

Definition

Evidence-based practice (EBP) can be defined using different words and descriptions, but all definitions include these 3 basic parts: best available evidence, the professional's clinical expertise, and the patient's circumstances and values.

                                     3 parts of EBP

 

The EBP cycle starts with a patient condition, and then moves through 5 steps to aid in the decision making process to provide the best medical care for the patient.

  1. Ask a well-built clinical question
  2. Acquire the best evidence 
  3. Appraise the evidence
  4. Apply the results to the patient  
  5. Evaluate the application to the patient

                                  EBP Cycle

Levels of Evidence

An important part of EBP deals with the level of evidence. The types of study methods at the top of the pyramid use a stronger methodology and as a result are considered to have a higher level of evidence than those studies listed in the lower levels. A pyramid is used to demonstrate the quantity of each type of methodology; fewer studies using methodologies at the top and more studies (like animal research) at the bottom.

                              EBP Pyramid

For the research you are doing in Althletic Training, always strive to find articles from the RCT section and above.