How to review a scientific manuscript

Abstract

Critical appraisal is a systematic process used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a research article. The process enables the reader to determine the study's validity. It is important to keep a degree of skepticism when reading an article. Reasonable skepticism means being open-minded and willing to be convinced but only if authors can adequately back up their claims. The critical reader is not put off by the limitations of a study but will expect authors to interpret their results in a way that takes account of the limitations.