Research literacy
Before you try it: five questions for a treatment headline.
A reading checklist to bring more clarity to your next conversation with a clinician.
Save the original source before saving the shopping link. That creates a little space between an exciting claim and a decision.
Who was actually studied?
Look for the age range, diagnosis, number of participants, and other relevant characteristics. Do not assume a result in one population applies to another.
What changed—and compared with what?
Ask which outcome was measured, whether there was a comparison group, and how long participants were followed. A change in a laboratory measure is a different claim from a meaningful change in everyday functioning.
How much uncertainty remains?
Look for limitations, independent replication, and the full range of results. “Not studied well enough” and “studied and found not to help” are different situations.
What is the actual status?
Write down whether you are reading a study, a company announcement, a regulatory application, an approval, or a product advertisement. Include the country and the date.
What is the safest next conversation?
Bring the source and your questions to an appropriate clinician. Avoid making medication changes or delaying needed care while chasing a claim. This checklist is educational, not a formal evidence-grading method.
Make it your own.
Take one useful piece. You do not need to do all of it.
Explore the research library