The Users' Guides to the Medical Literature are a series of reading guides published by The Evidence Based Medicine Working Group in the Journal of the American Medical Association. These guides built upon the foundations developed by the McMaster University Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostastistics.

These Users' Guides can be an invaluable tool in teaching critical appraisal in the setting of Journal Club. The reference for each guide is listed below. Consider requesting these references from your local library and making your own compendium.

1. Guyatt, G. H. and D. Rennie (1993). "Users' guides to the medical literature." Jama 270(17): 2096-7.[PDF]


2. Oxman, A. D., D. L. Sackett, et al. (1993). "Users' guides to the medical literature. I. How to get started. The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 270(17): 2093-5.[PDF]


3. Guyatt, G. H., D. L. Sackett, et al. (1993). "Users' guides to the medical literature. II. How to use an article about therapy or prevention. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 270(21): 2598-601.[PDF]


4. Guyatt, G. H., D. L. Sackett, et al. (1994). "Users' guides to the medical literature. II. How to use an article about therapy or prevention. B. What were the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 271(1): 59-63.[PDF]


5. Jaeschke, R., G. Guyatt, et al. (1994). "Users' guides to the medical literature. III. How to use an article about a diagnostic test. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 271(5): 389-91.[PDF]


6. Jaeschke, R., G. H. Guyatt, et al. (1994). "Users' guides to the medical literature. III. How to use an article about a diagnostic test. B. What are the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 271(9): 703-7.[PDF]


7. Levine, M., S. Walter, et al. (1994). "Users' guides to the medical literature. IV. How to use an article about harm. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 271(20): 1615-9.[PDF]


8. Laupacis, A., G. Wells, et al. (1994). "Users' guides to the medical literature. V. How to use an article about prognosis. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 272(3): 234-7.[PDF]


9. Oxman, A. D., D. J. Cook, et al. (1994). "Users' guides to the medical literature. VI. How to use an overview. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 272(17): 1367-71.[PDF]


10. Richardson, W. S. and A. S. Detsky (1995). "Users' guides to the medical literature. VII. How to use a clinical decision analysis. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 273(16): 1292-5.[PDF]


11. Richardson, W. S. and A. S. Detsky (1995). "Users' guides to the medical literature. VII. How to use a clinical decision analysis. B. What are the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? Evidence Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 273(20): 1610-3.[PDF]


12. Hayward, R. S., M. C. Wilson, et al. (1995). "Users' guides to the medical literature. VIII. How to use clinical practice guidelines. A. Are the recommendations valid? The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 274(7): 570-4.[PDF]


13. Wilson, M. C., R. S. Hayward, et al. (1995). "Users' guides to the Medical Literature. VIII. How to use clinical practice guidelines. B. what are the recommendations and will they help you in caring for your patients? The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 274(20): 1630-2.[PDF]


14. Guyatt, G. H., D. L. Sackett, et al. (1995). "Users' guides to the medical literature. IX. A method for grading health care recommendations. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 274(22): 1800-4.[PDF]


15. Naylor, C. D. and G. H. Guyatt (1996). "Users' guides to the medical literature. X. How to use an article reporting variations in the outcomes of health services. The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 275(7): 554-8.[PDF]


16. Naylor, C. D. and G. H. Guyatt (1996). "Users' guides to the medical literature. XI. How to use an article about a clinical utilization review. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 275(18): 1435-9.[PDF]


17. Guyatt, G. H., C. D. Naylor, et al. (1997). "Users' guides to the medical literature. XII. How to use articles about health-related quality of life. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 277(15): 1232-7.[PDF]


18. Drummond, M. F., W. S. Richardson, et al. (1997). "Users' guides to the medical literature. XIII. How to use an article on economic analysis of clinical practice. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 277(19): 1552-7.[PDF]


19. O'Brien, B. J., D. Heyland, et al. (1997). "Users' guides to the medical literature. XIII. How to use an article on economic analysis of clinical practice. B. What are the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 277(22): 1802-6.[PDF]


20. Dans, A. L., L. F. Dans, et al. (1998). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XIV. How to decide on the applicability of clinical trial results to your patient. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 279(7): 545-9.[PDF]


21. Richardson, W. S., M. C. Wilson, et al. (1999). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XV. How to use an article about disease probability for differential diagnosis. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 281(13): 1214-9.[PDF]


22. Guyatt, G. H., J. Sinclair, et al. (1999). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XVI. How to use a treatment recommendation. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group and the Cochrane Applicability Methods Working Group." Jama 281(19): 1836-43.[PDF]


23. Barratt, A., L. Irwig, et al. (1999). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XVII. How to use guidelines and recommendations about screening. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 281(21): 2029-34.[PDF]


24. Randolph, A. G., R. B. Haynes, et al. (1999). "Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: XVIII. How to use an article evaluating the clinical impact of a computer-based clinical decision support system." Jama 282(1): 67-74.[PDF]


25. Bucher, H. C., G. H. Guyatt, et al. (1999). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XIX. Applying clinical trial results. A. How to use an article measuring the effect of an intervention on surrogate end points. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 282(8): 771-8.[PDF]


26. McAlister, F. A., A. Laupacis, et al. (1999). "Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: XIX. Applying clinical trial results B. Guidelines for determining whether a drug is exerting (more than) a class effect." Jama 282(14): 1371-7.[PDF]


27. McAlister, F. A., S. E. Straus, et al. (2000). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XX. Integrating research evidence with the care of the individual patient. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 283(21): 2829-36.[PDF]


28. Hunt, D. L., R. Jaeschke, et al. (2000). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XXI. Using electronic health information resources in evidence-based practice. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 283(14): 1875-9.[PDF]


29. McGinn, T. G., G. H. Guyatt, et al. (2000). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XXII: how to use articles about clinical decision rules. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 284(1): 79-84.[PDF]


30. Giacomini, M. K. and D. J. Cook (2000). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 284(3): 357-62.[PDF]


31. Giacomini, M. K. and D. J. Cook (2000). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care B. What are the results and how do they help me care for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 284(4): 478-82.[PDF]


32. Richardson, W. S., M. C. Wilson, et al. (2000). "Users' guides to the medical literature: XXIV. How to use an article on the clinical manifestations of disease. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 284(7): 869-75.[PDF]


33. Guyatt, G. H., R. B. Haynes, et al. (2000). "Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: XXV. Evidence-based medicine: principles for applying the Users' Guides to patient care. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group." Jama 284(10): 1290-6.[PDF]