Formulate a Question > Find the Evidence > Appraise the Evidence > Apply the Evidence > Evaluate the Results > Disseminate the Research

Okay, so you have formulated your well-built question, and found and appraised some evidence. How do you determine if the research is applicable to your particular situation?

Applicability: "whether a study is generalizable or relevant to your situation" (Koufogainnakis and Crumley, "Applying Evidence to your Everyday Practice." in Booth and Brice, 2004 book. 120)

The evidence will usually be one of three things:

1. directly applicable

2. needs to be locally validated (i.e. replicate the study at the local level)

3. improves your understanding of the situation

So, returning to our example of the after-school homework help programs, suppose you are taking a look at a the recent systematic review on the impacts of such programs in schools by Zeif et. al (Zeif, 2006). You might want to verify that the types of intervention in the studies reviewed were similar to the one you are planning and have similar settings and subjects. If these are substantially different, you might wish to continue searching the research base, and, if nothing 100% applicable emerged, to validate the findings at the local level.

Variables to consider when determining applicability (Koufogiannakis and Crumley, 121-123):

• User group: Does the user group in the study compare to your user group?
• Time lines: Is the research current enough to mesh with your situation? I.e. technology research should be the most current possible, while research on collections can be somewhat older.
• Cost: Is it fiscally feasible to apply the evidence in your current environment?
• Politics: Is there resistance to change? Will the new concept be accepted? Will an adversarial relationship be created?
• Severity: How critical is it that a solution to your situation be found, and quickly?

Koufogiannakis and Crumley assert that the "most common way that librarians apply evidence is through an improved understanding of the issues" and that "keeping up with the research literature allows [librarians] to see the bigger picture" (125). There is no pressure to start actively apply evidence left and right. Even something as simple as keeping up with issues in particular areas is a part of practicing evidence-based librarianship.