Table 3 Comparison of scores obtained from the 'exposed' and 'non-exposed' groups and the percentage of students who achieved a ≥50% pass mark for each K-REC item

1 Research question (PICO)

2

1.5 (0.0)

1.1 (0.6)

0.0001

100

78

0.005

2 Sources of information

2

1.3 (0.3)

1.2 (0.5)

0.2729

100

79

0.006

3 Study design

1

1.0 (0.0)

0.6 (0.5)

< 0.0001

100

55

< 0.0001

4 Search strategy (MeSH)

0.5

0.3 (0.3)

0.3 (0.3)

1

50

50

1.00

5 Search strategy (Boolean)

0.5

0.3 (0.3)

0.2 (0.2)

0.1693

54

38

0.08

6 Critical appraisal

1

0.8 (0.4)

0.1 (0.4)

< 0.0001

79

14

< 0.0001

7 Critical appraisal

2

1.8 (0.4)

0.4 (0.7)

< 0.0001

100

24

< 0.0001

8a Research evidence statistics

1

0.4 (0.5)

0.2 (0.4)

0.0453

42

21

0.018*

8b Research evidence statistics

1

0.4 (0.5)

0.1 (0.3)

0.0003

38

8

< 0.0001

9 Levels of evidence

1

0.7 (0.3)

0.2 (0.3)

< 0.0001

79

26

< 0.0001

Mean total score

12

8.4 (1.4)

(range 6.5 - 11.0)

4.2 (2.0)

(range 1.0 - 11.5)

< 0.0001

100

21

0.005