Evidence-based practice involves providing the highest quality patient care by reviewing and assessing the scholarly research literature in nursing - not by relying on newspapers, magazines, opinions from colleagues, or personal beliefs. 

Scholarly research allows new discoveries and knowledge to be communicated to health care professionals; therefore, scholarly information can improve patient care and improve nursing practice.  

Try to think of scholarly Information in two ways:

• Primary (unfiltered) sources: include original research studies, randomized controlled trials, and case-control studies.  These studies have not undergone additional analysis and review beyond that of the peer review process.  
• Secondary (filtered) sources: include sources that evaluate and analyze existing research and often provide recommendations for practice.  Systematic reviews, critically-appraised topics, and meta-analyses are considered filtered information.

To find scholarly sources that support your topics, you need to use a database like CINAHL - do not rely on more commons options like Wikipedia, magazines, newspapers, or a basic Google search.

CINAHL has many related search features like randomized control trial, clinical trials, and meta-analysis, but you should be cautious in using these limits too quickly.  First, start with a very broad search, evaluate the results, then consider using some of the specific search features in order to find a more focused set of research articles.

As always, pay attention to the requirements outlined by your instructor which might require very specific articles such as "limited by date" or "first author is a nurse."

• Research Articles
• Prospective studies - is a type of longitudinal study where researchers will follow and observe a group of subjects over a period of time to gather information and record the development of outcomes.
• Cohort study - identifies two groups (cohorts) of patients, one which did receive the exposure of interest, and one which did not, and following these cohorts forward to the outcome of interest
• Survey research - involves collecting information about a group of people by asking them questions and analyzing the results
• Case control study - is a research design process where individuals with a particular condition/disease (case group) are selected for comparison against individuals who do not have the condition or disease (control group)
• Clinical trials - controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutic agent (such as a drug or vaccine) using consenting human subjects 
• Randomized controlled trials/RCTs - An experiment where individuals are randomly assigned to an experimental or control group to test the value or efficiency of a treatment or intervention

• Review articles
• Systematic reviews - are articles in which the authors have systematically searched for and summarized all of the medical literature for a specific topic
• Meta-analysis - is a systematic review that uses quantitative methods to summarize the results
• Critically appraised topic -  provides a quick assessment of what is known (and not known) in the scholarly literature about an intervention or issue by using a systematic methodology to search and appraise primary studies
• Clinical practice guidelines - are systematically developed statements to assist healthcare practitioners and patients in making informed  decisions about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical situations
• Clinical care note - also known as a medical note, is a written record that documents a patient’s health history, physical examination, diagnosis, treatment plan, progress, and outcomes
• Patient education information - is a planned learning process designed to support and enable patients to manage their life with a disease or medical condition

• Background Information/Expert Opinion - Handbooks, encyclopedias, and textbooks often provide a good introduction to a topic, but often provides very brief or generalized information.