How can I critically evaluate a study?

To critically evaluate a study at A-level, I recommend following the ‘GRAVE’ method: Generalisability - how generalisable is the sample to the wider population? Is the sample size large or small? Does it only consist of one gender, age range or ethnicity? Reliability - does the study follow a clear, standardised procedure? Can it be replicated? If it has been replicated by others, were the same results found? Applicability - how can the results and conclusions of this study be applied to society? Can it help society and our understanding in some way? (This point is key for higher level answers). Validity - does the experiment test what it set out to test (experimental validity)? Are confounding variables controlled for? Is the context (i.e location/environment) of the study representative of everyday life (ecological validity)? Ethics - does the study follow ethical guidelines: informed consent, ability to withdraw, full debrief (etc.)?