Evidence rating

To help teachers identify evidence-based resources, we will give each resource on IN-hub a rating out of 5 stars for the strength of the evidence behind them.

To give each resource a rating, we need a standard scale and checklist to compare each resource to. We have adapted an existing tool so that it is more applicable to school-based resources. The original tool is called the THEARI, and you can find out about it in detail by clicking here.

Our adapted scale gives each resource an evidence rating from one to five stars, and describes how robust the evidence is.

The higher the evidence rating is for a resource, the more confident we can be that using the resource leads to the desired outcome and the bigger the scale at which these results have been demonstrated.

Levels of evidence

NE	No evidence	There are no published/peer-reviewed* studies evaluating the resource
	Theoretical	Correct application of theory explains how the resource may elicit the desired outcome
	Empirical	Observational/phenomenological data explains how concepts elicit the desired outcome, without implementation of the resource. Generally, early evidence collected during the design and developmental phases will be rated as Empirical
	Applicable	Reasonably powered trials show that resource implementation elicits the desired outcome. Studies are controlled appropriately where possible.
	Replicable	Multiple (at least 2) reasonably powered trials show that resource implementation elicits the desired outcome with consistent results. May only be demonstrated in one setting or context.
	Impact	Multiple (at least 2) reasonably powered trials show that resource implementation elicits the desired outcome with consistent results and at least 1 study implements the resource in a real-world setting. The resource will have been successfully applied at scale, ideally in multiple settings.
NPE	No positive effect	Resources will fulfil criteria for an Applicable rating, but results fail to show consistent benefits in line with the desired outcome