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Research and evidence-based practice items test your ability to evaluate study quality, apply the EBP triangle, and interpret basic statistics. Expect 5-8 items.
EBP integrates the best available external evidence, clinician expertise, and client values and preferences. Praxis items commonly present a scenario in which strong research supports a treatment the family cannot implement or does not want, and the scored answer preserves all three inputs — usually by discussing options and adapting the plan rather than by deferring entirely to the literature or entirely to preference.
The evidence hierarchy for treatment questions runs, from strongest to weakest, systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, then individual RCTs, then nonrandomized controlled and cohort studies, then case-control studies, then single-subject designs and case studies, then expert opinion. Single-subject designs deserve respect rather than dismissal: in a low-incidence population they may be the strongest evidence that exists.
An ABA withdrawal design establishes a baseline, applies treatment, then withdraws it to see whether performance returns to baseline; it is not appropriate when the skill should not be lost, which is most speech-language targets. A multiple baseline design staggers the start of treatment across behaviors, settings, or participants and demonstrates control without withdrawal, which is why it is the design most often described as appropriate in Praxis stems.
An alternating treatments design compares two interventions rapidly within the same participant and is used when you need to determine which of two approaches works better for a specific client. A changing criterion design raises the performance requirement in steps and suits shaping tasks such as increasing fluent utterance length or vocal loudness.
Statistical significance, typically p less than .05, indicates that a result is unlikely under the null hypothesis. It says nothing about how large the effect is or whether it matters clinically. Effect size does that: Cohen's d values near 0.2 are small, 0.5 medium, and 0.8 large. A large study can produce a significant result with a trivially small effect, and this contrast is a recurring item design.
Also know the difference between internal and external validity. Internal validity is confidence that the treatment caused the change, threatened by maturation, history, and testing effects. External validity is generalizability to other clients and settings, threatened by narrow inclusion criteria and highly controlled conditions. Tightly controlled efficacy studies buy internal validity at the cost of external validity, which is exactly why effectiveness studies in real clinical settings matter.
Try answering before revealing the rationale — mark misses to retry later.
Q1.According to the EBP triangle, an SLP choosing a treatment approach must integrate:
Correct: B. Evidence-based practice integrates three sources: best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and client/family values and preferences. All three must be considered.
Q2.Which study design provides the HIGHEST level of evidence?
Correct: D. A systematic review of RCTs sits at the top of the evidence hierarchy because it aggregates and critically appraises multiple RCTs, reducing single-study bias.
Q3.A speech assessment yields consistent scores when re-administered one week later. This describes:
Correct: B. Test-retest reliability is the consistency of scores across repeated administrations of the same test. Validity describes what the test measures, not consistency.
Praxis Path unlocks a full question bank + 132-question timed mock exam and spaced-repetition flashcards.
Do I need to know statistics for the Praxis?
Basics only — effect size direction, p-value meaning, and reliability vs validity. No formulas required.
Is a case study ever useful evidence?
Yes for rare conditions or emerging interventions, but it sits low on the evidence hierarchy and cannot alone justify practice change.
What is Cohen's d?
A standardized effect size measure: 0.2 = small, 0.5 = medium, 0.8 = large.