Racial bias in research impacts a study’s relevancy, validity and reliability, though presently this aspect is not addressed in critical appraisal tools, and consequently appraisers may often not take racial bias into account when assessing a paper’s quality. In response to this, a supplementary tool has been developed, to support appraisers in explicitly addressing racial bias.

Critically appraising for antiracism not only alerts a consumer of limitations in published research, giving them an idea of a study’s strength and methodological robustness, but this process also underlines the importance of diversity from the beginning of the research cycle, and in doing so supports researchers of the future to overcome these limitations.

We who participate in, consume and appraise research have a role to play in its recalibration; to reflect on previous practices and acknowledge where we have been complicit in replicating social inequalities, and actively engage to produce more inclusive research.