SPH Clinical Methods II: Evidence-Based Practice

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 228,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students.

ASHA publishes the following journals:

American Journal of Audiology

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology

Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools

For more information about ASHA's publications, click here.

ASHA Evidence Maps are searchable, online research summaries that help you navigate the latest information related to the clinical population you work with. 

Here are some tips to use the evidence maps:

1. Start with the list of Evidence Maps.

Select a map based on the population you’re working with, such as an area of practice or specific communication disorder.

2. Refine your search.

Focus on a specific Practice Area (Assessment, Screening, Service Delivery, or Treatment). You may also be prompted to filter your findings by Client Characteristics, Age, Condition, Special Considerations, Domains of Communication, Setting, or Publication Date Range.

3. Explore different types of evidence.

You can view All Articles, or focus on External Scientific Evidence (systematic reviews or meta-analyses), Clinical Expertise (clinical practice guidelines), or Client Perspectives (input from clients and their families on services).

You may notice that each map has the most articles under the “external scientific evidence” tab, followed by “clinical expertise” — which is a sign that our field could really benefit from amplifying the voices of the students and families we serve.

4. Enter search terms.

If you need to narrow things down further, add keywords to your search, and voila! You’ll have evidence summaries available at your fingertips.

NOTE: while you can access many of the articles through the ASHA website, you should be able to access ALL of them through the library.

Source: SLP Now How to Use ASHA Evidence Maps in your Speech Therapy Continuing Education - SLP Now

Eat, Speak, and Think's tutorial How ASHA’s Evidence Maps Save You Time