Which are the four traditional sources of evidence listed for evidence-based practice?

• A. Tradition, experience, research, theory
• B. Tradition, experience, meta-analysis, theory
• C. Tradition, research, practice, theory
• D. Experience, intuition, media reports, theory

Answer: (A)

Evidence-based practice draws on four traditional sources of evidence: tradition, experience, research, and theory. Tradition covers what has long been accepted and passed down in practice, reflecting historical wisdom and established standards. Experience comes from a clinician’s firsthand encounters with patients, capturing tacit knowledge and patterns seen across many cases. Research provides systematically gathered and evaluated data about what works, offering objective support for decisions. Theory gives the underlying ideas and mechanisms that explain why a practice should work and helps apply findings to new situations. Together, these sources form a balanced foundation for clinical decisions, combining time-tested practices, real-world observation, rigorous study, and explanatory frameworks.