This quick-reference guide from Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) West is designed to help school staff, district staff, and state education agencies understand the basic elements of high-quality research and identify evidence-based interventions that meet their needs. The guide focuses on four main areas related to a research study—study source, study design, study findings, and study relevance—that practitioners should consider when reviewing an individual study that tests the effectiveness of an intervention. Within each area, the guide provides the elements to look for in a study, questions to ask about each element, and why it is important to consider each element.