Scientific Article Structure

Question 1

Article Sections

Answer 1

1. Title Page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction, Background, Literature Review
4. Methods/Materials
5. Results
6. Discussion/conclusions
7. References
8. Appendices

Question 2

Title Page

Answer 2

• Concise description of the study
• List primary authors, affiliations, corresponding authors, and contact information
• Keywords for indexing purposes
• Sponsor or supporters (ex: NIH)
• Submitted, accepted, “printed”
• Citation

Question 3

Abstract

Answer 3

• Brief summary of research; rationale, methods, resuls, and conclusions
• May be misleading: limited space/information, author’s bias, focus on results v.s. methods, vague and incomplete results provided
• *DO NOT USE FOR CLINICAL DECISION MAKING**

Question 4

Structured Abstract

Answer 4

-Introduction
-Study Design: Data source, setting, patients/participants, interventions, measurements, statistics/data synthesis
^ Methods ^
-Results
-Conclusions

Question 5

Intro/Background/Lit. Review

Answer 5

• Rationale for conducting the study
• History/relative efficacy of past treatments
• Trials comparing new treatments with standard treatment
• Limits of prior research
• What is NOT known
• How will this cure the limits/lack of knowledge

Question 6

Study Objectives

Answer 6

• Objectives = hypothesis (research question(s))
• Informally stated hypothesis
• Multiple objectives in each study usually
• Drive the whole study, its design, reporting

Question 7

Methods

Answer 7

• Suitable trial design
• Appropriate control groups (none? CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSALITY)
• Is patient assignment to treatment/control random
• Blinding adequately accomplished

Question 8

Subject/Research Setting

Answer 8

• Patients selected and enrolled appropriately
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria appropriate, clear, complete
• Representative samples
• Is the drug therapy similar to clinical use regimens?

Question 9

Variable and Measures

Answer 9

• Data Collection Process: database, clinical observation, interview
• Dependent Measure: clinical outcome (alive/dead/cured)
• Independent measures: drug treatment
• Other measures: known from literature to be associated with the outcome

Question 10

Statistics and Misc

Answer 10

• Stat Analysis
• Descriptive statistic
• Inferential statistic
• Expected effect size/difference between groups
• Acceptable error (p < 0.05 or Power 80%)
• Protection of human subjects

Question 11

Protocol/Data Management

Answer 11

• Protocol derivatives
• Managed deviations properly
• Missing data/withdrawals analyzed and accounted for
• Reproducable

Question 12

Tables and Figures

Answer 12

• Table 1: usually comparisons
• Sample vs population estimates, comparison groups before study
• Ensuring the tables/figures fit the author’s interpretation

Question 13

Presenting Data

Answer 13

• Each hypothesis represented in narrative
• Narrative should not duplicate table and vice versa
• Tables/figures accurately constructed

Question 14

Discussion

Answer 14

• Summary of the results, NOT REPEATING RESULTS
• How does this fit into the previous literature (similar or not)
• Advances literature or other works?
• Study limitations

Question 15

Conclusions

Answer 15

• How to deal with/utilize these findings
• New practice patterns, stop patterns, continue patterns,
• How to extend/advance this study or practices in the next study
• Take-away message = one sentance

Question 16

Interpretation of Data

Answer 16

• Appropriately statistical comparison of groups
• Are the differences reported statistically significant and reported correctly
• Other plausible explanations
• Clinically meaningful?

Question 17

References

Answer 17

• Allows readers to judge the quality of literature review and author’s understanding
• Number of references
• Recent/relevant articles
• Redundant/repetitive
• Retracted articles
• Incorrect or imprecise information
• Quotation errors

Question 18

Appendices

Answer 18

• Important information that people want to know

- Usually too extensive or distracts from the primary points of the research article to include