Scientific Article Structure Flashcards
1
Q
Article Sections
A
- Title Page
- Abstract
- Introduction, Background, Literature Review
- Methods/Materials
- Results
- Discussion/conclusions
- References
- Appendices
2
Q
Title Page
A
- 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
3
Q
Abstract
A
- 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**
4
Q
Structured Abstract
A
-Introduction
-Study Design: Data source, setting, patients/participants, interventions, measurements, statistics/data synthesis
^ Methods ^
-Results
-Conclusions
5
Q
Intro/Background/Lit. Review
A
- 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
6
Q
Study Objectives
A
- Objectives = hypothesis (research question(s))
- Informally stated hypothesis
- Multiple objectives in each study usually
- Drive the whole study, its design, reporting
7
Q
Methods
A
- Suitable trial design
- Appropriate control groups (none? CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSALITY)
- Is patient assignment to treatment/control random
- Blinding adequately accomplished
8
Q
Subject/Research Setting
A
- Patients selected and enrolled appropriately
- Inclusion/exclusion criteria appropriate, clear, complete
- Representative samples
- Is the drug therapy similar to clinical use regimens?
9
Q
Variable and Measures
A
- 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
10
Q
Statistics and Misc
A
- Stat Analysis
- Descriptive statistic
- Inferential statistic
- Expected effect size/difference between groups
- Acceptable error (p < 0.05 or Power 80%)
- Protection of human subjects
11
Q
Protocol/Data Management
A
- Protocol derivatives
- Managed deviations properly
- Missing data/withdrawals analyzed and accounted for
- Reproducable
12
Q
Tables and Figures
A
- Table 1: usually comparisons
- Sample vs population estimates, comparison groups before study
- Ensuring the tables/figures fit the author’s interpretation
13
Q
Presenting Data
A
- Each hypothesis represented in narrative
- Narrative should not duplicate table and vice versa
- Tables/figures accurately constructed
14
Q
Discussion
A
- 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
15
Q
Conclusions
A
- 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
