Post on 22-Aug-2014
description
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
How To Read And Write A Scientific
PaperDr Laurence Sullivan MB BS FRANZCO
MelbourneAustralia
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Lifelong learning and development. Evidence to support or modify current
practice New techniques / drugs / treatments
Why read a scientific paper?
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Not a newspaper Not an advertisement Not company-produced marketing material
What is a scientific paper?
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Peer reviewed Reliable Truthful
What is a scientific paper?
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Title / table of contents◦ Is the title of interest?
Abstract (conclusion)◦ Does this relate to your field?
Methods◦ Are they relevant to your local practice?
How to assess Relevance
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Statistics
P<0.05Means that the chance of the findings not
being due to random variation is 0.95 or 95%
Validity
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Bias
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Trial design
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Randomised◦ Participants are randomly assigned to treatment
and control groups Blinded
◦ Participants and/or testers are unaware of which group they are in
Controlled◦ Groups are matched
demographically – age, sex Co-morbidities
Trial design
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Share new knowledge Qualifications Assess outcomes of current practice Eg
surgical outcomes (easy) or medical interventions (harder – placebo effect)
Why write a scientific paper
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
The abstract is divided into 5 separate sections (ie, structured) in agreement with the presentation of information in the article.
Guides/reflects the structure of the study
Structured Abstract
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Background
Objective
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Brief (2-3 sentences) description of why the study is needed and its contribution to the field.
Background
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Concise (1-2 sentences) statement of the objective or hypothesis to be addressed.
Primary objective identified and stated first, followed by any key secondary objectives.
Objective
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Design: Clear statement of the study's design, including all aspects (eg, parallel group, randomized, blinded). Participants and setting: The most pertinent inclusion
and exclusion criteria, and the setting within which the study was conducted.
Interventions: Complete details on treatment (eg, drug dose, route of administration, and duration of administration) and, if pertinent, control interventions.
Outcome: Primary and secondary outcome measures, identified as such.
Methods
Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 laurence.sullivan@gmail.com
Conclusions (not summary) of the study, based only on the results shown, with balance of benefits and harms. Clinical application of the findings, again
based only on the data obtained (ie, avoid over-generalization) and whether more study is needed before findings should be implemented into clinical practice.
Conclusions