How to read and write a scientific paper

Dr Laurie Sullivan 2013 [email protected]

How To Read And Write A Scientific

PaperDr Laurence Sullivan MB BS FRANZCO

MelbourneAustralia


Lifelong learning and development. Evidence to support or modify current

practice New techniques / drugs / treatments

Why read a scientific paper?


Not a newspaper Not an advertisement Not company-produced marketing material

What is a scientific paper?


Peer reviewed Reliable Truthful

What is a scientific paper?


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


Statistics

P<0.05Means that the chance of the findings not

being due to random variation is 0.95 or 95%

Validity


Bias


Trial design


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


Share new knowledge Qualifications Assess outcomes of current practice Eg

surgical outcomes (easy) or medical interventions (harder – placebo effect)

Why write a scientific paper


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


Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions


Brief (2-3 sentences) description of why the study is needed and its contribution to the field.

Background


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


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


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

How to read and write a scientific paper

Health & Medicine

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