Research article structure:

Where can reporting guidelines help?

Iveta Simera

The EQUATOR Network workshop

Research article

• Research article is ‘end product’ of one process …

• …and ‘raw material’ of other processes

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Design Conduct Publication

Use in further research

Clinical practice guideline

Systematic reviewPublication

Primary research

Informs health policies and clinical practice

Research article: “fit for purpose”

• Published research article is a permanent record

• Will be used by different users for different purposes which means different needs for reporting– From brief scanning for information – To rigorous scrutiny of methodology and findings for possible comparison across

studies in systematic reviews

• Published article should be fit for these multiple purposes

• New ways of publishing (e.g. online suppl) can aid readability without excluding crucial information

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Typical medical article sections

• Title – attracts readers to the key aspects of the study

• Abstract – summarises the paper and, together with the title, helps reader identify the nature of the

study and briefly summarises what was found

• Introduction – explains why we did the study and what question we asked

• Methods – describes how we did it

• Results – presents what we found

• Discussion – considers what the findings mean

• Conclusions – if present offers a succinct summary of the major findings

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Good research paper

• Is based on carefully designed and well conducted study

• Combines: – Good logical structure

– Complete and accurate description of the key study elements

– Clear and concise writing style

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Good research paper

• Is based on carefully designed and well conducted study

• Combines: – Good logical structure

– Complete and accurate description of the key study elements

– Clear and concise writing style

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Scientific writing guidance

Good research paper

• Is based on carefully designed and well conducted study

• Combines: – Good logical structure

– Complete and accurate description of the key study elements

– Clear and concise writing style

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Reporting guidelines

Scientific writing guidance

Reporting guidelines (RGs)

• Focus on scientific content of the article

• Provide structured advice on what to include in a research report

• Definition:– Specify a minimum set of items required for a clear and

transparent account of what was done and what was found in a research study, reflecting in particular issues that might introduce bias into the research

– Form: often as a checklist (perhaps also a flow diagram)

• Most internationally accepted RGs– Based on evidence– Consensus of relevant stakeholders (multidisciplinary

group)

8Moher et al. PLoS Med 2010

Reporting guidelines database

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Different focus of RG: study design / methodology

• Generally applicable, key methodology features, no details specific to diseases, etc.

• Generic framework for reporting key aspects of:– Main study designs / types (generic guidelines)

• Framework for a complete research paper (examples: CONSORT, STARD, STROBE)

• Framework for only a part of research study / paper (examples: CONSORT for abstracts)

– More specialised designs• Often extending the generic guidelines• Examples: CONSORT for cluster trials

– Specific methods, evaluations, analyses• Generic statistical guidelines• Cost-effectiveness analysis• Quality of life assessment

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Core RG(“Must”)

See your handout: Structure of a medical research paper: key content elements, writing tips, and examples of RG

• Key focus is on discipline / clinical area specific issues – Different ‘degree’ of specificity

• May or may not address general methodology items

• May focus on a complete research study / paper or only on a part

• Examples– RCTs in leukaemia; longitudinal studies in

rheumatology– Economic evaluations in obstetrics

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Different focus of RG: specific discipline / clinical area

Should be used with relevant generic methodology guidelines as they often focus only on content specifics

See your handout: Structure of a medical research paper: key content elements, writing tips, and examples of RG

Medical research paper (1)

12See your handout: Structure of a medical research paper: key content elements, writing tips, and examples of RG

Medical research paper (2)

13See your handout: Structure of a medical research paper: key content elements, writing tips, and examples of RG

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Common problems in research reporting

– Non-reporting or delayed reporting of whole studies– Omissions or misinterpretation of results in abstracts

– Omission of crucial information in the description of research methods and interventions

– Inconsistencies between study protocol (or register) and publication

– Incomplete reporting (data cannot be included in SR / MA)– Selective reporting of only some outcomes or analyses – Inadequate reporting of harms– Inadequate statistical reporting– Confusing or misleading presentation (e.g. presenting data &

graphs in confusing or misleading ways - particularly important for presenting benefits and harms)

– General misinterpretation of study findings (spin)

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Responsibilities of researchers / authors

Key principles for responsible research reporting

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 • The research being reported should have been conducted in an ethical and 

responsible manner and should comply with all relevant legislation. 

• Researchers should present their results clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification or inappropriate data manipulation. 

• Researchers should strive to describe their methods clearly and unambiguously so that their findings can be confirmed by others. 

• Researchers should adhere to publication requirements that submitted work is original, is not plagiarised, and has not been published elsewhere. 

• Authors should take collective responsibility for submitted and published work. 

• The authorship of research publications should accurately reflect individuals’ contributions to the work and its reporting. 

• Funding sources and relevant conflicts of interest should be disclosed.

Reproduced from the International standards for authors of scholarly publications (http://publicationethics.org/international-standards-editors-and-authors)

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How I can improve reporting of my research study

• Find out about reporting requirements early, when planning your research study

• When writing up your research, check the EQUATOR website for any new relevant guidelines to help improve the quality of your manuscript

• Adhere to the relevant reporting guideline(s).

• When not reporting on certain items explain why.

• Remember that reporting guidelines provide a minimum set of items; other details specific to your particular study might be relevant for a clear and complete account of what was done and found (consider in particular items that might have introduced bias into your research).

• It is important to provide enough information to allow your study to be potentially reproducible by others.

• See ‘Steps to consider’ in Simera et al. BMC Medicine 2010,8:24