WRITING A REVIEW WRITING A REVIEW ARTICLEARTICLE

STRUCTURE AND STYLE STRUCTURE AND STYLE OF A REVIEW ARTICLEOF A REVIEW ARTICLE

Saleem Saaed QaderMBChB, MD, MSc, MPH, PhD, SBGSConsultant General Surgeon, Lecturer

General Director, Medical Research Centre, Hawler Medical UniversityDepartment of Surgery, Rizgary Teaching Hospital Department of Surgery, Medical College, Hawler Medical University

TMC Oct 2014

A scientific paper should include answer toA scientific paper should include answer to : :WhyWhy it was done it was done (The Aim)? (The Aim)? HowHow it was done it was done (The Method)? (The Method)? WhatWhat has been done has been done (The Result)? (The Result)? WhatWhat was learned from it was learned from it (The Conclusion)? (The Conclusion)?

Bad writting often prevents/delays publication of a Bad writting often prevents/delays publication of a good sciencegood science

Many scientists are poor writers Many scientists are poor writers

The key for the success is a good writting & The key for the success is a good writting & publicationpublication

Publication Publication

(Visibility and Communication)(Visibility and Communication)

2. It is essential for the science to progress 2. It is essential for the science to progress

1.1. A scientific work is not complete until the results A scientific work is not complete until the results are published are published

3. You must document your work thoroughly before 3. You must document your work thoroughly before other scientists can: other scientists can:

Repeat it Repeat it oror Build on it Build on it oror Criticise it Criticise it or or Admire itAdmire it

The Key of scientific writing:

Calrity and Simplicity English (gives the sense in the few short words)

“Published and Understood”

A scientific paper

Thesis (to get a degree) Review article (invitation by a certain journal) Original article (new) Abstract (summary) Short communication (short, new and important) Goveronmental report Conference report/ proceeding Institutional bulletin

Reasons for writing articlesReasons for writing articles1. To get one or more of the following:1. To get one or more of the following:

A.A. Obtaining a higher academic degreeObtaining a higher academic degreeB.B. A new, better jobA new, better jobC. Promotion (in our culture)C. Promotion (in our culture)D. FameD. Fame

2. Idealistic:2. Idealistic:

1.1. Advancing knowledgeAdvancing knowledge

2.2. Facilitates theory developmentFacilitates theory development

3.3. Closes area where a plethora of research existsCloses area where a plethora of research exists

4.4. Uncover areas where research is neededUncover areas where research is needed

Publications will provide important input for the Publications will provide important input for the future researchesfuture researches

What is a review articleWhat is a review article??

A review of A review of published, relevantpublished, relevant literatures literaturesA A classification/ evaluationclassification/ evaluation of published articles in of published articles in

certain field of sciencecertain field of science

Review article is more time consuming and have Review article is more time consuming and have fewer outlets than original articlesfewer outlets than original articles

It is written either in the form of a paper/ thesisIt is written either in the form of a paper/ thesis

it is a formal document, the sole prove that you have it is a formal document, the sole prove that you have done a contribution to the knowledge through done a contribution to the knowledge through

what others have donewhat others have done

Meta-analysisMeta-analysis

Data from seperate studies that address a similar Data from seperate studies that address a similar research question are combined quantitatively and research question are combined quantitatively and then analysed statisticallythen analysed statistically

It is organized according to a

“guiding concept”

Thus, your thesis/ paper must show two important things

Failure to prove that, generally leads to Rejection of the thesis or paper

1. you have identified problem/ question which has not been previously answered

2. you have solved the problem or answered the question

Don’t list as many articles as possibleDon’t list as many articles as possibleDemonstrate your intellectual ability to:Demonstrate your intellectual ability to:

RecognizeRecognize relevant informationrelevant informationEvaluate/ synthesize Evaluate/ synthesize according to the guiding conceptaccording to the guiding concept

How to write to a review article?How to write to a review article?

The skills needed to meet the above conditions:The skills needed to meet the above conditions:Information seeking:Information seeking: scan literatures (manual/ scan literatures (manual/ compute) to identify useful articles and bookscompute) to identify useful articles and books

Critical appraisal:Critical appraisal: unbiased and valid studies unbiased and valid studies

It's usually a bad sign when every paragraph of your review

begins with the names of researchers

Instead:

organize your review into useful, informative sections that present

themes or identify trends

IT MUST:

1. Organize information and relate it to the thesis or research question you are developing

2. Synthesize results into a summary of what is & isn't known 3. Identify controversy when it appears in the literature 4. Develop questions for further research

A literature review is A literature review is NOT NOT just a summary, but just a summary, but a a conceptually organized synthesis conceptually organized synthesis

of the results of your search of the results of your search

Avoid plagiarism or duplication

Questions to Ask Yourself About Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Review of Literature Your Review of Literature

1.1. What problem/ objectives/ or question to define? What problem/ objectives/ or question to define?

2.2. What type of literature review? What type of literature review?

Theory? methodology? policy? Quantitative/ qualitative Theory? methodology? policy? Quantitative/ qualitative studystudy

3. What is the scope? Which discipline? 3. What is the scope? Which discipline? Nursing, psychology, sociology or medicine Nursing, psychology, sociology or medicine

4.4. Is there a specific relationship between the literatures?Is there a specific relationship between the literatures?5.5. Have I critically analyzed and assed the literatures? Have I critically analyzed and assed the literatures? 6.6. Do I discuss the strengths/ weaknesses of the literatures? Do I discuss the strengths/ weaknesses of the literatures? 7.7. Have I cited & discussed studies Have I cited & discussed studies contrarycontrary to my to my

perspective?perspective?

relevant, appropriate and useful!!!relevant, appropriate and useful!!!

8. How good are my information 8. How good are my information seeking skillsseeking skills? ? Wide enoughWide enough to include all the relevant material? to include all the relevant material? Narrow enoughNarrow enough to exclude irrelevant material? to exclude irrelevant material? Is the number of sources used appropriate for the length of Is the number of sources used appropriate for the length of paper? paper?

Aim to publish a few first- rate articles rather than numerous Aim to publish a few first- rate articles rather than numerous minor contributions; minor contributions;

quality is better than quantityquality is better than quantity

Do not slice a piece of work into several short Do not slice a piece of work into several short papers without a good reasonpapers without a good reason

A THESIS (REVIEW)

1. Title Page2.2. AbstractAbstract3. Introduction4. Methods5. Results 6. Discussion7. Conclusions8. Acknowledgements9. References10.Legends for tables and figures11. Tables12. Figures

AnnexeAnnexess

REVIEW ARTICLE

1.1. AbstractAbstract2. Introduction, Discussion &

Conclusions 3. Acknowledgements4. References5. Legends for tables and figures6. Tables7. FiguresThe structure depends on the

instruction of the journal