Original research articles
Detailed structure
Topics:
Structure in details
The most interesting part ahead of us ;-))
IMRaD
• Introduction – why did your study need to be done?
• Methods - what did you do?
• Results - what did you find?
and
• Discussion - how will your study advance the field?
Source: Step-by-step guide to prepare a successful paper for publication by Dr. Nabil Khélifi – provided by SpringerNature
Source: Step-by-step guide to prepare a successful paper for publication by Dr. Nabil Khélifi – provided by SpringerNature
Introduction
Introduction – why your study need to be done?
Aims/objectives
Good opening sentence:
worldwide relevance or very general
More specialized: what is currently known?
- up-to-date
- -international review
Very specialized:
- Identify the gap
- Identify the problem
Formulate aims and objective
based on the problem and gaps
Method
Method - what did you do and how?
Opening
What or who did you used?
How it was done?
How it was analyzed?
• Research design
• Ethical issues
• Samples
• Material
• Participants (Subjects)
• Procedure
• Tasks
• Techniques
• Equipment
• Data reduction
• Statistical analysis
Results
Results - what did you find?
Logical presentation
Subsections
Factual description
• Initial observation
• Characterization
• Aplication
Paragraph or subsections correspond
to one figure or one table
You describe FACTS not what they MEAN
Discussion
Discussion – how your study advance the field
Implications
Summary of findings:
Repeat your aims/objectives (literally)
Relevance
- Similarities/differences to other studies
- Unexpected results
- Speculations and hypothesis about the possible
reasons of your findings
- Strengths and limitations of the study
Future directions
Source: Step-by-step guide to prepare a successful paper for publication by Dr. Nabil Khélifi – provided by SpringerNature
Discussion according to CONSORT – randomized
trials (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)
• Suggested structure for discussion of scientific papers
• •Statement of principal findings
• •Strengths and weaknesses of the study
• •Strengths and weaknesses in relation to other studies, discussing
particularly any differences in results
• •Meaning of the study: possible mechanisms and implications for
clinicians or policymakers
• •Unanswered questions and future research
Source: Docherty Michael, Smith Richard. The case for structuring the discussion of scientific papers Much the same as that for structuring
abstracts. BMJ 1999; 318 :1224 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.318.7193.1224
Package
Selling your paper
If you can’t make it good, at least make it look good
Bill Gates
It is all about Windows Vista. When Vista was designed, some excitement was
created. But it failed to raise to the expectation. But its appearance was
attractive. In this context Bill quoted "If you can't make it good, at least make it
look good."
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/100241-if-you-can-t-make-it-good-at-least-make-it
Title and abstract
Title – summary of your study
Abstract – concise summary of your paper
BOTH OF THEM MAKE THE FIRST IMPRESSION!
Abstract
• Aims Importance of your topic
• Results Significance of your study
• Conclusions Relevance of your study
Abstract
Background
Aims
Methods
Results
Conclusion
Why the study was
done
Aim and/or objectives
of the study
Techniques
Most important
findings
Conclusions/
implications