Research Article Structure

Steps in Scientific Research Process

• Begins with posing a research question and hypothesis
• Developing and implementing a research plan
• Performing data collection and analysis
• Concludes with preparing a research report

Research Question and Hypothesis

• Critical first step in scientific research
• Research question states the specific problem being studied
• Example: "In patients with diabetes, do clinical services by pharmacists improve short-term clinical outcomes compared with traditional care in an outpatient setting?"
• Hypothesis specifies the expected relationship between intervention and outcome or multiple variables
• Example: "Clinical services by pharmacists will improve short-term clinical outcomes in patients with diabetes in outpatient settings compared to traditional care."

FINER Framework

• Desirable characteristics in a research question
• Feasible: Can it be realistically studied given available resources?
• Interesting: Does it capture attention and spark curiosity?
• Novel: Does it add new insights or challenge existing knowledge?
• Ethical: Does it adhere to moral principles
• Relevant: Will the findings contribute to the field?

PICOTS Framework for Clinical Questions

• Aids in developing a good clinical question
• Population: Focus on specific groups of patients (e.g., Children, adults, elderly)
• Intervention: Define the action or variable of interest (e.g., Medication, device, service)
• Comparator: Specify the alternative being considered (e.g., Placebo, treatment, usual care)
• Outcomes: Identify the measured results (e.g., Economic, clinical, humanistic)
• Timing: Determine the period of study (e.g., Short-term, intermediate, long-term)
• Setting: Define the environment (e.g., Outpatient, inpatient, long-term)

Research Plan Development

• Overall plan enables researchers to gather answers to study questions
• Enables testing of study hypotheses

Research Design Classification

• Experimental: Considered the strongest for testing research hypotheses
• Observational: Includes cohort studies or cross-sectional studies that provide evidence of associations or relationships

Data Collection and Analysis

• Research methodology provides details on data collection and measurement techniques
• Primary Methods uses self-reported observations, or biological assessments (e.g., Surveys, lab tests)
• Secondary methods uses previously collected data for patient care or reimbursement (e.g., Medical charts, medical claims)
• Collection of data occurs
• Data is organized, summarized, and analyzed
• Statistical analysis provides quantitative answers to research questions
• Descriptive measures used to summarize sample characteristics include means, medians, and standard deviations
• Inferential statistics make inferences on the population, examples are t-tests and analysis of variance

Research Report Preparation

• Involves outlining research to document and communicate findings
• Used to get publicity so that findings are disseminated
• Added to literature archives
• Used to get researchers recognized for their contribution

Read Research Reports

• Professional advancement depends on incorporating research findings into making clinical judgements and treatment decisions
• Responsibility to evaluate research reports to determine if findings provide support for effectiveness of current practices
• Also evaluate to determine if reports offer alternatives that improve patient care

General Structure of a Journal Article

• Title: Has very brief summary of the contents
• Abstract: Has Brief objectives, brief description of the methods, highlights, general conclusions
• Introduction: Has statement of the problem, literature review, rationale, theories, specific objectives
• Methods: Has the study design, criteria for any selections, measurement and data collections methods
• Results: Has Tables and figures of findings, and a narrative
• Discussion: Has importance of finding, study limitations, conclusion generalizations, work comparing, suggestions for future study
• References: Lists all sources in the article

Title

• General contains the title, list of authors with affiliations, Journal name, and publishing time

Abstract

• Consists of the Study overview and goal, Methods that were generally used, Result highlights with their significance, and final conclusions

Length of Title

• Abstract word limit is to be 150-350 words, but may vary in length

Introduction

• Consists of statement of the problem, Clinical relevance, Review of literature ,the rationale and theoretical framework (if any), purpose and hypotheses

The Methods Section

• Explains how the the Study was carried out
• Described as a cookbook format, or a study design
• Explains the criteria to select subjects and how the data was analyzed

The Results Section

• The results section must report the findings of the study without interpretation or commentary.
• Readers find a narrative descriptions presented in the order of the stated purposes, aims, or hypotheses.
• Results will answer each research question.

Tables and Figures

• Common tool to use in results sections
• Explains statistical findings and to provide visual explanations.
• The tables and figures must follow guidelines with the specific journal

The Discussion Section

• Has Interpretation of statistics, the clinical significance, Importance to others, support or conflict with theory
• Includes the Study and Suggestions for others

Conclusion Section

• A restatement of the entire study
• Links the data results together
• States "results of this study indicate" with related meaning

Referencing

• Citing text and listing references must align with set instruction
• Journals often use styles from "Uniform Requirements "
• Others may follow either American Psychological Association or the American Medical Association
• For non-journal article include the instructions for citations.