FORMAT OF RESEARCH CAPSULE

Research capsule is a manuscript that shall provide a summary of the planned

research work. It is a three-page manuscript that shall have the following format:

TITLE

INTRODUCTION
A. Background –Briefly describe the disease or condition and why it is
important
State reason why study being proposed , i.e. what are the problems,
issues, controversies, or uncertainties
B. Literature Review – what other authors say or do not say; what other
studies say or do not say
C. Significance of the study or Rationale of the study - what does this
paper attempts to answer

RESEARCH QUESTION:
PIOM: Population, Intervention or diagnostic test, Outcome, Methods

OBJECTIVES
A. General objective(s) - primary objective
B. Specific Objectives

METHODS:
A. Study design
1. Randomized controlled trial
2. Cohort study
3. Case-control
4. Cross-sectional
5. Survey
6. Diagnostic validity study

B. Study population (Who?) – target population, manner of selection, sample

size

C. Study Location or Setting (Where?) – setting/institution

D. Time frame (When?) – when study will start, duration

E. Procedure or Intervention (What?)

1. If Cross-sectional study or survey – describe Sampling
Random sampling – non-purposive selection of participants from a
previously available list

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 2. If Diagnostic procedure- describe the test and how it will be interpreted
3. If Intervention – include dose, interval, duration
4. For randomized controlled trails
a. Randomization – equal chance of being assigned to different
treatment arms selected; method is unbiased and leads to
unpredictable sequences, e.g. computer-generated random
numbers, table of random numbers, drawing lots, coin toss

b. Allocation concealment - Process that will prevent foreknowledge

of the next assignment in the sequence of group assignments by
those recruiting participants and the participants themselves, e.g.
serially numbered identical drug containers prepared by an
independent pharmacy, central randomization performed at a site
remote from the trial location, sequentially numbered opaque
sealed envelopes, on-site computer-based system with
randomization that is not readable until allocation; any other
procedure where the assignment schedule generated using true
randomization is administered by someone who is not
responsible for recruiting participants
c. Treatment blinding (Care provider and participant) – procedure
where those providing and receiving care do not know the group
to which the recipients of care will be allocated
d. Outcome Assessor blinding – describe how the outcome
assessors for clinical or laboratory outcomes will not be able to
know the treatment regimen being given

F. Analysis – statistical test to be used