10/27/2021

Structure of Scientific
Literature

Dr. Ola El-Feky

Lecturer of Biochemistry, Faculty of
Pharmacy, Tanta University

Agenda
❑ Format of original research
❑ Sections of original research

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Format of original research article

Most works of primary literature appearing in scientific journals are
presented in structured formats.
Formats can differ between journals and between types of articles
within a given journal.
For instance, the format used for articles describing larger studies, such
as clinical trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies, will often
differ from the format
used for smaller studies, such as case reports and series, even within a
single journal.

IMRAD Format
I = Introduction, what question (problem) was
studied
M = Methods, how was the problem studied
R = Results, what are the findings
A = and
D = Discussion, what do these findings mean

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1- Title/Authors/Abstract
• At the beginning of most articles will be included a title of
the work and the named authors.
• The “title” and the “abstract” are the “initial impressions” of
a research article, and hence they need to be drafted
correctly, accurately, carefully, and meticulously.
• Often both of these are drafted after the full manuscript is
ready

Title
The “title” should be descriptive, direct, accurate, appropriate,
interesting, concise, precise, unique, and should not be misleading
Types of Title:
1- Descriptive or neutral title
This has the essential elements of the research theme, that is, the
patients/subjects, design, interventions, comparisons/control, and outcome,
but does not reveal the main result or the conclusion

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These titles also give complete information about the contents of the article,
have several keywords (thus increasing the visibility of the article in search
engines), and have increased chances of being read and (then) being cited as
well.
Most of these titles contain all the elements of the research work (e.g. study
population, intervention, study design, comparison).

Example: “Effect of broccoli sprouts on insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic

patients: a randomized double-blind clinical trial ”

2- Declarative Titles:
Declarative titles present the main conclusions or the actual
message of the study. The message can be stated in a sentence.
a verb in the present tense is used;
Example: “Continuous positive airway pressure impairs renal
function in anesthetized newborn goats”

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3- Interrogative Titles:
This is the one which has a query or the research question in the title.
Example “ Does cognitive training improve performance in
impaired cognitive pattern”

Drafting a suitable title:

The title needs to be simple and direct
It should be interesting and informative
It should be specific, accurate, and functional (with essential scientific “keywords” for indexing)
It should be concise (10-15 word) , precise, and should include the main theme of the paper
It should not be misleading or misrepresentative
It should not be too long or too short (or cryptic)

It should avoid nonstandard abbreviations and unnecessary acronyms (or technical jargon)
Title should be SPICED, that is, it should include Setting, Population, Intervention, Condition, End-point,
and Design

Important terms/keywords should be placed in the beginning of the title

Descriptive titles are preferred to declarative or interrogative titles
Authors should adhere to the word count and other instructions as specified by the target journal

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Think????
Which is optimum title:
A: Comparison of Pediatric Risk of Mortality III, Pediatric Index
of Mortality 2, and Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 Scores in
Predicting Mortality in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

B: A Prospective Antibacterial Utilization Study in Pediatric

Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Referral Center

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Authors and affiliations

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Abstract
The abstract is a summary or synopsis of the full research paper
and also needs to have similar characteristics like the title.
Even the reviewers are initially supplied only with the title and the
abstract before they agree to review the full manuscript
Types of abstract:
Abstract could be structured or unstructured

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Structured abstracts are followed by most journals, are more

informative, and include specific subheadings/subsections under
which the abstract needs to be composed.
These subheadings usually include context/background, objectives,
design, setting, participants, interventions, main outcome
measures, results, and conclusions.
Some journals stick to the standard IMRAD format for the
structure of the abstracts, and the subheadings would include
Introduction/Background, Methods, Results, And (instead of
Discussion) the Conclusion.
Structure abstracts more informative and (possibly) better
understood by the reviewers and readers

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However; the choice of the type of the abstract and the

subheadings of a structured abstract depend on the particular
journal style and is not left to the author's wish.

Unstructured (or non-structured) abstracts: are free-flowing, do not

have predefined subheadings, and are commonly used for papers
that (usually) do not describe original research

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Background
• Sometimes called the introduction, the background section of an
article describes the study’s context.
• The background will often include information on the
pathophysiology and epidemiology of the condition of interest,
history and pharmacology of the study drug or biologic
intervention or description of the procedure, currently accepted
standards of care, and rationale for the current study.
• The background will generally also include or conclude with the
stated objective or purpose of the study.

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• It is completely acceptable, and usually desirable, to cite previously

published literature that adequately contextualizes the current study in
the background section of an original research article.
• The purpose of the background section is to set the stage and present
the rationale for the study to the reader.

Problem
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References

Aim of
study

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Methods
The section of an original research article in which are described the design
of the study, the subject selection procedures, any interventions to be used
and how they are to be used, the measurements to be taken and in what
manner, the planned statistical analyses, and the oversight of the study is
commonly called the methods section.
Different journals frequently have different names for this section, such as
materials and methods, patients and methods, or simply study design.

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Results
✓ Occasionally referred to by other names, such as findings or
observations. The results section of an original research article
describes what actually occurred and was observed in the
study.
✓ In a clinical study report, the results section usually starts
with a description of the disposition and demographics of the
subjects that were actually enrolled in the study.
✓ Following this is a detailed description of the data collected
and direct observations from the study, frequently
accompanied by tables, graphs, figures, and other visuals.
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In interventional study reports, data on both efficacy and safety

should be presented in this section.
• It is generally inappropriate to reference other publications in
the results section.
• The purpose of the results section is to present in an unbiased
manner the data collected during the study and the statistical
analyses of these data.

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Discussion
➢ The last section of the main body of an original research
article is the discussion.
➢ The purpose of the discussion section is to allow authors to
Allow authors describe what they believe to be the impact
of the study.
➢ It will commonly refer to other similar studies in order to
synthesize and contextualize the findings of the current
study with the findings of other studies.

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References
Citations to other
literature are appropriate
cited in an article in
certain sections appears
in the references section.
This section is
occasionally called a
Bibliography

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Acknowledgments
The acknowledgments section of a journal article is where one
will find additional information about individuals involved in
the preparation of the article or in the planning or conduct of
the research it describes.
Others whom the authors wish to acknowledge or thank, and
identification of the funding sources and sponsors and their
roles in the research and manuscript.

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Summary

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Thank you

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