Research Report Writing

Sudigdo Sastroasmoro
 Research report writing ….
Last job in research activity
All research results should be published, otherwise
publication bias will occur (and it occurs!)
Publish or perish
Publishing is equally important as planning and conducting
the study
New trend: Registration of all RCT with commitment to
publish whatever the results will be
Theses, dissertations are considered unpublished until they
are published in the journal
 Why bother?
On the other hand most manuscripts are written by
“one in a life time author”: residents
Many of the manuscripts are prepared by ignoring
“Instructions to authors”
It seems that the seniors do not much involve in
manuscript writing (although they sign the form)
Contributing Editors have not much involve in the
manuscript revision
Burden to copy-Editors, unnecessary delay in
publishing
 Publication bias
Investigators tend to submit studies with positive
(statistically significant) than negative results
Editors tend to accept studies with +ve than -ive results
Positive results: submit to international journals
Negative results: submit to local journals
Many -ive results are product of small sample size
Inference by manufacturers!
Literature consists of reports with +ive results
Anatomy of research reports
Title
Byline: Authors & Institutions
Abstract & keywords
Contents: IMRAD
 Introduction
 Methods
 Results
 Discussion

Acknowledgments
References
Appendices
 IMRAD
Introduction - Why did I start?
Methods - What did I do?
Results - What did I find?
Discussion - What do they mean?

(Some journals put the Methods section separately or

at the end of the article - IRDAM?)
 Note:
The following discussion may not be applicable in
all journals
If you want to submit your research report to a
journal, examine carefully ‘Instructions to
Authors” and the latest issues of the journal for
‘In-house style’. Then follow them rigidly;
otherwise your manuscript will be rejected even
before seen by the Editor
“The only absolute dictator in this century is the
Journal EDITOR”
 Title
Most read part of the report
Represents contents of the article: The fewest possible words
that adequately describe the content of the paper
Avoid too long or too broad title
Include time & place only when the study applies for the
specified time and place
Preferably written in positive ‘sentence’
Title is a label rather than a complete sentence
Avoid abbreviations and acronyms
 Older journals: Long titles (1)
Observation on the etiologic relationship of achylia gastrica
to pernicious anemia; the effect of the administration to
patients with pernicious anemia of beef muscle after the
incubation with normal human gastric juice
[Am J Med Sci. 1929;178: 764] 31 words

Control study of comparative efficacy of isoniazid,

streptomycin-isoniazid, and streptomycin-para-
amninosalycilic acid in pulmonary tuberculosis therapy. III.
Repart on twenty-eight-week observations on 649 patients
with streptomycin-susceptible infection
[Am Rev Tuberc. 1953;67:539-543] 33 words
Omit the following word(s)

Observation on …
Study on …
Investigation of …
An opening ‘A’, ‘An’, ‘The’
Penelitian tentang …., etc
 Short titles

Antibiotic and typhoid fever

Socio-cultural impact of globalization

Comment: Too general, looks more like titles

of a review article than of an original research
Title is label – not necessarily a complete sentence
with subject, predicate, object. Be careful with the
syntax (word order)

Lumbar anesthesia in dogs using halothane

Dogs using halothane?
Study of bacteria using electron microscope
Really? Bacteria use microscope?
Mechanism of suppression of non-transmissible
pneumonia in mice induced by Newcastle Disease
Virus
Can mice induce bacteria?
Bila ada orang-orang yang mengancam para petani, pihak
keamanan akan membantu mereka
Lima puluh massa demonstran berunjuk rasa memprotes
pelecehan seksual yang akhir-akhir ini marak di depan Mabes
Polri
Setelah menjadi buron selama dua tahun, polisi akhirnya
menangkap penjahat tersebut
Dalam perundingan yang berjalan alot sampai beberapa minggu
tersebut menyimpulkan bahwa tata laksana pasien flu burung
harus dilakukan secara terpadu dengan memperhatikan hak
azasi manusia
 Types of Titles
of Scientific Articles
Title indicating the results of the study

Preserve breastfeeding, not antibiotics, can

prevent recurrent diarrhea
Routine antibiotic administration for acute
diarrhea is useless
Prebiotics prevent allergic manifestations in
atopic children

Comment: Recommended by some journals,

declined by the others
 Title with question mark
Can antibiotic decrease length of hospital stay
in children with measles pneumonia?

Seeing Race and Seeming Racist? Evaluating

Strategic Colorblindness in Social Interaction

Comment: Not usually recommended for original articles,

frequently used for opinion or review articles
 Fair Title
Effect of antidepressant QRS in children with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – a
meta-analysis of clinical trials
Comparison of the efficacy of root Echinacea
extract with placebo in elderly with insomnia –
a randomized double blind trial
Risk factors for Parkinsonism in rural area
 Title: Inclusion of place and time
Results of new antiepileptic drug X in patients
with temporal lobe epilepsy in Cipto
Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta
Comparison between the efficacy of oral vs.
injected iron in women with anemia in Sumber
Sehat Hospital in 2007

Comment: Do not include time and place

when the results are supposed
to be inferred and applied in a larger population
 Title: Inclusion of place and time
Results of 5-year surveillance of hospital-acquired
infections in Bunda Sayang Clinic, Jakarta, 2000-
2004

Results of bone marrow transplantation in children

with leukemia in Dr. Sutomo Hospital, Surabaya,
2000-2007

Comment: Appropriate when the results are applied

to the specified location and cannot be inferred
into the larger population
 Title: How long is too long?
Number of words or characters are not usually stated
explicitly in most books on Guideline of Scientific
Writing
Prof. Rifai:
 Max 12 words or 90 characters (incl. spaces)
 English: 10 words
 German: 8 words

This rule are violated or not followed by many

 Prevention of cardiovascular events and death
with pravastatin in patients with coronary heart
disease and a broad range of initial cholesterol
levels
N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1349-57.

22 words, 129 characters without spaces, 151 with spaces

 Elicitation of prior distributions for a phase III
randomized controlled trial of adjuvant
therapy with surgery for hepatocellular
carcinoma
Control Clin Trials. 2003;24:110-21.

19 words, 123 characters without spaces, 142 with spaces

 Recently NEJM tends to have short titles
 Saw Palmetto for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia [6 words]
N Engl J Med 2006;354:557-66.
 Clindamycin versus Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole for
Uncomplicated Skin Infections [8 words]
N Engl J Med 2015;372:1093-103.  
 A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Antimicrobial Treatment
for Acute Otitis Media [11 words]
 N Engl J Med 2011;364:116-26.

 Antibiotics as Part of the Management of Severe Acute

Malnutrition [10 words] N
Engl J Med 2013;368:425-35.
Title should maintain balance between
interesting and indifference

Drug ABC gives excellent results in

lymphoma malignum!
Intractable diarrhea? Use Formula XYZ!

Advertisement?!
 Title: Inclusion of design
Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in
Undergraduate Teaching Clinics: A Systematic
Review and Recommendations

Ridker RD. Low-Dose Aspirin in the Primary

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women -
a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Comment: Recommended where appropriate

Examples of appropriate titles
Efficacy of handrubbing with alcohol based-
solution versus standard handwashing with
antiseptic soap: randomised clinical trial
Probiotics in prevention of antibiotic associated
diarrhoea: systematic review and meta­analysis
Smoking reduction with oral nicotine inhalers:
double blind, randomised clinical trial of efficacy
and safety
Long-term prognosis of acute low back pain in
patients seen in general practice
 Authorship: ICMJE recommendation
(authors should meet all 4 criteria)
1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of
the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation
of data for the work; AND
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important
intellectual content; AND
3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the
work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy
or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately
investigated and resolved.

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, 2014

Authorship

The order of authorship on the byline should be

a joint decision of the co-authors. Authors
should be prepared to explain the order in
which authors are listed. (Scientific integrity!!!)
All contributors who do not meet the criteria for
authorship should be listed in an
Acknowledgments section
Ghost author is unacceptable

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, 2006

Authorship order: Unwritten rules

SDC – sequence-determines-credit
o First (largest) up till last (smallest)

ED – equal distribution norm

o Equal contribution, alphabetical

FLAE – first-last authors emphasis

o First (largest), last (second), others

PCI – percent-contribution-indicated
o Contribution of each author is provided
 Abstract
Second most read after Title
Contains IMRAD
Re-establish the topic of the research
Gives the research problem and/or main objective
of the research (this usually comes first)
Indicates the methodology used
Presents the main findings
Presents the main conclusions
Brief and easy to read
No abbreviations or acronyms
 Abstract

One-paragraph abstract
Structured abstract -increasingly used;
incl. used by Paediatrica Indonesiana
• Abstract: The objective of this project was to identify an effective methodology of approaching
and implementing evidencebased principles in undergraduate teaching clinics to promote
evidence-based dentistry in future clinical practice. A systematic review was undertaken to
examine evidence-based clinical teaching and faculty continuing education. Research
published from 1996 to 2002 was retrieved by searching several databases and the Internet,
along with conducting hand searches and reviewing bibliographies maintained by faculty
experts. Qualitative checklists for different types of studies were created to evaluate the
literature. Relevant studies were selected if they met all four predetermined essential criteria
and a minimum of two out of three desirable criteria. Systematic reviews were chosen if they
met all five essential criteria. Data from selected articles were extracted, and study quality
was assessed. We found that three systematic reviews and nine original research articles
were deemed methodologically acceptable. Problem-based learning and evidence-based
health care interventions increased student knowledge of medical topics and their ability to
search, evaluate, and appraise medical literature. Dental students in a problem-based
learning curriculum, emphasizing evidence-based practices, scored higher on the NDB I
(National Dentistry Boards, Part I) than students in traditional curricula. While effective
modules in implementing theoretical evidence-based principles exist, very few high-quality
studies are available that examine these principles in dental undergraduate teaching clinics.
No methodologically appropriate studies on the education of faculty in the implementation of
evidence-based principles are available. Some studies promote promising theories and
methodologies of teaching evidence-based care; based on these theories, a comprehensive
model is proposed in this article. Considering the strength of evidence in the reviewed
literature, we concluded that an evidence-based approach to clinical care is effective.
Abstract
• Asymmetric division of adult stem cells generates one self-renewing stem cell
and one differentiating cell, thereby maintaining tissue homeostasis. A decline
in stem cell function has been proposed to contribute to tissue ageing,
although the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here we show that
changes in the stem cell orientation with respect to the niche during ageing
contribute to the decline in spermatogenesis in the male germ line of
Drosophila. Throughout the cell cycle, centrosomes in germline stem cells
(GSCs) are oriented within their niche and this ensures asymmetric division.
We found that GSCs containing misoriented centrosomes accumulate with
age and that these GSCs are arrested or delayed in the cell cycle. The cell
cycle arrest is transient, and GSCs appear to re-enter the cell cycle on
correction of centrosome orientation. On the basis of these findings, we
propose that cell cycle arrest associated with centrosome misorientation
functions as a mechanism to ensure asymmetric stem cell division, and that
the inability of stem cells to maintain correct orientation during ageing
contributes to the decline in spermatogenesis. We also show that some of the
misoriented GSCs probably originate from dedifferentiation of spermatogonia.
 Structured abstract

Subheadings Subheadings Subheadings

Background Background Aims
Objective Methods Setting
Setting Results Methods
Design Conclusions Intervention
Methods Results
Main results Conclusions
Conclusion
 Exercise induced bronchospasm in male athletes at
Karachi
BACKGROUND: Exercise is one of the most common precipitant of acute
asthma encountered in clinical practice. To determine frequency of
Exercise-induced Bronchospasm (EIB) in male athletes, who had
represented or were aspiring to represent at national and/or international
level. Athletes of different departments and institutes and attending training
camps at Karachi during November 2000 to January 2002 were included.
METHODS: A 21-item structured and pre-tested questionnaire was given
for personal, biological and environmental information and an
acquaintance session was conducted with each athlete to explain the
procedure. Six minutes of competitive field free running Peak expiratory
flow (PEF) rate, pulse rate and oxygen saturation were measured at 5-min,
15-min and 30-min. A player was considered EIB positive based on a post
exercise decrement in PEF rate > or = 15% at any defined point of time.
RESULTS: The mean age of participating athletes was 27 +/- 6 years. Out
of the one hundred and seventy-nine (n = 179) athletes who participated in
the study, 13 (7%) were found to be EIB positive.
CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that a significant number of our
athletes suffer from EIB. It is suggested that either the department or
national sports body should take the responsibility of screening for EIB
making it a part of their training sessions.
 Common problems

Too long. If your abstract is too long, it may be rejected - it is

usually a specified maximum number of words. Abstracts are
often too long because people forget to count their words.
Too much detail. The abstract is not the place for detailed
explanations of methodology or for other details
Too short. Shorter is not necessarily better.  If your word limit
is 200 but you only write 95 words, you probably have not
written in sufficient detail. Many writers do not give sufficient
information about their findings
Failure to include important information. Often people do not
cover all of them because they spend too long explaining, for
example, the methodology and then do not have enough space
to present their conclusion.
 Abstract
Results 104 patients entered the trial; no drop out
was noted. There was no difference in the baseline
characteristics between the treatment and placebo
groups in terms of prognostic factors. At the end of
the trial, there was a significant difference between
total cholesterol levels between treatment and
placebo groups (P 0.0034), a significant difference in
LDL levels between the groups (P 0.002), but no
significant difference of HDL levels between the
groups (P 0.062) ……
 Abstract
Results 104 patients ……….. At the end of the trial,
there was a significant difference between total
cholesterol levels between treatment and placebo
groups (mean difference 24 [95%CI 18 to 30]
mg/dl, P 0.0034), and a significant difference in
LDL levels between the groups (mean difference 16
[95%CI 12 to 20] mg/dL, P 0.002), but there was no
significant difference of HDL levels between the
groups (mean difference 4 [95%CI -2 to 10] mg/dl,
P 0.062]). …………
 Keywords

Follow the Abstract

Use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Usually 4-8 words
Useful for indexing (and searching)
 Introduction
(Why did you start)?
Concise, no lengthy descriptions
Justification for doing the study
Usually 1-2 paragraphs
 Objectives / hypotheses

 How the study was performed

No more than 1 page

Appropriate / strong references
Avoid:
Too long introduction
Lack of appropriate references
Malaria Journal
 Methods
May be the longest part of the paper, and printed in
smaller fonts
General rule: describe in great details, so that
someone who wants to repeat the study can do it in
the same way
All should be written in narrative form, no
numbering or bulletation is generally accepted
 This is not acceptable
• Inclusion criteria:
– Infant less than 1 year
– Has been diagnosed as thalassemia-B
– Parents agreed to participate
• Exclusion criteria:
– Suffered from acute illness
– Has other hematologic disorder
 Methods
(what did you do?)
Avoid
Design •
Improperly mentioned
Time & place •
Not mentioned
Population & sample •
Unclearly stated
Sampling technique •
Not mentioned
Sample size •
Not mentioned
Randomization, blinding •
Improperly mentioned
Inclusion & exclusion •
Not sufficiently mentioned
Details of technique used •
Not sufficiently written
Definitions of terms •
Not mentioned
Plan of data management •
Not mentioned
Stat. analyses, CI, p value •
Not properly stated
Computer program(s) •
Improper use of program
Avoid rigid or redundant description of
study design like the followings:

This was a prospective observational

descriptive and analytic study with cross
sectional method.
The design of our research was a prospective
randomized double blind placebo controlled
parallel clinical trial.
 Results
(What did you find?)
Most important part, frequently the shortest part,
most neglected
Present in logical sequence
Describe findings WITHOUT comments
Write clearly in complete sentences with
appropriate introductory phrases
Words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs: should
be written carefully
Brief, clear, complete
 Results
Avoid:

Comments on findings, either by using

references or personal opinion, or both

Telegraphic sentences, e.g.,

This was a descriptive study. There were 39
patients available, 20 boys and 19 girls. etc
 Results: Tables
Simple, legible
Limit the number of tables, approx 1 table per
1000 words (for 8 page long article, 3-4 tables
are appropriate
Tables should provide presentation more clear
Indicate the presence of tables in the text (!
wild tables)
 Results: Tables
Avoid:
Complicated, long tables
Too many tables
Unnecessary tables
Not indicated in the text (“wild table”)
 Results: Figures
Simple, easily readable
Least preferred by editors
Limit to minimum
Professionally drawn and ready to print
Warning: color figures allowed?
Indicate the presence of figures in the
text
 Results: Figures
Avoid
Complicated figures
Too many figures
Unnecessary figures (data have been
presented in text or tables)
Not indicated in the text (“wild figures”)
 Example: Unnecessary table
Our series consisted of 30 newborn babies, 20 of them had
a body weight of less than 2500 grams. See Table 1.

Table 1. Distribution of subjects according to body weight

BW (grams) n %
>2500 10 33.33%

<2500 20 66.67%

Total 30 100.00%
 Correct format
Omit vertical & inner horizontal lines

BW (grams) Boys Girls

>2500 60 40

<2500 42 37

Total 102 77
 Incorrect format

BW (grams) Boys Girls

>2500 60 40

<2500 42 37

Total 102 77
 lt s:
e su s
R t ic
a t is
g st
t i n
s e n
P re
Results: Presenting percentages
& numbers

Use percentages only for large number of subjects

(definitely if >100, ‘reasonable’ if >40)
Usually 1 decimal if N > 100, no decimal if < 100
Mean value: one decimal more than the original
SD: one decimal more than mean
Presenting characteristics of study subjects
characteristics in clinical trials
Table 1 of Results almost always describe
the characteristics of study subjects

Experimental Control P value

Sex (M/F) 43/32 40/45 NS

Age,mean (SD) 34 (12) 33 (9) NS
Weight kg (SD) 59 (3.5) 57 (4.1) NS
DBP mean (SD) 84 (9) 86 (7.5) NS
Chol mean (SD) 223 (32) 221 (26) NS
Clinical importance vs. statistical significance

Cholesterol level,
Standard mg/dl
treatment
300 200
mg/dl
n=10000
R Clinical
n=10000
New 300 197
treatment mg/dl

t= df = 9998 p = 0.00002
Statistical
Clinical significance vs. statistical significance

Cured Died

Standard Rx 0 10 (100%)

New Rx 3 7 (70%)

Absolute risk reduction = 30% Clinical

Fischer exact test: p = 0.211 Statistical

 Confidence intervals
Mean (95% CI): 223.2 (210.2 to 253.2) mg/dl
Mean (95% CI): 54 (40 to 68) mcg/l

SD, SE
Avoid this format: 50 + 12 mcg/L
 May be read: + 1 SD, 2 SD, 1 SE, 2 SE

Preferably:
 50 (SD 12) mcg/L

 42.3 (SE 4.73) mcg/L

 Examples: in text
At the end of the first month the mean total
cholesterol level decreased from 230 (SD 43)
mg/dl to 176 (SD 38) mg/dl (mean reduction
54, 95% confidence interval 30 to 78 mg/dl, P
= 0.032).
 Examples: in table
Group A Group B
Sex (M/F) 43/32 40/45
Age - mean (SD) yr 34 (12) 33 (9)
Weight – mean (SD) kg 59 (3.5) 57 (4.1)
DBP - mean (SD) kg 84 (9) 86 (7.5)
Cholesterol - mean (SD) mg/dl 223 (32) 221 (26)
 Results: P values & CIs
Exact P value, e.g., P = 0.023 instead of P <0.05
Include confidence intervals when appropriate, esp.
for main results
Do not repeat P values or CIs in the text if they have
been presented in tables
Avoid providing P = 0.0000, instead P < 0.0001
 Discussion
Explain the meaning of the findings by:
 comparing with previous studies
 relating its implications on current
practice
Do not repeat frequently findings that have
been described in Results section.
Address study limitations
 Discussion
Avoid
Excessively repeat things that have been
written in Results section
Insufficient comparison to previous studies
Do not relate to current practice
“Hiding” study weakness or limitations
Style: Repeated opening phrases: - see next
 Examples of repeated opening phrases
In this research, the mean age of the subjects
was ……
In this research, boys outnumbered girls ……..
In this research, the difference between …….
In this research, (hmmmmmm!!!!) …….
In this research, (dengkulmu!!!) ……..

Note: “In our study” is more commonly used than “in our research”
 Discussion

Conclusions
Should answer all previously stated
research question(s)
Must be supported by own data
 Discussion
Common errors
Answers not previously stated question(s)
Conclusions are not based on own data (e.g.,
based on literature review)
‘Other findings’ are included as conclusions
 References
‘Vancouver style’ (see example) vs. ‘Harvard style’
Refer to: ICJME (International Committee of
Medical Journal Editors (last amendment: October
2008)
Abbreviations of Journal’s name: refer to NLM-
NIH
In-house style may modify standard style
Should 100% match between citation numbers in
the text & reference list
 Journal articles
Journal article, 6 or less authors:
– Winichagoon P, Fucharoen S, Chen P, Wasi P.
Genetic factors affecting clinical severity in b-
thalassemia syndromes. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol.
2000;22:573-80
Journal article, >6 authors.
– Sogut A, Altin R, Uzun L, Ugur MB, Tomac N,
Acun C, et al. Prevalence of obstructive apnea
syndrome and associated symptoms in 3-11 year-
old Turkish children. Pediatr Pulmonol.
2005;39:251-6.
 Books
Book / Monogram:
– Madden R, Hogan T. The definition of disability in
Australia: moving towrds national consistency.
Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare;
1997. p. 267-73.
Book with edition:
– Renton M. Compendium of good writing. 3rd ed.
Milton: John Wiley & Sons; 2004.
Chapter of the book:
– Blaxter M. Social class and health inequalities. In:
Carter C, Peel J, editors. Equalities and inequalities in
health. London: Academic Press; 1976. p. 369-80.
 Others
Thesis or dissertation:
– Wood MA. A study of the perception of the impact of
modeling on the development of commitment to action in
decision conferencing [PhD Thesis]. Perth (WA): Curtin
University of Technology; 2004.
Electronic materials:
– Pettinger R. Global organizations [monograph online].
Oxford: Capston Publishing; 2002 [cited 2004 Sep 28]>
available from: http://www.netlibrary.
Conference Proceeding.
– Hamden P, Joffe JK, Jones WG, editors. Germ cell tumors V.
Proceeding of the 5th Germ Cell Tumor Conference; 2001 Sep
13-15; Leeds, UK. New York: Springer; 2002.
 English language

Tenses:
Introduction - Present tense, because it
refers to general truth
Methods - Past tense, because it
addresses completed actions in the past
Results - Past tense
Discussion - Swinging between present &
past, depending on the issue
discussed
 English language
Spelling:

‘American English’
 anemia vs. anaemia
 color vs. colour
 randomized vs. randomised
 leukocytes vs. leucocytes
Always use spell checker!!!! (easy & very useful)
 English language
Effective English vs. wordy expressions
Subject – predicate agreement
Use commonly used phrases or terms, e.g. potassium
- hyperkalemia
sodium - hyponatremia
platelets - thrombocytopenia
Appropriate use of connecting phrases
Punctuations: full stop, comma, colon, semicolon,
brackets are typed without space
Full stop (26.4%) instead of comma (26,4%) for decimal
separation
 Use more active than passive voices
• The patients were randomized to either receive
……. or …..
– We randomized the patients to either receive …
• Subjects who had spinal abnormality, those with
history of seizures, or those with chromosomal
abnormality were excluded …
– We excluded subjects with spinal abnormality,
those with history of seizures, …
 Crucial!!!
Alignment of
! ! !
se
Title e n
n s
m o
Research Questions / Hypotheses

o m
e c Methods

Us Conclusions
 Crucial!!!
Read carefully
“Instructions to authors”
word by word!!

Use check-list!!
 Importantl!!!
Read and re-read,
Revise and re-revise,
Ask all authors to read
Ask other colleagues to read
Keep the manuscript in your drawer for a few days
Read and re-read
Revise and re-revise
Make sure that all meet journal requirements
Before asking your secretary
to send the manuscript!!!
Brief and clear: brevity and clarity is a must
Avoid jargons!!:
– a considerable amount of - much
– absolutely essential - essential
– as a consequence of - because
– at an earlier date - previously
– at this point of time - now
– despite the fact that - although
– for the purpose of - for
– in a satisfactory manner - satisfactorily
– new initiatives - initiatives
For theses or dissertations: reasonably much
more pages than journal format, but “the
thicker the better” is wrong, dead wrong
Huth: Most >150-page long theses pages
usually have only 50 pages that scientifically
needed
Important concepts in life are usually expressed in short
words:
• hidup - mati • life - death
• siang - malam • Day - night
• cinta - benci • love - hate
• sehat - sakit • healthy - sick
• susah - senang • sad - joy
• lapar - kenyang • hungry - full
• kaya - miskin • rich - poor
• gelap - terang • dark - bright
Guidelines for reporting (ICMJE)
Clinical Trials: CONSORT – Consolidated
Standard for Reporting Trials
Diagnostic studies: STARD – Statement for Reporting
Diagnostic Accuracy Studies
Prognostic studies: REMARK
Etiological studies: STROBE
Meta-analysis:
 Trials: QUOROM (1999)
 Non-exp studies: MOOSE (2000)
 Meta & SR PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items
for Systematic Review and Meta-
analyses)