Outline for Journal Club Presentation

I. Introduction
A. Study objective/purpose
1. Is the purpose of the study clearly stated?
B. Hypotheses
1. Is the research question or hypothesis clearly stated?
II. Methodology/Study Design
A. Desin of the e!peri"ent/trial
1. Is it a clinical trial# cohort# case$control# cross$sectional# or case$
series?
B. %opulation/sa"ple
1. &hat are the criteria for inclusion and e!clusion of subjects?
'. &hat li"itations result?
(. )reat"ent allocation
1. Ho* are subjects chosen or recruited? +ando"ly?
'. If not,
a. Are they representative of the population?
b. Ho* *ere patients selected for the study to avoid bias?
c. If historical controls *ere used# *ere "ethods and criteria
the sa"e for the e!peri"ental roup# and *ere cases and
controls co"pared on pronostic factors?
-. If there is a control roup# ho* is it chosen?
.. Ho* are patients follo*ed up? &ho are the dropouts# and ho*
"any are there? &ere the circu"stances for patients droppin out
e!plained by the authors?
/. Do the authors e!plain or ive a reference to any unusual "ethod
used in the study?
D. 0utco"e "easures
1. Are there "ultiple endpoints?
'. Are subroup analyses perfor"ed and# if so# reported
appropriately?
1. Statistical analysis
1. Are the statistical "ethods used in the study specified in sufficient
detail?
'. Is there a state"ent about the sa"ple si2e or po*er? 3State"ents
on po*er are especially critical in a neative study4.
-. Do the statistical tests ans*er the research questions? Are all
relevant outco"es reported?
.. &ere repeated "easures "ade over ti"e# and if so# *ere they
analy2ed appropriately?
III. Results
A. Do the results relate to research questions proposed in the study
objectives?
B. Are actual values reported 3e..# "eans# standard deviations# proportions4#
not just the results of statistical tests?
(. In paired desins# is the "anitude and rane of the differences reported?
D. Are roup si"ilar on baseline "easures? If not# *ere appropriated
analyses done to ta5e differences into consideration?
1. Are appropriate raphics used to present results clearly?
IV. Study Discussion/Students Conclusions
A. Interpretation of results
1. Are the questions posed in the study adequately addressed?
'. Are the conclusions justified fro" the data?
B. Does the student reflect on the clinical and statistical sinificance of
results fro" the study?
(. Does the student co"pare results fro" the study to those of si"ilar studies
perfor"ed?
D. Discuss study li"itations
1. Are shortco"ins of the study addressed and constructive
suestions iven for the future research?
1. Applicability of results
1. Do the authors e!trapolate beyond the data?