How to Formally Present
a Review of a Study

You should be able to outline and evaluate a publication in 10 minutes or less. Strive to paraphrase, rather than quote.

Study Outline

• Introduction
   
  • Title
  • Authors
     
    • Name of lead author; can include any other author who is significant
    • Number of other authors
    • Qualifications of authors: where are they from (general, e.g., McGill University, OHSU, Harvard); training of authors (e.g., 2 pediatricians and 1 PhD, probably statistician)
       
  • Funding. Drug company versus government agency versus foundation, etc.
  • Study Objective. A single sentence description of what study tried examine or answer.
  • Background. A description of problem leading to study and previous work or lack of work which led to study. Some of this will be in the introduction, but you will also, illogically, find much of this information in the methods and discussion sections as well.
     
• Methods
   
  • Design. This should be a short descriptive phrase describing study design.
  • Setting. Note where, geographically, the study took place (e.g. Netherlands, Northeast USA, 37 countries around the world).
  • Sample population. A description of the entire group of patients available to the investigators from which to choose the sample. Hopefully this population will be the same for both groups.
  • Inclusion criteria. Paraphrase as much as possible.
  • Exclusion criteria. Omit if information basically covered in inclusion criteria.
  • Intervention. Include information about how sample members were allocated to treatment, what that treatment was, how outcome measures were tested for, and describe the follow-up process.
  • Major study endpoints. What are the primary and secondary outcome measures?
  • Statistical analysis. Describe what tests were done, and state whether or not each was appropriate and why. Also explain why other tests may have been more appropriate.
     
• Results
   
  • Patients
     
    • How many patients were in each group?
    • How did their baseline characteristics compare?
       
  • Endpoints
     
    • Primary endpoints
    • Secondary endpoints
    • Note any other outcomes that were particularly interesting
    • Include raw numbers as well as information about statistical significance
       
• Discussion
   
  • Conclusion of study authors in one sentence.
  • Discussion information presented by authors

Presenter's Evaluation

• Study strengths. List and justify.
• Study weaknesses. List and justify--study strengths and weaknesses must consider potential bias, confounding, and significance
• Applicability. Present overall opinion of study and state how study could fit into the practice of pharmacy.