1. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Chapter 19 Presentation of Findings

2. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Chapter Overview The dissemination of research findings as a part of the research process. Differences between presentation and publication of findings. Poster and platform presentations at professional meetings. Advantages and unique features of each presentation forum. Publication of peer-reviewed papers is held in higher regard than presentations at professional meetings. Advantages of publishing research findings. Workings of a well-prepared presentation. Components of a well-written research paper.

3. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Types of Presentations The dissemination of research findings occurs almost exclusively through presentations at professional meetings and publication of manuscripts. It is common that research findings are first made public at professional meetings with subsequent publication in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal. From the perspective of the investigator/presenter, professional meetings provide an opportunity to showcase his or her work and to receive feedback that often refines and directs future projects. The reasons that publication is viewed as being a greater accomplishment than presentation include the fact the manuscripts receive the most thorough and critical review from peers since journals receive far more submissions than they have the capacity to print.

4. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Posters and Platform Presentation To present research findings at a professional meeting, the investigators must: –respond to a call for abstracts from the organization sponsoring the meeting. –submit an abstract for review. Each organization provides guidelines: the length and style of the abstract, and the submission deadlines. Abstract is submitted.  A panel of professionals within the organization reviews the submissions that meet the standards for acceptance.  Accepted abstracts are presented as a poster or platform (oral) presentation. Formats of presentation: usually assigned rather than selected by the presenter; different formats require different presentation skills.

5. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Posters and Platform Presentation (continued) Posters describe an entire research project and convey the most important points in an orderly format within a limited space. Consumers attending a meeting have blocks of time to browse through and read groupings of posters. Platform Presentations: Require the development of effective graphics. –The graphics used must support the presentation, not become the presentation. Require effective use of time. Require planning, practice, and anticipation of the questions that might be asked during a brief question and answer session. Ultimate goal: to publish reports from research in journals that are widely read and indexed in commonly used databases such as PubMed and CINAHL.

6. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Scientific Writing The final step in the research process: conveying and discussing the results of an investigation in a manuscript. A well-written research paper: –leads the reader through the purpose of the work. –carefully describes the research methods. –presents the results. –concludes with a discussion of the meaning and application of the findings in a logical and easily understood manner. Manuscripts receive heavy scrutiny. Authors must see the merits in constructive criticism rather than taking criticism personally.

7. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Author Guidelines Authors’ guidelines explain the format and style requirements for papers published in particular journals. Published by professional journals. The more closely the guidelines are adhered to, the better the chances of success. Failure to comply with an authors’ guide may lead to the rejection of a paper without peer review. The guidelines relate to all aspects of the manuscript: title; abstract; body of the paper; and standards for the format of tables, figures, and references. Limits are placed on the length of an abstract or the entire manuscript, and on the number of tables, figures, and references.

8. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Title and Abstract Titles should be given careful consideration once the manuscript has been fully developed. The title concisely describes the paper in a manner that will attract the interest of the reader. Some journals limit the length of a title. The best titles are usually highly descriptive without being exceeding long. The abstract precedes the full text of a paper and should be viewed as a miniversion of the paper. Abstracts assist readers in locating the information they seek. Authors need to prepare an abstract that best represents their work, whereas consumers must be able to scan abstracts to identify the research that is priority reading.

9. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins The Introduction Problems Common to Introduction Sections 1.Length must be controlled: a well-written introduction identifies a problem or a question in need of study, provides a brief review of the most important relevant literature, and concludes with a clear statement of purpose for the research. Three or four paragraphs are sufficient. 2.Citing more of the literature than required: s ave the detail related to previously published literature for the Discussion section of the paper,and “cut to the chase” in the introduction. 3.Failing to concisely define the purpose of the investigation and “weave the thread” through the entire paper to a concluding statement. 4.The research methods, reported results, and discussion of the results must reflect the stated purpose. 5.Authors tend to overstate the importance of the work.

10. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Methods A well prepared Methods section pays close attention to detail. The use of subheadings in a Methods section is often required by authors’ guidelines. Example: Authors’ Guide for Physical Therapy calls for the Methods section of a clinical trial to be structured as follows: – Design Overview Setting and Participants Randomization and Interventions Outcomes and Follow-up Statistical Analysis Role of the Funding Source Laboratory reports often include: Subjects, Instruments, Procedures, and Statistical Analyses as subheadings of the Methods section. Last subheading in a Methods section: methods used to analyze data must be explained in sufficient detail to permit replication of the study. This also serves as a transition into the reporting of results.

11. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Results For the consumer, learning the results of an investigation is the reason for investing the time to read a paper. The Results section provides answers to the question or questions posed in the introduction. Answers should be provided directly with sufficient references to statistics, tables, and figures. Common problems: –The presentation of statistical methods in the Results section –The tendency to report statistics over answers to the key question or questions The most important result should be reported first. In reporting statistically significant differences: report the results and reference the statistic rather than reporting the statistical outcome. The Results section should account for participants that drop out and give reasons for discontinuing their participation. The Results section may consist of a single paragraph supported by several tables and/or figures. Information presented in tables and figures should not be repeated in the text of a Results section.

12. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Tables and Figures Tables and figures should be used to provide the reader with as much information as needed to understand the results of the study and to apply the findings to his or her practice or research. –At a minimum, mean values with confidence intervals, variance estimates, or both, should be provided for all groups across time. Tables are set off from the main text and used to present numerical and well as textual information. A well-developed table conveys extensive information to the reader yet occupies little space in the paper. Figures are materials that convey information to the reader. Examples: photographs, computer-generated images, algorithms, and graphic displays of data. The information within a figure should not repeat information from the text or a table.

13. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Discussion and Conclusion Discussion: author(s) have the opportunity to suggest applications for their results, compare their results to works previously published, probe theoretical foundations, and identify topics for future research. The Discussion section has the greatest impact on how favorably a paper is judged once published and plays a significant role in seeing a paper accepted for publication. Common problem: Excessive speculation –The Discussion section should not simply repeat the Results section. –Results should be kept in perspective. –The generalization of results beyond the bounds of the study setting and population must be addressed with caution, and the limitations of the study should be fully disclosed. Discussion extends beyond the purpose: too long and excessively speculative. Conclusion: the final words should directly address the main question or questions posed in the statement of purpose.

14. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Final Suggestions 1.Writing mud 2.Seek review 3.Be patient Writing mud: comes from Dr. George Sheehan—writing what comes to mind or what he referred to as mud. When struggling to get ideas on paper, begin with mud. Once the mud has taken form, seek constructive criticism. Once the feedback has been incorporated into the paper, the last step is to let the paper sit for a few days. Be patient rather than rushing to submit the work for review by an editorial board in consideration of publication. If all is in order, the paper is ready to submit. We have found, however, that this is prime time for revising wording and shortening and generally fine-tuning the writing.

15. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Chapter Summary and Key Points Titles should be highly descriptive without being exceedingly long. The body of a scientific paper is divided into sections, which provide order and enhance the transitions through the course of the manuscript. The use of subheadings in a Methods section is encouraged and often is required by authors’ guidelines. The Methods section should convey exactly how, when, and where data were acquired and provide sufficient detail to replicate the data analysis. The Results section should provide answers to the question or questions posed in the Introduction section. Information presented in tables and figures should not be repeated in the text of a Results section. A well-written Discussion section brings data to life and leaves the reader filled with new insights and ideas.