How to write methods for an article from your thesis dissertation? I gives the list of heading under which methods sections have to be written.

1. Methods
Dr. Jayaramachandran S
Associate Professor
Department Of Community Medicine
08.01.2020

2. Structure of an article
1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Review of literature
4. Methods
5. Results / Findings
6. Discussion / Conclusion
7. Recommendations
8. Limitation
9. Strength & weakness
10. References

3. Difference b/n Methods & Methodology
Methods
• Research methods are the
various procedures, schemes
and algorithms used in research.
• They include theoretical
procedures, experimental
studies, numerical schemes,
statistical approaches, etc.
Methodology
• It is a science of studying how
research is to be carried out.
• It is also defined as the study of
methods by which knowledge is
gained. Its aim is to give the
work plan of research.

4. How to write methods?

5. What is the purpose of the methods section?
Allows a researcher to replicate a study
Scientists can judge whether the conclusions
drawn can be reached?
Permits inferences to be drawn regarding the
quality of the study

6. How to write?
Start with what you first did to answer
your question
Divide into subsections if long
Provide enough information to enable
another investigator to replicate the work

7. Materials & Methods
• Study design
• Study setting
• Study population
• Study period
• Sample size & Sampling frame
• Inclusion & exclusion criteria
• Procedure of data collection
• Operational definitions
• Data entry & analysis
• Test of significance used
• Significance level
• Ethical considerations

8. Materials & Methods
Describe your selection of the subjects/patients/animals clearly.
Identify the apparatus used (manufacturer's name and address
in parentheses)
Identify precisely all drugs and chemicals used, including generic
name(s), dose(s), and route(s) of administration.

9. Statistics
• Describe sample size estimation and methods by which bias was
eliminated – Randomization methods
• State how data are summarized (central tendency and variation)
• Identify the statistical tests used (which variable and what test)
• State the level of significance
• Details of computer Software used

10. Statistical analysis
• Values are expressed as mean ± SD.
• The statistical significance of difference between the means was
analysed by one-way non-parametric ANOVA and Dunnett’s test.
• P <0.05 was considered significant.
• All the statistical manipulations were carried out using GraphPad®
Prism Software (Graphpad Software Inc., USA).

11. Ethical considerations
• Mention whether approval of ethics committee was obtained.
• Indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with
the ethical standards. (animals/humans)
• State whether informed consent from patients were obtained.
• If using photographs, state whether permission to use them was
obtained from the patient.

12. Sample size
• With =0.05 and a power of 90% to detect an absolute difference of
20% between the proportion of patients with antibiotic associated
diarrhoea in the placebo (assumed at 30%) and probiotic (assumed at
10%) groups we estimated that we needed a sample size of 164 (82 in
each group).

13. Thank you
Any queries?