This document provides a template for summarizing a journal article. It outlines the key elements to include such as why you read the article, search strategy, study descriptors, research question, methods, validity, results, and relevance. The template guides the reader to extract and present the essential details and findings of the article in a clear and structured manner.

1. Summarising
a
Journal
Article1
[Salford
Medical
Student
Journal
Club]
Why
you
read
it
- Case
on
the
wards
- Personal
interest
- Exam
preparation
- Background
reading
for
a
Project
option/SSC/PBL
case
- Wanting
sound
medical
practice!
Your
search
Medline,
Google
scholar,
the
library,
stumbled
across
it...
strategy
Standard
Type
of
Qu
Diagnostic,
therapeutic,
prognostic,
aetiologic,
economic,
physiological
descriptors
Type
of
Study
Randomised
controlled
trial:
Random
allocation
to
receive
a
particular
clinical
intervention
Meta-­‐analysis:
combining
the
results
of
several
studies
that
address
a
set
of
related
research
hypotheses
Case
control:
Case-­‐control
studies
are
used
to
identify
factors
that
may
contribute
to
a
medical
condition
by
comparing
subjects
who
have
that
condition
(the
'cases')
with
patients
who
do
not
have
the
condition
but
are
otherwise
similar
(the
'controls').
Retrospective
cohort:
Taking
data
from
a
particular
cohort
and
comparing
for
a
particular
outcome.
An
odd’s
ratio
can
then
be
formed
to
assess
relative
risk.
Cross-­‐sectional:
a
randomly
selected
patient
cohort
studied
to
assess
factors
associated
with
the
incidence
or
prevalence
of
a
disease/condition.
Cost
effectiveness
analysis:
Comparing
the
relative
costs
and
outcomes
(effects)
of
two
or
more
courses
of
action.
Where
done
(if
relevant)
country/city,
multicentre,
subspeciality
clinic
Other
features
Anything
that
makes
the
study
stand
out
e.g.
Prominent
author
/
research
team
or
first
research
of
its
kind
Research
What
is
the
hypothesis
being
tested?
question
(PICO)
It’s
importance
Why
is
this
an
important
question
to
test?
Methods
Population
Who
was
studied?
Intervention
Therapies,
tests,
risk
factor,
Controls
What
was
this
group
compared
to?
Outcomes
What
were
the
deciding
outcomes
of
the
study
e.g.
stroke/no
stroke
Outcomes
could
be
clinical,
functional,
economic,
...
Validity
of
study
GATE
framework
(see
reference
2)
Results
The
primary
results
related
to
the
original
question
(Only
present
secondary
findings
if
relevant)

2. Relevance
External
validity
- Can
you
apply
the
results
to
your
particular
studies
or
future
FY
practice?
- How
do
the
results
relate
to
your
original
presentation/interesting
patient?
References
1. Schwartz
MD,
Dowell
D,
Aperi
J,
Kalet
AL.
Improving
journal
club
presentations,
or,
I
can
present
that
paper
in
under
10
minutes.
Evid
Based
Med.
2007
Jun;12(3):66-­‐8
2. Jackson
R,
Ameratunga
S,
Broad
J,
Connor
J,
Lethaby
A,
Robb
G,
Wells
S,
Glasziou
P,
Heneghan
C.
The
GATE
frame:
critical
appraisal
with
pictures.
Evid
Based
Med.
2006
Apr;11(2):35-­‐8.

3. Summarising
a
Journal
Article
Template
Why
you
read
it
Your
search
strategy
Standard
Type
of
Qu
descriptors
Type
of
Study
Where
done
Other
features
Research
question
(PICO)
It’s
importance
Methods
Population
Intervention
Controls
Outcomes
Validity
of
study
Results
Relevance