Thi-Qar university
College of medicine
Department of family & community medicine
4th stage
Writing a research paper
A student guide to instruction, structure , and
style
Dr. Ali Abdulrahman Sagban
Family medicine specialist
[Link].B F.I.C.M.S (FM)
Learning objectives
By the end of research work, students are expected to:
1- Understand some basic concepts of research.
2-Determine the steps of research work.
3-Prepare and write project proposal.
4-Organize and conduct research .
What is research?
Research is a systematic process based
on scientific method that consist of
testing hypothesis, careful observation
and measurement, systematic
evaluation of data and drawing valid
conclusions .
Research skills are an essential component of
medical education, students are expected to
develop a reasonable understanding of the
principles of research. This foundational
knowledge serve as a cornerstone for applying
the results of research to promote community
health and enhance patient care , making it a
pivotal aspect that underscores our
encouragement for students to actively engage in
reading and writing medical literature .
This guide introduces the basic
principles essential for successful
research writing efforts ,
fostering a seamless connection
between the acquisition of
research skills and their practical
application in the medical field .
Steps in research work
1-Selection of the topic:
The choice of the topic is the responsibility of the
students, in consultation with the supervisor. It
is advisable to select a relevant problem or topic ,
aiming to find and highlight the solution that
improve the population health and students
achievement.
2- Writing and submitting of research proposal
to achieve the approval of scientific committee:
During the protocol (proposal) development process , students
can and should seek advice from professors and experts to
enhance their plans. The written protocol should include :
a) Project title : should convey the maximum information
with the minimum of words.
b) Background : clarify and summarize the area of protocol.
c) Research hypothesis: illustrate the research question(s).
d) Research rationale : clear justification for the study with a
brief description of the most relevant studies published on
the subject to support the rationale.
e) Objectives : should be simple , specific , measurable ,
achievable , relevant and time limited. (SSMART)
f) Methodology: the methodology section has to be planned
carefully and written in full detail . It is the most
important part of protocol . It should include
information on the :
Research design
Research setting and time
Research population, sample, and sampling methods with
determination of sample size.
What are inclusion and exclusion criteria .
Methods of data collection ( questionnaire, interview,
records,….etc.).
Intervention introduced ( drug, operation ,etc.), observation
to be made , laboratory or other diagnostic procedure , etc.
Data management and analysis: how data will be managed,
available computer facility or software and the statistical
methods ( descriptive & inferential).
g) Ethical consideration and ethical issue : a consent
form must be developed and special care is needed when
subjects are vulnerable.
h) References: (15-20) references.
i) The maximum length must not exceed 3000 words of
text , 5-6 papers.
3- Working in data collection ( participants,
patients, records , investigations)
4- writing the draft
The written draft should include :
Title
Structured abstract : although it should appears at
the beginning of the research , it is often the last thing to
be written . An abstract of about 250-300 words with the
following headings:
Background ( motivation or rationale of study)
Objective (specific)
Subjects (patients, materials) and methods: setting,
participant, measurements and analytical methods .
Results
Conclusions
Introduction ( include literature review): it is
important for convincing readers about the relevance of
the study, including the magnitude and severity of the
problems. While a full history of the topic is not necessary,
the inclusion of relevant studies by other researchers is
crucial. At the end of the introduction, the goals and
objectives of the study should be outlined.
Methodology ( same as proposal) : it is the heart of the
study that describe how the work was performed step by
step. Students could use the term ;
1. Patients and methods ( if patients) or
2. Subject and methods ( if healthy participants) or
3. Material and methods ( if deal with materials)
Results : it present the plain data that students found
with a minimum amount of explanation . Measurements
and observations are gathered and illustrated in text,
tables or graphs.
Discussion : the interpretation of results with
justification of each interpretation. It consist of three
parts;
1. Highlighting the overall research outcome.
2. Explain and comparing specific research outcomes.
3. Stating research strengths and limitations.
Conclusion and recommendations: should be
1. Fulfilled perfectly the objectives of the study.
2. Obtained directly from the finding of the study.
3. Arranged in logic sequence from the study.
References : the student should ;
1. Include 30-40 references , with 80% of them been from the
last 10 years .
2. Apply Vancouver referencing system.
The references can be numbered in the sequence in which they
appear in the research and then listed in order in the list of
references .
The most common source of references are:
Books especially electronic books.
Journal articles, include electronic journal .
Previous studies .
Academic and scientific websites.
Others .
Appendices : documents that are directly related to the
main contents but are not included in the primary text.
This section contains:
I. Questionnaire
II. Supplementary materials ( official permission )
III. Additional data , chart , graphs , tables
A summary in Arabic : the Arabic summary should
match the English version, while avoiding the use of
Google translation.
Printing structure and style
The pages should range from 30-40
Printing style should be :
The font size for the body text is 14 , table information is
12,headings are in bold with a font size 16, and chapter titles
are in bold with a font size 18.
For Arabic text , use Arial font ,and for English text, use new
times Roman font . The line spacing is 1.5
Chapter titles and their numbers are written in the middle of
the page at the beginning of each chapter . On a separate page
, they should be in font size 36.
A new paragraph begins with an indentation of 2 cm to the
right in English text and to the left in Arabic text.
Numbering should be in the middle of the bottom of the page.
References
1-Writing a research paper in the joint program ( Iraqi board
for medical specialization). Edited by professor Yousif
AbdulRaheem ( chairman of the scientific council of family
and community medicine ).
2- Introduction to clinical research for residents ( booklet
2014).