Analysing a scientific article

The simplest way to analyse an article from a scientific jour­nal is to look at the checklist of requirements for good scientific research. The CONSORT document has been produced as a guideline of how to conduct clinical trials. A good paper will look at a specific clinical problem for which improving the outcome would realise significant clinical ben­efits. Looking in detail at the study design will often be the best way of deciding whether or not a trial is a good one. The CONSORT document includes a checklist for the conduct of good randomised trials (Table 72.3). Often clinicians over­look biases which others find obvious to detect that can have a profound influence on the outcome of any study.