Understanding Clinical Research: Understanding

Title – introduces what the research will be about, which treatment is being tested, and which strategy is being used.

Abstract – will contain the most relevant information from the trial so readers will know what was done and learned.

Design – how the method will be applied and describes the structure of activities that will reveal the cause and effect relationship as defined in the research question.

Method – framework for the research with the main two being interventional and observational.

Statistical analysis – draws conclusions based on observed data and there are typically four methods:

• ANOVA (to determine how one factor impacts a response variable)
• ANCOVA (includes one or more covariates)
• MANOVA (identical to ANOVA but uses two or more response variables)
• MANCOVA (identical to MANOVA but includes one or more covariates)

Results – where the findings of the research will be reported based on the data gathered from the methodology applied.

Keeping these questions in mind will help you comprehend the clinical research. They will help you keep track of what you should be looking for as well as help you with interpreting the data.