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Building the skeletonA medical scientific article follows a standard structure called IMRaD: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. This structure helps readers find information quickly and ensures your research is presented logically. The Introduction explains why the study was needed, the Methods describe how you did it, the Results show what you found, and the Discussion interprets the findings. Most medical journals require this format, so mastering it is essential for your future career.
📖 Définition
IMRaD stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion — the four main sections of a scientific article.
🔍 Exemple
A title like 'Effect of Aspirin on Blood Pressure in Elderly Patients' follows the IMRaD structure in its content.
⭐ À retenir
Always write the sections in the order I-M-R-a-D, even if you draft them in a different order.
💡 À retenir : IMRaD is the universal structure for medical research papers.
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Setting the sceneThe Introduction moves from general background information to the specific research question. Start by describing the broader medical context, then narrow down to what is still unknown — this is called the 'gap' in the literature. Finally, state your objective clearly, often using phrases like 'The aim of this study was to...' or 'We hypothesized that...'. Keep the introduction concise, usually 3-4 paragraphs, and avoid detailed results or conclusions.
📢 Rappel
Academic writing uses formal tone: avoid contractions (don't, can't) and personal opinions.
📖 Définition
A 'gap' is a missing piece of knowledge that your study aims to fill.
🔍 Exemple
'Although many studies have examined diabetes, few have focused on adolescent patients in rural areas.'
💡 À retenir : The introduction moves from general to specific, ending with your research objective.
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Describing what you did and foundThe Methods section describes your study design, participants, materials, and statistical analysis. Use the past simple tense and often the passive voice: 'Blood samples were collected from 120 patients.' The Results section presents your findings objectively, without interpretation. Use tables and figures to summarize data, and refer to them in the text: 'As shown in Table 1, the mean age was 58 years.' Never discuss the meaning of results here — that belongs in the Discussion.
⭐ À retenir
Methods = past simple + passive voice; Results = objective data presentation, no interpretation.
📖 Définition
Passive voice: 'The drug was administered' instead of 'We administered the drug' — common in scientific writing.
🔍 Exemple
'Participants were recruited from three hospitals between January and June 2023.'
💡 À retenir : Use past tense and passive voice in Methods; present results clearly with figures.
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Interpreting your findingsThe Discussion section answers the question 'So what?' — it explains the meaning of your results. Start by summarizing the main findings, then compare them with previous studies. Acknowledge the limitations of your study honestly, such as small sample size or short follow-up. Finally, conclude with the clinical implications and suggest directions for future research. Use hedging language like 'suggest', 'may', or 'appears to' to avoid overclaiming.
📢 Rappel
Hedging language softens claims: 'Our data suggest' is safer than 'Our data prove'.
📖 Définition
Limitations are weaknesses of your study that may affect the validity of the results.
⭐ À retenir
Never introduce new results in the Discussion; only interpret what you already presented.
💡 À retenir : The discussion answers 'So what?' and suggests future research.