Scientific Reporting and Peer Review

• Abstract


  Key details of the research support
• Introduction


  A look at past research on a similar topic and outlines the aims and hypothesis of the research
• Method


  How the research was carried out, sampling method, experimental designs, types of experiment, variables, process, tasks, instructions, equipment
• Results 


  Includes condensed data in graphs and tables, statistics
• Discussion 


  Discussion of results/study, with pros and cons, then conclusions are made
• Referencing 


  Crediting where data, materials and ideas came from

  • Article - Names, Date published , Title, Name of journal, Volume number, page number
• Descriptive Statistics 


  Measure of Central tendency (Averages)

  Measure of Dispersion (Range, standard deviation)
• Inferential Statistics


  Stats testing
• Aims of peer review


  Ensure research intended to be published is of high quality

  To allocate research funding - project is worthwhile (Medical application)

  To validate quality and relevance of research

  Suggest amendments or improvements
• Benefits of Peer Review


  Real world application - medical professionals can refer to research so peer-review ensures research is reliable and credible
• Limitations of Peer Review 


  Could be bias

  Hard to find experts for new findings

  Slow, expensive, highly subjective, prone to bias, easily abused

  Poor at detecting gross defects and fraud