Poor quality reporting makes research interpretation problematic and efforts to replicate research very difficult. If research is not reported, or is reported poorly, the time and money spent conducting the research is wasted. It is therefore critical that researchers communicate their results effectively. Regretfully, there is a longstanding problem with poor reporting in biomedical research. This problem was highlighted in a recent Lancet Special Issue entitled ‘Research: Increasing value, reducing waste’.
As you set out to write your manuscript, consider the following recommendations from Bradford Hill with respect to the basic questions all scientific reports of research should answer:
While these may seem like simple questions to guide your writing, research shows that at least half of research reports are unusable because of their poor reporting quality.
Reporting guidelines are checklists of the key components a paper should report. There are different reporting guidelines for different types of research designs. The EQUATOR Network hosts over 250 reporting guidelines, which are available via a searchable online database.
You can use reporting guidelines to help write your article, or to cross-check it once it is written.
Some reporting guidelines (e.g. SPIRIT for trials; PRISMA-P for systematic reviews) are specifically designed for writing protocols.
When drafting your manuscript, we strongly recommend you visit the EQUATOR Network website and use a relevant reporting guideline. EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) is an international network that seeks to tackle issues with poor reporting. Specifically, they aim to improve the reliability of the published biomedical literature through promotion of reporting quality and rigorously developed reporting guidelines. Following reporting guidelines ensures that peer reviewers and future readers have all the necessary information to judge the quality of your research. The EQUATOR Network is supported by numerous organizations and institutions, including COPE (the Committee On Publications Ethics). There is also a range of useful writing tools available via the Equator Website, including examples of good quality reporting.
Use the EQUATOR Wizard tool to determine which reporting guideline to use for writing up your research.
