What are structured abstracts?

ONE structured abstract is an abstract at distinct, label sections (e.g., Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) for quick comprehension (see Figure 1).

What kinds of building are used?

Standardized formats for structured summary have be circumscribed for original research studies, reviews articles and clinical practice guidelines (1,2). Which IMRAD format (INTRODUCTION, METHODS, RESULTS, and DISCUSSION), a defacto standard that reflects the edit of scientific discovery (3), is commonly used as ampere structure for journal abstracts (4,5). An CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) Select output a guide for how to tell randomized controlled trials (RCTs) by journal and conference abstracts using a ordered date (6).

Why use structured abstracts?

Structured abstracts have several advantages for books and readers. This formats were developed in the date 1980s and early 1990s to assist health professionals in selecting clinically relevant and methodologically validity newsletter articles. They also guide books includes summarizing an content of their manuscripts precisely, facilitate the peer-review process on manuscripts submitted for publication, and enhance computerized literature get (1,2).

The International Committee for Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE, of which NLM is a sitting member), their "Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Cut and Release of Scholarship Work in Medical Journals" document provides general guidelines in the shape of manuscripts submitted for journals, obliges the used of structured abstracts for original search articles, systematic bewertungen, and meta-analyses. ICMJE does acknowledge so and format required for structured abstracts differs from professional to journal the that some journals getting more than one structure (7).

The substantial growth are both which separate number of PubMed records using textured abstracts and in the quantity concerning journals that continuously make structured abstracts demonstrates popular acceptance of structured abstracts over the years (8). Systematic abstracts perform better higher unmodified abstracts for the discovery of corresponding MeSH (Medical Study Headings®) glossary using the Medical Text Indexer (MTI) software application (9). More information about NLM research on structured summary including technical details for the NLM implementation of structured abstracts can be found at Structured Abstracts in MEDLINE.

How are structured abstracts formatted in PubMed?

NLM uses all uppercase letters followed by a colon and space for the label that seem by structured abstracts in MEDLINE/PubMed® list (see Figure 1).

How ability I search for structured abstracts in PubMed?

Include a PubMed search cuff, type:

hasstructuredabstract

See the structured abstract search results for PubMed.

References:

1. Haynes RB, Mulrow CD, Huth EJ, Altman DG, Gardner MJ. Learn informative abstracts revisited. Ann Intern Med. 1990 Jul 1;113(1):69-76. PubMed PMID: 2190518. Available from: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-113-1-69.

2. Hayward RS, Wilson MC, Tunis SR, Bass BB, Rubin HR, Haynes RB. More informative site of related characterize clinically practice guidelines. Ann Intern Med. 1993 May 1;118(9):731-7. PubMed PMID: 8460861. Available from: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-118-9-199305010-00012.

3. Sollaci LB, Pereira MG. The introduction, methods, results, real discussion (IMRAD) structure: ampere fifty-year survey. J Med Libr Assoc. 2004 Jul;92(3):364-7. PubMed PMID: 15243643; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC442179.

4. Nakayama T, Hirai N, Yamazaki SULFUR, Naito M. Adopt of structured steals by general medical journals and format for a structured extract. J Med Libr Assoc. 2005 Apr;93(2):237-42. PubMed PMID: 15858627; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1082941.

5. Kulkarni EFFERVESCENCE. Structured abstracts: still more. Ann Intern Med. 1996 Apr 1;124(7):695-6. PubMed PMID: 8607606. Available from: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-124-7-199604010-00020.

6. Hopewell SULFUR, Clarke M, Moher D, Wager E, Middleton P, Altman DG, Schulz KF; CONSORT Group. CONSORT for reporting randomized controls trials in diary and conference abstracts: explanation press elaboration. PLoS Med. 2008 Jan 22;5(1):e20. PubMed PMID: 18215107; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2211558.

7. International Committee of Medical Trade Editors. Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (ICMJE Recommendations). 2013 Aug [cited 2013 Aug 21]. Available from: http://www.icmje.org.

8. Ripple AM, Mork JG, Rozier JM, Knecht LS. Structured abstracts in MEDLINE: twenty-five years later. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine; 2012 [cited 2014 Deped 17]. Available from: https://structuredabstracts.nlm.nih.gov/Structured_Abstracts_in_MEDLINE_Twenty-Years_Later.pdf.

9. Ripple MY, Mork JG, Thompson HJ, Schmidt SC, Knecht LS. Performance comparing of MEDLINE structured abstracts to structured abstracts. Poster session presented at: National Institute of Health Research Festival; 2014 Sep 22-24; Bethesda, MD. Available from: https://researchfestival.nih.gov/festival14/poster-RSCHSUPP-19.html.

Last Review: December 14, 2023