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How to Read Papers

A DBMI checklist.

Summary​

What is a brief summary of the paper and its main contributions?

Significance​

  • What is the significance of this study?
  • Does it address a significant challenge to biomedical informatics (even though it is not written specifically to that audience)?
  • How did the authors justify the significance?
  • What is the important question the authors are attempting to answer?

Innovation​

  • What is different about this study relative to other studies that were mentioned?
  • How is this study innovative?
  • What knowledge does the paper add to what is already known?

Approach​

  • How did the authors answer the question?
  • What specific question is being answered?
  • What other ways were suggested that could be used to answer the question?
  • What research design was used?
  • What statistical tests were used?

Future work​

  • What questions remain unanswered by this study?
  • What other studies are suggested that would assist in answering the broader questions presented?

Appraisal​

  • What is your appraisal of this work?
  • What were the challenges that the authors faced?
  • What weaknesses were identified?
  • How were those weaknesses addressed?