# [Title: a specific, informative statement of the study and its main variable]

> Research paper template in the IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods,
> Results and Discussion) used by most empirical journals, with title page
> fields, a structured abstract, statistical reporting conventions and the
> declarations journals now expect. The declarations follow the topics
> covered by the ICMJE Recommendations, used here as a reference only.
> Replace every `[bracketed]` value and every row marked *Example*. Always
> check the target journal's author guidelines, which take precedence.

<!--
Guidance: How to use this template
- Pick the target journal first and copy its word limits, abstract format,
  reference style and reporting checklist into the Document control table.
- Write Methods and Results first, then the Introduction, then the
  Discussion, and the Abstract and Title last.
- Identify the reporting guideline for your design (for example CONSORT for
  randomised trials, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for
  systematic reviews) and keep it open while writing.
- Delete the Document control, Revision history and Contents sections before
  submission; they are for your writing team.
-->

## Document control

<!-- Guidance: Internal tracking for the author team. Remove before submission. -->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Manuscript ID | [MS-2026-001] |
| Target journal | [Journal name] |
| Article type | [Original research / Brief report / Short communication] |
| Word limit (main text) | [4,000 words] |
| Abstract limit | [250 words, structured] |
| Reporting guideline | [CONSORT 2010 / STROBE / PRISMA 2020 / ARRIVE 2.0 / none] |
| Reference style | [Vancouver / APA 7 / journal style] |
| Version | [0.1] |
| Status | [Draft / Internal review / Submitted / Revision / Accepted] |
| Corresponding author | [@name] |
| Last updated | YYYY-MM-DD |

### Approvals

| Role | Name | Decision | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corresponding author | [@name] | [Approved for submission] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Senior author / PI | [@name] | [Approved / Changes requested] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| All co-authors | [Names] | [Approved final version] | YYYY-MM-DD |

## Revision history

<!-- Guidance: Record each round of drafting and each journal revision. -->

| Version | Date | Author | Change summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | First full draft of Methods and Results |
| 0.2 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | *Example:* Added sensitivity analysis after co-author review |
| 1.0 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | *Example:* Submitted to [Journal] |
| 1.1 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@name] | *Example:* Revision addressing reviewer 2, comments 1-7 |

## Contents

<!-- Guidance: Keep aligned with the headings below. -->

1. [Title page](#1-title-page)
2. [Abstract](#2-abstract)
3. [Introduction](#3-introduction)
4. [Methods](#4-methods)
5. [Results](#5-results)
6. [Discussion](#6-discussion)
7. [Conclusion](#7-conclusion)
8. [Declarations](#8-declarations)
9. [References](#9-references)
10. [Tables, figures and supplementary material](#10-tables-figures-and-supplementary-material)

## 1. Title page

<!-- Guidance: Most journals ask for a separate title page so the main text can be blinded. A good title states the population, the intervention or exposure and the outcome; avoid questions and abbreviations. -->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full title | [Effect of X on Y in Z: a randomised controlled trial] |
| Running head | [Short title, under 50 characters] |
| Authors | [First Author (1), Second Author (2), Senior Author (1, 3)] |
| Affiliations | (1) [Department, Institution, City, Country]; (2) [Department, Institution]; (3) [Department, Institution] |
| ORCID iDs | [0000-0000-0000-0000 for each author] |
| Corresponding author | [Name, postal address, email] |
| Word count | [Abstract: 248; main text: 3,912] |
| Tables / figures | [3 tables, 2 figures] |
| Trial or protocol registration | [Registry name and number, or "not applicable"] |

*Example title:* "Spaced retrieval practice and eight-week retention of
anatomy terminology in first-year medical students: a randomised controlled
trial."

## 2. Abstract

<!-- Guidance: Write it last. Use the journal's headings exactly. Every number in the abstract must appear in the main text. Do not cite references in the abstract. -->

**Background:** [One or two sentences on the problem and the gap. *Example:*
Retrieval practice improves short-term recall, but its effect on long-term
retention of technical vocabulary in medical curricula is uncertain.]

**Objective:** [The aim in one sentence.]

**Methods:** [Design, setting, participants, intervention or exposure,
primary outcome, analysis. *Example:* We randomised 212 first-year students
to weekly spaced retrieval quizzes or re-reading for 6 weeks; the primary
outcome was the score on an unannounced terminology test at 8 weeks.]

**Results:** [Main result with effect size and 95% confidence interval.
*Example:* The retrieval group scored 7.4 points higher (95% CI 4.1 to 10.7;
p < .001; d = 0.52).]

**Conclusions:** [What the results mean, no stronger than the data allow.]

**Keywords:** [3-6 terms, ideally from a controlled vocabulary such as MeSH
or the ERIC Thesaurus; do not repeat words from the title.]

## 3. Introduction

<!-- Guidance: Funnel from the general problem to the specific gap, then state the aim. Three to five paragraphs is typical. Common mistake: a literature review that never says what is missing. -->

### 3.1 Background and problem

[Describe the problem and why it matters, with evidence of its size or
consequences. Cite the most authoritative and recent sources.]

### 3.2 What is known and the gap

[Summarise what prior studies established and the specific gap this study
addresses: an untested population, a conflicting finding, a methodological
weakness or an unexamined mechanism. State the gap in one explicit sentence,
for example: "No trial has measured retention beyond four weeks in a
curriculum setting."]

### 3.3 Aim, objectives and hypotheses

State the aim and, for confirmatory studies, the hypotheses you registered
in advance.

| ID | Type | Statement |
|---|---|---|
| AIM | Aim | [To estimate the effect of X on Y in Z] |
| H1 | Primary hypothesis | *Example:* Students in the retrieval group will score higher on the 8-week test than students in the re-reading group. |
| H2 | Secondary hypothesis | *Example:* The effect will be larger for low-frequency terms than for high-frequency terms. |
| EXP | Exploratory | [Questions examined without a prior hypothesis; label them as exploratory in Results.] |

## 4. Methods

<!-- Guidance: Give enough detail for another researcher to repeat the study. Use past tense. Follow the reporting guideline item by item and cite your published protocol if one exists. -->

### 4.1 Study design and setting

[Design (for example parallel-group randomised trial, cross-sectional survey,
prospective cohort, quasi-experiment), setting, dates of recruitment and
follow-up, and any changes to the design after it started, with reasons.]

### 4.2 Participants

[Eligibility criteria, recruitment method, and how consent was obtained.]

| Criterion | Inclusion | Exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| *Example:* Enrolment | First-year students enrolled in Anatomy 101 | Students repeating the course |
| *Example:* Age | 18 years or older | None |
| [Criterion] | [Inclusion rule] | [Exclusion rule] |

**Sample size.** [State the calculation, its inputs and the source of the
assumed effect size.] For two independent groups with a two-sided test:

$$
n_{\text{per group}} = \frac{2\,(z_{1-\alpha/2} + z_{1-\beta})^2}{d^2}
$$

*Example:* with $\alpha = 0.05$, power $1-\beta = 0.80$ and $d = 0.40$,
$n = 2(1.96 + 0.84)^2 / 0.40^2 \approx 98$ per group; allowing 8% attrition
gives 106 per group, 212 in total.

### 4.3 Materials and interventions

[Describe each condition so that it can be replicated: content, dose,
frequency, duration, who delivered it and how fidelity was checked. Name
software and instruments with version numbers.]

### 4.4 Procedure

[The sequence of events for a participant, from recruitment to final
measurement. For trials, state how the allocation sequence was generated,
concealed and implemented, and who was blinded.]

### 4.5 Measures

| Variable | Role | Instrument / definition | Timing | Reliability / validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Example:* Terminology score | Primary outcome | 60-item test, 0-100 scale | Week 8 | Cronbach's alpha = 0.88 in pilot |
| *Example:* Prior knowledge | Covariate | Baseline test, same blueprint | Week 0 | Parallel form, r = 0.81 |
| [Variable] | [Outcome / exposure / covariate] | [Definition] | [Time point] | [Evidence] |

### 4.6 Statistical analysis

[Describe the analysis population (intention-to-treat, per protocol), the
model for each hypothesis, how assumptions were checked, how missing data
were handled, the significance level and any correction for multiple
comparisons. Name the software and version.]

*Example primary model:* an analysis of covariance adjusting for baseline
score,

$$
Y_i = \beta_0 + \beta_1\,\text{Group}_i + \beta_2\,\text{Baseline}_i + \varepsilon_i,
\qquad \varepsilon_i \sim \mathcal{N}(0, \sigma^2)
$$

where $\beta_1$ is the adjusted mean difference. Standardised effect sizes
use Cohen's $d = (\bar{x}_1 - \bar{x}_2)/s_{\text{pooled}}$. Missing outcomes
were handled by [multiple imputation with 20 imputations / complete-case
analysis with a sensitivity analysis].

## 5. Results

<!-- Guidance: Report findings in the same order as the hypotheses, without interpretation. Give exact numbers, effect sizes and confidence intervals, not just p values. Do not repeat table contents in the text; point to them and highlight the key figures. -->

### 5.1 Participant flow and characteristics

[Number screened, eligible, randomised or enrolled, analysed, and lost at each
stage with reasons. Trials and many observational studies include a flow
diagram (Figure 1).] Baseline characteristics are in Table 1.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  A["Assessed for eligibility (n = 240)"] --> B["Excluded (n = 28)"]
  A --> C["Randomised (n = 212)"]
  C --> D["Retrieval group (n = 106)"]
  C --> E["Re-reading group (n = 106)"]
  D --> F["Analysed (n = 99)"]
  E --> G["Analysed (n = 98)"]
```

**Table 1.** Baseline characteristics by group.

| Characteristic | Retrieval (n = [106]) | Re-reading (n = [106]) |
|---|---|---|
| *Example:* Age, years, mean (SD) | 19.4 (1.6) | 19.6 (1.9) |
| *Example:* Female, n (%) | 61 (57.5) | 58 (54.7) |
| *Example:* Baseline score, mean (SD) | 31.2 (9.8) | 30.7 (10.3) |
| [Characteristic] | [Value] | [Value] |

### 5.2 Primary outcome

[State the main finding with the estimate, its precision and the test.]

*Example:* At 8 weeks the retrieval group scored higher than the re-reading
group, adjusted mean difference 7.4 points, 95% CI [4.1, 10.7],
F(1, 194) = 19.6, p < .001, partial $\eta^2$ = 0.09.

### 5.3 Secondary and exploratory outcomes

[Report each secondary hypothesis in order, then exploratory analyses clearly
labelled as such.]

**Table 2.** Outcomes by group.

| Outcome | Retrieval, mean (SD) | Re-reading, mean (SD) | Difference [95% CI] | p | Effect size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Example:* 8-week score | 68.3 (13.9) | 60.6 (15.2) | 7.7 [3.6, 11.8] | < .001 | d = 0.53 |
| *Example:* Low-frequency terms | 54.1 (17.2) | 43.0 (18.4) | 11.1 [6.1, 16.1] | < .001 | d = 0.62 |
| [Outcome] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

### 5.4 Statistical reporting conventions

Use these formats consistently unless the journal specifies otherwise.

| Test | Report as | *Example* |
|---|---|---|
| Independent t-test | t(df) = value, p, d, 95% CI | t(195) = 3.71, p < .001, d = 0.53, 95% CI [0.24, 0.81] |
| ANOVA / ANCOVA | F(df1, df2) = value, p, partial eta squared | F(1, 194) = 19.6, p < .001, partial eta squared = 0.09 |
| Chi-square | chi-square(df, N = n) = value, p, Cramer's V | chi-square(1, N = 212) = 4.12, p = .042, V = 0.14 |
| Correlation | r(df) = value, p, 95% CI | r(195) = .34, p < .001, 95% CI [.21, .46] |
| Regression | b, SE, 95% CI, p; model R squared | b = 7.4, SE = 1.67, 95% CI [4.1, 10.7], p < .001 |
| Odds / risk ratio | OR or RR with 95% CI | OR = 1.85, 95% CI [1.12, 3.05] |

Further conventions: give exact p values to two or three decimals (p = .031)
and use p < .001 below that; state whether tests are one- or two-sided; give
means with SD and estimates with 95% CI; report the denominator for every
percentage; and never describe a non-significant result as evidence of no
effect.

### 5.5 Sensitivity analyses and harms

[Report pre-specified sensitivity analyses, for example per-protocol or
alternative missing-data assumptions, and any adverse events or unintended
effects. State "none observed" explicitly when that is the case.]

## 6. Discussion

<!-- Guidance: Interpret, do not repeat Results. Order: principal findings, comparison with other studies, strengths and limitations, implications, future research. Common mistakes: overstating causality from observational data and hiding limitations at the end. -->

### 6.1 Principal findings

[Answer the research question in two or three sentences, referring to the
hypotheses by ID.]

### 6.2 Comparison with previous research

[Explain how the results agree or disagree with earlier studies and offer
plausible reasons for differences such as population, dose, measurement or
follow-up length.]

### 6.3 Strengths and limitations

| Type | Description | Likely effect on results |
|---|---|---|
| *Example:* Strength | Pre-registered protocol and blinded outcome assessment | Reduces analytic flexibility and detection bias |
| *Example:* Limitation | Single institution, one course | Limits generalisability to other curricula |
| *Example:* Limitation | 7% attrition, higher in the control arm | Possible bias; sensitivity analysis gave similar estimates |
| [Type] | [Description] | [Effect] |

### 6.4 Implications

[Implications for practice, policy or theory. Keep them proportional to the
strength of the evidence and the population studied.]

### 6.5 Future research

[Name specific next studies: the population, design or question that would
resolve the remaining uncertainty.]

## 7. Conclusion

<!-- Guidance: One short paragraph. No new data, no citations, no claims beyond the results. -->

[Restate the main finding and its most important implication in plain
language. *Example:* Weekly spaced retrieval quizzes produced a moderate,
durable improvement in anatomy terminology retention over 8 weeks and can be
added to existing courses at little cost.]

## 8. Declarations

<!-- Guidance: These statements are required by most journals and reflect the topics the ICMJE Recommendations cover. Use the journal's exact headings. Never leave one out; write "Not applicable" with a reason. -->

### 8.1 Ethics approval and consent

[Name the ethics committee, approval number and date, and how informed
consent was obtained. *Example:* Approved by the [University] Human Research
Ethics Committee (ref. [HREC-2026-041], YYYY-MM-DD). All participants gave
written informed consent.]

### 8.2 Funding

[Funder, grant number and the funder's role in design, analysis and the
decision to publish. *Example:* Funded by [Funder] grant [ABC-123]. The funder
had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation or
writing.]

### 8.3 Competing interests

[Declare financial and non-financial interests for every author, or state
"The authors declare no competing interests."]

### 8.4 Data and code availability

[Where the data and analysis code can be found, under what conditions, and
the persistent identifier. *Example:* De-identified data and R scripts are
available at [repository] (DOI: [10.xxxx/xxxxx]) under CC BY 4.0.]

### 8.5 Author contributions (CRediT)

List each author's roles using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) terms.

| Author | Contributions |
|---|---|
| *Example:* [A. Author] | Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing - original draft |
| *Example:* [B. Author] | Investigation, Data curation, Writing - review and editing |
| *Example:* [C. Author] | Supervision, Funding acquisition, Writing - review and editing |
| [Author] | [Roles] |

### 8.6 Acknowledgements and use of AI tools

[Thank people who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria, with
their permission. Disclose any use of generative AI tools in writing or
analysis as the journal requires; such tools cannot be listed as authors.]

## 9. References

<!-- Guidance: Use the journal's style. Cite primary sources, check every reference against the original, and prefer DOIs. Reference managers reduce errors but still need a manual check. -->

Format references in the journal's style. Examples below show common styles
with placeholder values.

1. *Example (Vancouver):* [Author AA, Author BB]. [Title of article]. [Journal
   Abbrev]. [2024];[12]([3]):[45-56]. doi:[10.xxxx/xxxxx]
2. *Example (APA 7):* [Author, A. A., & Author, B. B.] ([2024]). [Title of
   article]. *[Journal Name]*, *[12]*([3]), [45-56].
   https://doi.org/[10.xxxx/xxxxx]
3. [Reference]

Checklist before submission:

- [ ] Every in-text citation appears in the list and vice versa
- [ ] Retracted papers checked and removed or flagged
- [ ] DOIs resolve to the right paper
- [ ] Preprints marked as such and checked for a published version

## 10. Tables, figures and supplementary material

<!-- Guidance: Each table and figure must stand alone: a numbered title, defined abbreviations and units, and a note on statistics. -->

| Item | Title | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table 1 | Baseline characteristics by group | Section 5.1 | [Draft] |
| Table 2 | Outcomes by group | Section 5.3 | [Draft] |
| Figure 1 | Participant flow diagram | Section 5.1 | [Draft] |
| Figure 2 | [Mean scores over time with 95% CI] | [Section 5.3] | [Planned] |
| Supplement S1 | [Completed reporting checklist] | [Online] | [Planned] |
| Supplement S2 | [Analysis code and full model output] | [Repository] | [Planned] |

Figure legends: [Figure number. Title. One or two sentences explaining what
is shown, the meaning of error bars (SD, SE or 95% CI) and the sample size.]

## Standard and licence note

Based on the IMRaD convention for empirical research articles. The
declarations section reflects the topics of the ICMJE *Recommendations for
the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical
Journals*, which are cited as a reference only; consult the current version
on icmje.org and your journal's author guidelines, which take precedence.
CRediT role names are those of the Contributor Roles Taxonomy. This template
is original text written for this collection and reproduces no text from
those sources. Example data are invented for illustration. Template licence:
MIT.