Examples of good research reporting

CONSORT Library of examples of good reporting

The CONSORT website provides a collection of examples of well reported trials and/or sections of trials.


Explanation & elaboration documents

Some guideline groups developed explanatory and elaboration documents with the intention to enhance the use, understanding, and dissemination of a particular guideline.
These documents present the meaning and rationale for each checklist item accompanied by at least one published example of good reporting.

Moher D, Hopewell S, Schulz KF, Montori V, Gøtzsche PC, Devereaux PJ, Elbourne D, Egger M, Altman DG, for the CONSORT Group. CONSORT 2010 Explanation and Elaboration: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trial.
BMJ 2010;340:c869. PMID: 20332511
J Clin Epi 2010; 63(8): e1-e37  PMID: 20346624

Boutron I, Moher D, Altman DG, Schulz KF, Ravaud P. Extending the CONSORT statement to randomized trials of nonpharmacologic treatment: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med 2008 Feb 19;148(4):295-309.
PMID: 18283207

Hopewell S, Clarke M, Moher D, Wager E, Middleton P, Altman DG, Schulz KF and the CONSORT Group (2008) CONSORT for reporting randomized controlled trials in journal and conference abstracts: explanation and elaboration. PLoS Med 5(1): e20. doi:10.1371/journal. pmed.0050020.
PMID: 18215107

Liberati A,  Altman DG,  Tetzlaff J,  Mulrow C,  Gøtzsche PC,  et al. The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Health Care Interventions: Explanation and Elaboration. PLoS Med 2009; 6(7): e1000100.
PMID: 19621070

Vandenbroucke JP, von Elm E, Altman DG, Gotzsche PC, Mulrow CD, Pocock SJ, Poole C, Schlesselman JJ, Egger M. Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): Explanation and Elaboration. PLoS Med 2007; 4(10):e297.
PMID: 17941715

Bossuyt PM, Reitsma JB, Bruns DE, Gatsonis CA, Glasziou PP, Irwig LM, Moher D, Rennie D, De Vet HC, Lijmer JG; Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy. The STARD statement for reporting of diagnostic accuracy: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med. 2003 Jan 7;138(1):W1-12
PMID: 12513067

Ogrinc G, Mooney SE, Estrada C, Foster T, Goldmann D, Hall LW, et al. The SQUIRE (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence) guidelines for quality improvement reporting: explanation and elaboration. Qual Saf Health Care 2008 Oct;17 Suppl 1:i13-i32.
PMID: 18836062



Other examples of good research reporting


Outbreak Reports and Intervention studies Of Nosocomial infections (example selected by the ORION group)

Fowler S, Webber A, Cooper BS, Phimister A, Price K, Carter Y, Kibbler CC, Simpson AJH, Stone SP. Successful use of feedback to improve antibiotic prescribing and reduce Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI): A controlled Interrupted Times Series (ITS). J Antimicrobial Chemother 2007 59 (5): 990-995

Stock-Schroer B, Albrecht H, Betti L, Endler PC, Linde K, Ludtke R, et al. Reporting experiments in homeopathic basic research (REHBaR)--a detailed guideline for authors. Homeopathy 2009 Oct;98(4):287-98. PMID: 19945681

Blignault I, Ritchie J. Revealing the wood and the trees: reporting qualitative research. Health Promot J Austr 2009 Aug;20(2):140-5. PMID: 19642963

Page last edited: 04 January 2012