IMRaD: The Format for
Scientific Writing
Dr. Jatinder Singh
‘‘A scientific experiment, no matter
how spectacular the results, is not
completed until the results are
published’’
(Day and Gastel, 2006)
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1962
Publish-or Perish!
All advances in science depend on the
painstaking process of scientific publishing.
Journal impact factors and article citations
have become the catchphrases in today’s
academic world.
These are used increasingly to measure
and evaluate the performance of
research projects, journals, scientists,
and institutions.
Have a direct impact on promotions and
furthering your career.
Outcome of published work..
Provides a documentary
evidence that enables the reader to:
Assess the observations you have made
Repeat the study/ experiment if they desire
Determine whether conclusions drawn are justified by
the data
* How to write a paper. Hall GM (editor) Third edition. 2004
Types of Papers..
Research Paper (Original articles)
Clinical investigations
Laboratory investigations
Short communications
Letter to the Editor
Rapid Communications
Case Report
Review Article
Editorial
Commentary
Historical articles
Book reviews / website reviews
Proceedings or abstracts of
meetings of scientific societies
Why do we need a structure?
To avoid confusion
Reduce verbosity
Introduce clarity
Specificity
Developing a structure or framework for your writing will ensure that the most important
points are covered at the appropriate point in the writing.
The text of observational and experimental articles is usually (but not
necessarily) divided into the following sections: Introduction, Methods,
Results, and Discussion.
This “IMRAD” structure is not an arbitrary publication format but rather
a direct reflection of the process of scientific discovery.
ICMJE
IMRaD
IMRAD is an outcome of the evolution of
scientific publishing.
Scientific papers in the initial times were descriptive
and chronologically written with no clear structure.
As scientific writing evolved a structure
developed.
Louis Pasteur invented the first IMRAD-like writing structure in his
classic book, Etudes sur la Biere (studies on fermentation), originally
published in 1876!
Structure
1. Why did you start?
Introduction
2. What did you do?
Methods
3. What did you find?
Results
4. What does this
Discussion
mean?
Sir Austin Bradford Hill, British Medical Research Council
Advantages
Provides a consistent framework that guides the author to
address several questions essential to understanding a scientific
study
The IMRAD structure facilitates modular reading, because readers
usually do not read in a linear way but browse in each section of the
article, looking for specific information, which is normally found in
preestablished areas of the paper
The reader needs to see a building, not a pile of bricks!
…..the best papers combine science……
with the art of writing’’ (Southgate 1995).
Properly using IMRAD improves the art of writing as well as the
communication of science.
As science and information technology continue to advance, IMRAD
will evolve as well.
Abstract, keywords, acknowledgments, and references have become
common parts of the IMRAD structure.
IMRAD organisation
The application of the five W’s (who, what, where, when and why) in
each section of IMRAD as a way of providing more structuring.
How ?
What IMRaD does not cover..
IMRaD does not say anything about a paper’s title, authorship,
or summary.
The conclusion, acknowledgments section, and references are
neglected too.
But the acronym TASIMRaDCAR !!
Title
Abstract
I
Introduction
What is it about ?
What is it in a nutshell?
Why did you do it ?
Where did you do it ?
M
Methods
How did you do it ?
R
Results
What did you find?
D
Discussion
What does this mean and so
what?
Conclusions
What are your major findings
and their significance?
Acknowledgments
References