Checklist for Reporting Results Using Observational Descriptive Studies as Research Designs: The MInCir Initiative

Abstract

SUMMARY:Observational and descriptive studies (ODS) represent between 70 % and 80 % of the designs utilized in biomedical publications of the different scientific journals. Despite this, there are no tools to guide writers and to assist reviewers in reporting results with this type of research design. The aim of this study was to report the characteristics of a validated checklist for reporting the results using ODS as research designs in an English version. Two-stage study with qualitative methodology. In a first stage, a proposal was designed, by collecting items and domains from an extensive review of the literature. In the second, an instrument was developed by applying reduction items and domains through a panel of 45 experts comprised of clinical academics, reviewers and editors of biomedical journals, and experts in research methodology. These worked determining the validity of facade and content of the instrument. The items and domains incorporated into the final instrument were those in which over 80 % of agreement was achieved between the participants (36 of 45). In this way an instrument was created composed of 19 items, grouped into four domains. Characteristics of the design, construction and validation of a checklist that could help authors, reviewers and journal editors to write and review articles using ODS as research designs to report results was reported.

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