How I read a paper!

Summary

In this episode of Sketchy EVM, Anthony Croco shares his efficient method for reading research papers. He emphasizes the importance of the methods and results sections for objective information, while advising to skip the potentially biased introduction and conclusion sections. Croco suggests using resources to understand the gold standard of research methodology, and encourages viewers to draw their own conclusions based on the findings presented.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video is a guide on how to efficiently read research papers by Anthony Croco, who is an 'IBM nerd'.
• 🔍 Anthony suggests starting with the title and abstract to determine the paper's relevance to one's interests or needs.
• 🚫 If the paper isn't relevant, he advises discarding it and moving on, saving time for more pertinent research.
• 📘 He emphasizes that the methods section is crucial and should be thoroughly reviewed for research design and potential biases.
• 📚 Anthony recommends using resources like the 'Users' Guide to the Medical Literature' to understand the gold standard in research methodology.
• ✅ If the methodology is sound and generalizable, he continues reading; otherwise, he stops engaging with the paper.
• 📊 The results section is another key part that should be read in detail to understand what the authors found.
• 💭 He advises skipping the discussion section as it contains the authors' opinions and may not be as objective.
• 🔚 The author's conclusions are also subjective and can be compared with one's own conclusions drawn from the results.
• 🧐 Anthony's approach focuses on extracting objective information from the methods and results, avoiding subjective content.
• 🔍 Future episodes of 'Sketchy GBM' will delve into specific research types and how to discern quality within them.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video 'Sketchy EVM' by Anthony Croco?

The main purpose of the video is to share Anthony Croco's method for efficiently reading and understanding research papers.

Why can reading research papers be a daunting task?

Reading research papers can be daunting due to the time and effort required to go through them, especially when one is not familiar with the topic or the research methodology.

What are the six common sections of a research paper according to Anthony Croco?

The six common sections of a research paper are the title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and author's conclusions.

Why does Anthony Croco suggest skipping the introduction section of a research paper?

He suggests skipping the introduction because it may not provide an unbiased review of the topic and is more about the authors' background information rather than justifying the research.

What does Anthony Croco consider the most important part of a research paper and why?

Anthony Croco considers the methods section the most important part of a research paper because it details the research design and helps identify any methodological errors, signs of bias, or issues of generalizability.

What resources does Anthony Croco recommend to guide one through the process of evaluating research papers?

He recommends resources such as the Users' Guide to the Medical Literature and the JAMA Evidence series to understand the gold standard for research methodology.

How does Anthony Croco approach the results section of a research paper?

He believes the results section should be read in detail as it provides enough information for one to draw their own conclusions.

Why does Anthony Croco generally not read the discussion section of a research paper?

He does not read the discussion section because it contains the authors' opinions and interpretations of the results, which he considers subjective and not necessary after having drawn one's own conclusions from the results.

What does Anthony Croco advise about the author's conclusions in a research paper?

He advises that the author's conclusions offer a counterpoint to the reader's own conclusions drawn from the results and should not be the primary source of interpretation.

What are the two parts of a research paper that Anthony Croco believes should be mostly objective?

Anthony Croco believes the methods and results sections of a research paper should be mostly objective as they provide the factual basis for the study.

What future plans does Anthony Croco have for the 'Sketchy GBM' series?

In future episodes of 'Sketchy GBM', Anthony Croco plans to look at specific research types and teach viewers how to distinguish good research from bad.