SGT University

Faculty of Physiotherapy

Journal Club Presentation

Introduction
Presenting a paper at a journal club can be a daunting prospect for a trainee and one for which
postgraduate medical education may leave the trainee feeling under prepared. However, the
ability to critically appraise and present an academic paper is a competency required of the
trainee doctor.

Why to Attend Journal Club

Journal club slink research to clinical practice by encouraging critical review of the current
Physiotherapy /medical literature and act as a vehicle for the application of evidence based
physiotherapy/ medicine /practice through continuing medical education.

1. Critical appraisal skills are developed

2. Participants keep abreast of current medical literature
3. Research literacy and evidence-based practice are developed
4. The needs of continuing medical education are met
5. Interview skills are developed
6. Academic debate is stimulated
7. Intradepartmental social and professional networking take place
8. Publications are generated (e.g. letters to editor, further research)

Choosing a research article:

1. Read abstract (if there is none, find another article)
2. If abstract is interesting, continue; if not, find a new article
3. Read hypothesis – usually in the last paragraph of the introduction
4. If it is interesting and well-defined, continue; if not, find a new article
5. Read methodology, - if they are spelled out clearly, continue; if not, find a new article
6. Read data - if data is clear and well-organized, continue; if not, find a new article
7. Read conclusion (conclusion or discussion section), - if it relates to the hypothesis use
this article; if not, find a new article
Format for Your Journal club PowerPoint
A. Title Slide (1 slide)
• title of article
• author of article (Authors of articles are listed in the order of how much
work each person did. The first person is the main author. After naming
the first two or three authors, add “et. al.” to the end. This tells your
audience that there were other authors, too. ex: Jan Balzer, M.D., et. al.)
• your name (“presented by: your name”)
B. Introduction (1 slide)
• purpose of the study
• summary of the study (Just briefly summarize what happened in the
study.)
C. Review of Literature (1 or 2 slides)
• Pick three articles from the last few pages of your study that were used to find
more information on the studied topic. Use the format: Author’s last name,
first name. Title. One-sentence explanation. Usually, there’s no explanation to
how the article was used, so take it from the title.
D. Problem/Hypothesis (1 slide)
• problem
• hypothesis
E. Methodology (4-6 slides)
• List the steps taken to perform the experiment/research project, including how
participants were chosen, possible test and control groups, and how the actual
experiment was performed.
F. Data (4-6 slides)
• the majority of charts and tables from your article
• Be sure to explain each one while presenting. You can even have an
explanation next to the data or on the slide right after.
• Break up bigger tables into two smaller ones so it can be seen and not look so
complex and scary.
G. Discussion (2-3 slides)
• Besides your explanations of your data, provide in these slides a summarized
explanation. Analyze the data, and explain to your audience what all those
symbols and complicated numbers truly mean to the experiment and its
results.
H. Conclusion (2-3 slides)
• State whether the initial hypothesis was correct or not. Why?
• State if further research is planned on this topic (it should be at the end of the
article). If not, pose some possible research that could be done on the topic.
(ex: Would smokers or colorblind people change the outcome of the study?)