University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine Medical Explorations Program
Guide to Writing a Review Paper 2015
What is A Review Paper?
Research review papers focus on primary source
Appropriate uses of secondary information resources (textbooks or review journals or clinical databases like Up-To-Date). Appropriate use includes the following:
These would not be included in your citations, since they are used only for “background” information
General Information: You must turn in five (5) copies of your written report.
Title Page (see sample at end of this document)
Pagination
Headings
Using Numbers in Paper Text
Subscripts and Superscripts
It is easier to write the paper if you start with the outline and begin filling in information. The basic outline for a review paper is shown below.
Title Page
- Title should be specific, informative, concise
- See example at end of this document
Abstract
- Short, concise summary of paper (200-250 words)
- No references
Introduction
- Review the topic
- Importance and significance.
- Background information, conflicting views, major lines of thought
- Statement of purpose
- Document and reference sources
Body of text – May have subheading
- Present details of work done by researchers on topic
- Describe important findings, techniques, methods, results, and conclusions
- Develop and follow good topic sentences
- Coherent, well-blended summation of all the work you could find that is important to your subject
- Develop a pathway of thought that leads to conclusions
- Document and reference sources
Conclusions
- Consolidate ideas, strengthen relationships between ideas, patterns, tie up loose ends
- Significance of topic
- Make sure you conclude your paper
- Do not introduce new data, results in this section
Perspective – What ”Person” should you write from
- Most scientific work is written in the objective third person, and in passive, past tense.
- Avoid using pronouns ("I," "you," "she," "he," "it," "we," "you," "they." me," "you," "her," "him," "it," "us," "you," and "them."
- Facts and ideas are stated about procedures and results. Example: ”Research studies were performed….” ---- or ---- “it was observed that….”
Documentation
References should be cited using the American Medical Association Style Guide http://www.lib.jmu.edu/citation/amaguide.pdf
You must include at least 10 citations, 5 of which must be journals. The others can be books and valid web sites.
Citing Works in the Text
In the AMA style, references inside the text of a paper take the form of numbered citations. Only the number appears in the text itself; the reference preceded by the same number is included in a list at the end.
Numbering Citations
References are cited in the text by using of superscript numbers. Citations must be numbered consecutively, starting with 1, in the order in which they first appear in the text of your paper. A citation's number should be inserted in the text after any period or comma, but before any colon or semicolon.
Example:
In previous studies, the effect on intraocular pressure appeared quickly10 and did not increase with continual dosing.
Examples of reference style:
1. Morrow DA, Scirica BM, Karwatowska-Prokopczuk E, et al; for the MERLIN-TIMI 36 Trial Investigators. Effects of ranolazine on recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: the MERLIN-TIMI 36 randomized trial. JAMA. 2007;297(16):1775-1783.
2. Lynfield R, Ogunmodede F, Guerina NG. Toxoplasmosis. In: McMillan JA, Feigin RD, DeAngelis CD, Jones MD Jr, eds. Oski’s Pediatrics: Principles and Practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006:1351-1362.
* Portions of text adapted from: Presbyterian College Biology Department, Clinton, SC and Simmons College, Boston, MA
SAMPLE TITLE PAGE:
Careers in Pediatric Medicine
Samuel Johnson, Demarcus Manning, Mike Pruszkowski, Maria Chavez, Carah Neal, Dominique Taylor
August 15, 2012
A paper submitted to fulfill the requirements of the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine Medical Explorations Program