Background

Medical journals recommend specific guidelines for authors to follow when writing their studies. However, many authors find it difficult to choose the right guideline for their work. To help with this, the UK EQUATOR Centre created the GoodReports website. Initial tests showed that simply advising authors to use a guideline did not improve their manuscripts. Feedback indicated that the checklist format of these guidelines was not helpful during the writing process.

Study Overview

To address this issue, a study called GRReaT was conducted. It involved two groups of authors who were at an early stage of writing health-related studies. One group received a customized writing template that included items from the relevant reporting guidelines, while the other group received only a guideline recommendation. The goal was to see if the customized templates led to clearer and more complete reporting in their manuscripts.

Methods

The study included 130 participants, divided equally into two groups. The primary focus was on how completely the authors reported their study’s title, methods, and results. After completing their manuscripts, authors submitted them for assessment to check for completeness based on the reporting guidelines.

Results

Out of the 130 participants, 37 completed their manuscripts. The results showed that the intervention group had a mean completeness score of 0.57, while the control group scored 0.50. However, the difference was not statistically significant, meaning there was no strong evidence that the customized templates improved reporting completeness.

Conclusion

The study did not meet its recruitment goals, and the dropout rate was higher than expected. As a result, there was no reliable evidence that using customized templates improved the completeness of reporting. Future research should explore new methods to enhance reporting and improve participant retention.

Opportunities for Improvement

Based on the trial data, here are some practical steps for clinics and patients:

Define Measurable Outcomes: Set clear goals for reporting completeness.
Select AI Tools: Choose AI solutions that fit specific clinical needs.
Implement Step by Step: Start with pilot projects and track results to assess real-world impact.