How to present a journal club?

Contents

Introduction

Definition of journal

 Need of the journal club

Evolution of journal

Definition of journal club

Aim and goal of journal club

 Contents contd….

Types of journal club

How to start a journal club

Impact of journal club

Evaluation of journal club

Conclusion

References
 Introduction

Medical literature is continually

expanding
Concepts, ideas, beliefs are undergoing rapid

transformation.
Imperative on the part of academicians,

practitioners, students and the researchers to keep

up with the vast amount of information available.
 Introduction contd…

The journal club provides a forum to remain

current with the literature and also offers an

opportunity to learn methods of critically
evaluating journal articles.
Journal clubs are usually organized

around a defined subject in basic or

applied research.
 Definition of journal

It is a periodical , aimed at a particular discipline.

Different from a magazine
 Why do we need to read
journals?
Learn clinical To distinguish
To impress features and useful from
cause harmful

Need of health
To keep abreast Whether to use a
care, quality
of professional new or existing and cost
effectiveness
news diagnostic test

To understand To be titillated
Handling of a by letters to
patho-biology problem the editors
 Different types of scientific
writing
Original article

Case report

Review article

Editorial

Letters to the editor

 Key dates in evolution of
scientific publishing
1665 – first scientific journal

1820’s – first specialist journal

1870’s – references began to be collected at the end

of the articles.
1920’s – first summaries appeared in the end of the

article.
1930’s – first paper on the use of statistics

1950’s – widespread use of IMRAD format

Key dates in evolution of scientific
publishing contd…

1960’s- summaries at the end became abstract

1970’s – database introduced

1980’s – first international conference on peer-

review.
1990’s – introduction of electronic journal.
 Classification of scientific
papers
Data driven papers

Tutorial papers

Method mongering papers

Consciousness raising papers.

Theoretical papers.

Review papers.

Demonstration of concept papers.

 Definition of journal club

A journal club is a group of individual who meet

regularly to critically read, understand and evaluate

recent articles published in medical or dental
literature.
 Historical background of
journal club
Journal clubs have been used as a teaching or

learning format in academic medicine for over a

hundred years.
The earliest reference to a journal club is found in

a book of memoirs and letters by the late Sir James

Paget, a British surgeon.
 Historical background of journal
club contd…

He describes a group at St. Bartholomew’s

hospital in London 1835-1854 AD.

Sir William Osler is often recognized as the

founder of journal clubs in North America in

McGill University in 1875 AD.
 Aim of Journal club

Till 1980’s it was to provide its member with up-to

date medical literature but quite recently it has

become a forum for teaching and learning critical
appraisal techniques and a method to promote
evidence-based medical practice.
 Common journal club goals

1. Providing participation with an update of medical

or dental literature.

2. Teaching and learning the technique of critical

appraisal of available literature.

3. Promoting the importance of valid research

findings into regular practice at individual

or community level.
 Benefits

Learning presentation skill

Feedback to the presenter.

Better performance.
Responsibility
Timetable and location
 Preparation

Encourage the presenter to plan ahead.

Confirmed presentation.

Papers should be handed out to participant to read

in advance.
 Presentation

Chalk and talk

Overhead projector

Power point
Delivery
 Types of journal clubs

1. Journal clubs aimed at updating knowledge related to a

field of interest.
2.Journal club aimed at updating clinical practice.
3. Journal club which aim at teaching and learning critical
appraisal techniques with evidence based medicine and
dentistry.
a) critical appraisal Journal club

b) evidence based Journal club

4. Problem based journal club- centered on a problem.

- format

5. Alternative journal club- video, book, review and

storytelling

6. Innovative journal club-

a) relating the learning task to immediate work

experience

b) use of problem solving

c) use of multiple teaching format

d) use of frequent constructive format.

 How to start a
journal club?
1. Select a director

2. Define the goals

3. Optimize attendance

4. Generate participant interest

5. Special preparation for journal club with critical

appraisal techniques.
 Guidelines

Introduction

Short review

Presenting and evaluating the data from the research

article
Briefly outline the experimental design for the paper.

By using the key figures from the paper, how the

data support the conclusion


 Journal club should include

Title
Author and place of work
Introduction
Material
Methods
Results
Discussion
What questions to ask?
General rules.
 Journal club format

Articles are selected by director and proposed by

student earlier.
Approval 2-3 weeks before.

A specific participant is assigned the task of

presenting the article.

Student should confidently present the content,

evaluation report with his/her own opinion and

defend with proper reasoning.
Journal club session
 Journal club session

Round table
conference

Horse shoe
shaped
 Journal club session contd…
1. Horse shoe or round table

2. Presenter initiates and lead the discussion

3. Moderator solicit the comments from participating

to stimulate discussion when they are not

forthcoming.

4. Director should direct the session and break

impasse when confronted by one

5. An attempt should be made by the members to

reach consensus especially in the wake of divergent

 Do’s and don’ts

•Timetable
•Snacks
•Supportive senior clinician
Organizer
Presenter

•Things for last minute

•Choose clinically relevant
papers
•Summary in own words
•Don’t run over the
allocated time
Select articles which have different study designs

Creating a controversy

Meticulous analysis of a single article

Problem based learning

 Why journal club

Journal clubs are valued as a means

of keeping abreast with the literature.

Journal club offers a forum for teaching and learning

critical appraisal techniques.

 Impact of journal club

Improves reading habits by enabling critical

thinking, meta-questioning, meta-thinking etc.

It expands the body of knowledge within a person.

It facilitates acquisition of new skills.

It induces scientific temperament by promoting

questioning attitude.
 Impact of journal club contd…

Make the members to be more skeptical of the

authors conclusion.
It improves knowledge of clinical epidemiology and

biostatistics.
 Evaluation of journal club

In order to keep the journal club stimulating to its

audience it will probably have to undergo periodic

refinement.
The best way to decide whether any adjustment are

necessary is to ask the participant whether they are

satisfied with the conference.
Conclusion
 References

Nagesh L. a hand book on journal club and critical

evaluation.1st edition Davangere: kavitha printers and

book binding works.
Daniel RS. Techniques in medical education.BMJ

2002;325:137.
Valentini RP. The journal club. Technique in medical

education 96; 16:5-10.