Critically appraising and improving the reporting of animal studies

Good reporting of research is fundamental to robust, reliable and reproducible science, and yet there is rarely time to prioritise reviewing and assessing the quality of both published research and your own manuscripts. Having a sound knowledge of the key aspects of reliable and reproducible studies is crucial to be able to critically appraise published articles. This in turn will impact your interpretation of previously published research in your field and help formal peer review of yet-to-be-published manuscripts. Finally, knowing how to review published articles and the information needed will also improve the quality of reporting your own research.

This workshop uses the ARRIVE Guidelines to assess an example published paper to introduce the skills required to critically appraise published work. The ARRIVE Essential 10 are used as a framework to introduce key concepts of good experimental design and the importance of these details being a part of published work. This information will also be of use when planning and writing up your own research. 

• Audience: Early career researchers and graduate students. 
• Format: Interactive workshop. 
• Length: 1.5 hours. 

• Understand the importance of good reporting of scientific research.
• Understand how this relates to the principles of good experimental design, reproducible research and the 3Rs. 
• Put critiquing skills into practice by appraising an example paper. 
• Be aware of the further resources available to support reading and writing scientific papers.

The primary audience for this workshop is early career researchers and graduate students but will be of interest to established researchers and others looking for guidance on the critical appraisal of journal articles. 

The main exercise of this workshop is structured round a published article that will be selected from a pool we have prepared to be as relevant as possible to the majority of audience members. However, it may not be of direct relevance to all in attendance, but the skills covered will be relevant, regardless. 

This course has no prerequisites but a familiarity with journal articles in general will be beneficial.

This material is typically delivered as a one-and-a-half hour workshop which is equally suited to in-person or online delivery. 

• For in-person delivery, a seminar room or similar space that facilitates small group work with appropriate audio-visual set-up. 
• For online delivery, a list of attendees with institutional email addresses. 
• A minimum of 15 attendees. 
• Circulation of the paper for discussion and other material sufficiently ahead of the event. 
• To discuss these requirements or to find out more, please contact us.

• A number of staff with expertise in reviewing manuscripts to deliver the talk and facilitate small group work during the interactive exercises. 
• Digital copies of the material for these exercises shared with the organiser ahead of the workshop for dissemination. Hard copies will be provided on the day if necessary. 
• A pdf copy of the slides after the workshop for dissemination to attendees. 
• The member(s) of staff that delivered the workshop will also be contactable via email for further follow-up.