Medical Writing Glossary

Essential terminology for medical researchers, PhD students, and clinical scientists. 39 terms across 7 categories.

From study design to publication — everything you need to know about academic medical writing

Terms Defined

Citation Styles

Vancouver Style (Numbered References)

Vancouver style numbers references consecutively in the order they appear in the text, using numerals in superscripts or brackets.

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

AMA style uses numbered references in superscripts, similar to Vancouver, but with specific punctuation and formatting rules established by the AMA Manual of Style.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

A DOI is a unique, permanent alphanumeric string assigned to a digital document, providing a reliable link to the document online.

Manuscript Structure

Structured Abstract

A structured abstract organizes information into labeled sections (e.g., Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions) to ensure completeness and facilitate scanning.

Introduction Section

The Introduction establishes the context and rationale for the study, moving from broad knowledge to the specific research gap and objectives.

Methods Section

The Methods section describes how the research was conducted with enough detail to allow replication.

Results Section

The Results section presents the findings objectively, without interpretation, following the sequence of the Methods.

Discussion Section

The Discussion interprets results, contextualizes findings, addresses limitations, and draws conclusions.

Cover Letter

A cover letter accompanies a manuscript submission, summarizing the study, explaining its significance, and confirming originality.

Publication Terms

Peer Review

Peer review is the evaluation of scholarly work by experts in the same field, used by journals to assess validity, significance, and originality before publication.

Journal Impact Factor

The journal impact factor (IF) is a bibliometric measuring the average number of citations received by articles published in a journal over the preceding two years.

Open Access

Open Access (OA) makes research publications freely available to readers without subscription barriers, typically through Article Processing Charges (APCs).

Preprint

A preprint is a scholarly manuscript posted publicly before formal peer review, typically on a dedicated preprint server.

Article Retraction

Retraction is the formal removal of a published article from the scientific record, typically due to errors, misconduct, or unreliable data.

Reporting Guidelines

CONSORT Statement

CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) is a guideline that provides a minimum set of recommendations for reporting randomized controlled trials.

STROBE Statement

STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) is a guideline for reporting observational studies: cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies.

PRISMA Statement

PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is the standard guideline for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of healthcare interventions.

STARD Statement

STARD (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy) is a guideline for reporting studies on the accuracy of diagnostic tests.

ARRIVE Guidelines

ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) is a guideline for improving the reporting of animal research to increase transparency and reproducibility.

TRIPOD Statement

TRIPOD (Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis) is a guideline for reporting prediction model studies.

Research Ethics

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

An IRB (also called Ethics Committee or Institutional Ethics Committee) is a committee that reviews research involving human subjects to ensure ethical conduct and participant protection.

Informed Consent

Informed consent is the process by which participants voluntarily confirm their willingness to participate in research after being informed of its purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits.

Conflict of Interest (COI)

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment about a primary interest (patient welfare, research validity) may be influenced by a secondary interest (financial gain, career advancement).

Clinical Trial Registration

Clinical trial registration is the public declaration of a trial's design, methods, and outcomes before enrolling the first participant.

Statistical Terms

P-value

The p-value is the probability of observing results at least as extreme as the actual results, assuming the null hypothesis is true.

Confidence Interval

A confidence interval is a range of values that likely contains the true population parameter with a specified probability (typically 95%).

Effect Size

Effect size quantifies the magnitude of a difference or relationship between variables, independent of sample size.

Statistical Power

Statistical power is the probability that a study will detect an effect of a specified size when one truly exists.

Sample Size Calculation

Sample size calculation determines the number of participants needed to detect a clinically meaningful effect with adequate statistical power.

Survival Analysis

Survival analysis (time-to-event analysis) studies the time until an event of interest occurs, accounting for censored data.

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