Using Research for Clinical Decision-Making: Elements of a Research Report
Course Number: 45A
The Summary And Conclusions
In the Summary and Conclusions section, the summary should briefly restate the problem, procedures, and findings.3 The conclusions should relate to the research question or hypothesis and be based on the findings of the study. The researcher may also recommend areas for future study. Journals will often combine this section with the discussion.
Below is an example of the Summary and Conclusions section:
The Clinical Effect of Dentifrices Containing Stabilized Stannous Fluoride on Plaque Formation and Gingivitis - A Six-Month Study with Ad libitum Brushing4
Conclusions
The results of this double-blind clinical trial demonstrated that the use of stabilized 0.454% SnF2 dentifrices over a six-month period resulted in statistically significant reductions in gingivitis relative to a fluoride-containing control dentifrice. Overall, the stannous fluoride dentifrices were very well tolerated and were devoid of any significant adverse effects on the oral soft tissues. Furthermore, the results suggest that when properly formulated, stannous fluoride is effective in reducing gingivitis.