Structured abstracts: do they improve the quality of information in abstracts?
BACKGROUND
This retrospective observational study was designed to assess the impact on quality of changing from unstructured to structured abstract format. Six dental journals, 3 that adopted structured abstracts and 3 with unstructured abstracts, were used.


METHODS
One hundred abstracts from original articles, published between January 1995 and December 1998, were selected from each journal. A 29-question checklist was developed and used to assess the quality of the information in the abstracts.


RESULTS
The mean score for abstracts published in all journal was 53.9% (SD 11.5; 95% CI 52.8%, 54.8%). There was no statistically significant difference between the scores of the first 50 abstracts and the second 50 abstracts from any journals with unstructured abstracts (P = .19-.80). The mean score of the second 50 abstracts from journals that adopted the structured abstract format was significantly higher than scores from journals with unchanged formats (P < or =.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Structured abstracts provide higher-quality information. Journal editors should be encouraged to use a structured abstract format.
Sharma
Sandeep
S
Saltaire Orthodontics, Bradford, United Kingdom.
Harrison
Jayne E
JE
D000043:Abstracting and Indexing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015706:Bibliometrics; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D007598:Journalism, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards*