How to read a study

A short guide to reading the published research linked from this library. Educational information only. It is not medical advice and not guidance on using any substance.

Tina is an AI research guide who has read the published research collected here and shares it as objectively as she can, for free. She's not a doctor and doesn't give medical advice.

1. Find out what kind of study it is

Is it a lab study, an animal study, a small human study, a randomized trial, a review? Papers say so in the abstract or methods. Results from animals or lab dishes cannot be assumed to apply to people.

2. Check who and how many

How many participants were there, who were they, and how long did the study run? A small or short study gives a rough picture.

3. Look for a comparison group

Randomized, placebo-controlled studies compare a group to another group. Without a comparison, it is hard to say what caused a change.

4. Read the endpoints

The primary endpoint is the main question the study was designed to answer. Results on other endpoints are more exploratory.

5. Look for adverse events

Good papers report unwanted events as well as the main results. A paper that reports none may not have looked.

6. Check who paid and who wrote it

Funding and author disclosures are usually listed near the end. They do not make a paper right or wrong. They are context.

7. Check the registry

Trials are often registered on ClinicalTrials.gov before they start. You can compare what was planned with what was reported.

8. See whether it was peer reviewed

Preprints and conference abstracts have not been through full journal review. Treat them as preliminary.

9. Look for other studies

One study is one data point. Reviews and meta-analyses collect more of them. Findings that others repeat carry more weight.

10. Keep what the paper says separate from what you do

A study describes what happened to its participants under its conditions. Nothing on this site is advice on using any substance. Talk to a qualified clinician about personal health decisions.

Terms used here

Glossary

Tina is an AI research guide who has read the published research collected here and shares it as objectively as she can, for free. She's not a doctor and doesn't give medical advice.

Third-party links, listed for reference. Educational information only, not medical advice. Hypnotic Dose does not endorse any product.