Format Of Synopsis

A brief discussion about writing Synopsis of Dissertation for CPSP in Pakistan

1. FORMAT OF FORMAT OF
SYNOPSISSYNOPSIS
A brief Discussion on the A brief Discussion on the
components of FCPS components of FCPS
synopsis writingsynopsis writing

2. BEFORE STARTINGBEFORE STARTING
•Before starting to work on
Dissertation/Article, the FCPS trainee
has to send a Synopsis to RTMC and
get it approved.
•The synopsis is a brief out line
(about four A-4 size pages or 1000
words is the maximum limit) of your
future work

4. SYNOPSIS HEADINGSSYNOPSIS HEADINGS
•A synopsis must have the following
headings:
•TITLE
•INTRODUCTION
•OBJECTIVES
•OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
•HYPOTHESIS
•MATERIAL AND METHODS

5. TITLETITLE
•Should reflect the objectives of the
study.
•It must be written after the whole
synopsis has been written so that it
is a true representative of the
plan……

6. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
•Should contain brief background of
the selected topic.
•It must identify the importance of
study, its relevance and applicability
of results.
•It must clearly state the purpose of
the study.

7. RATIONALE/ SIGNIFICANCE/ RATIONALE/ SIGNIFICANCE/
NEED STATEMENTNEED STATEMENT
•It must identify the importance of
study, its relevance and applicability
of results.
•It must clearly state the purpose of
the study.

8. OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES
• Objectives are statements of
mentions. They inform the reader
clearly what the researcher plans to
do in his/her work.
•The must identify the variables
involved in research.
•Objective should start with an action
verb and be sufficiently specific,
measurable, achievable, relevant and
time bound (SMART).

9. OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

10. SMARTSMART
TIME
BOUND
RELEVANT ACHIEVABLE
MEASURABLE
SUFFICIENTLY
SPECIFIC
SMART

11. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONOPERATIONAL DEFINITION
•May be required in some synopses.
•It is definition of a term specifically
telling how it will be measured for
e.g.:
•Morbidity: this encompass a number
of aspects viz. prolonged hospital
stay, severe pain, immediate
complications, long term sequelae.
•A research must define how a vague
term will be measured.

12. EfficacyEfficacy
•Efficacy: These can by measured
–i. Time taken in relieve of symptoms
which may be pain, fever cough
heartburn etc.
–ii. Taking into account number of side
effects.
–iii. Time taken for complete recovery
student is requirement to specify how
he/she will measure efficacy.

13. HYPOTHESISHYPOTHESIS
•A hypothesis is a statement showing
expected relation b/w 2 variables. A
hypothesis is needed in the following
study designs:
–All interventional studies
–Cohort
–Case control
–Comparative cross sectional.

14. STUDY DESIGNSTUDY DESIGN
•Mention the name of the appropriate
study design.

15. SETTINGSETTING
•Name and place where the research
work is to be conducted

16. DURATION OF STUDYDURATION OF STUDY
•How long will the study take with
dates

17. SAMPLE SIZESAMPLE SIZE
•How many patients will be included.
If there are groups how many per
group?
•You need a statistician for this work

18. SAMPLING TECHNIQUESAMPLING TECHNIQUE
•Type of sampling technique
employed
–Sampling is that part of statistical
practice concerned with the selection of
individual observations intended to yield
some knowledge about a population of
concern, especially for the purposes of
statistical inference.

19. TWO REASONSTWO REASONS
•Researchers rarely survey the entire
population for two reasons:
–The cost is too high and
–The population is dynamic, i.e., the
component of population could change
over time.

20. THREE MAIN ADVANTAGESTHREE MAIN ADVANTAGES
•There are three main advantages of
sampling:
–The cost is lower
–Data collection is faster
–It is possible to ensure homogeneity and
to improve the accuracy and quality of
the data because the data

21. OBSERVATIONOBSERVATION
•Each observation measures one or more
properties (weight, location, etc.) of an
observable entity enumerated to
distinguish objects or individuals.
•Survey weights often need to be applied to
the data to adjust for the sample design.
•Results from probability theory and
statistical theory are employed to guide
practice.
•In business, sampling is widely used for
gathering information about a population.

22. SAMPLE SELECTIONSAMPLE SELECTION
•Inclusion criteria: on what bases will
patients be inducted in the study.
•Exclusion criteria: On what bases will
patients be excluded from the study.

23. DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION
PROCEDUREPROCEDURE
•A detailed account of how the researcher
will perform research;
•How s/he will measure the variable.
•It includes:
–Identification of the study variables
–Methods for collection of data
–Data collection tools (Performa/questionnaire)

24. DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDUREDATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
• Relevant details naming software to
be used, which descriptive statistics
and which test of significance if and
when required, specifying variables
where it will be applied.

25. REFERENCESREFERENCES
•In Vancouver style (for detail refer to
page 132).

26. DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION
INSTRUMENTINSTRUMENT

27. PROFORMA OR PROFORMA OR
QUESTIONNAIREQUESTIONNAIRE
•The researcher must attach, as an
annex, the proforma or questionnaire
with the help of which he/she intends
to collect data.
•The proforma/ questionnaire must
match the objectives and must not
contain irrelevant sections like
inclusion and exclusion criteria etc.