“Multiple early factors anticipate post-acute COVID- 19 sequelae”: Analysis of the IMRAD format

On January 24, 2022, Cell published, “Multiple early factors anticipate post-acute COVID-19 sequelae” by Yapeng Su et al. (2022) this study was organized by scientists and doctors to help identify additional and more specific risk factors that would cause people to have long term COVID symptoms. COVID is a problem that has been adversely affecting our 4er-p0—p-community for years; their goal was to be better prepared. This research article was able to convey the findings of the study effectively using detailed graphs and charts, word choice, and tables in addition to using the IMRAD format.

Yapeng Su et al. (2022) constructed the research paper in the IMRAD format.  This meant that the structure of the research article was purposeful. By following this generalized structure, other scientists and doctors can follow the article more efficiently and absorb the information quicker. This research article does not have a traditional abstract, it has a graphical abstract. This means Yapeng Su et al. (2022) used a graphic to give background instead of the traditional paragraph. The introduction is one paragraph long and is written in the present tense. This paragraph goes straight to the point; it cites previous research that was made on this study and how the findings from that research would help create the conjecture of their study.

The method section of the research paper is the more intense part of this article, written in past tense and passive voice. This section is divided up into categories so that the reader can follow on easily. Each paragraph described a type of symptom with an explanation of why. Yapeng Su et al. (2022) also cited other studies to justify their claims.

The results section was written in past and passive voice. This section was used to connect all the findings from the method section. It provides charts, tables, and graphs that are all presented in the text and show their connection to the study. The graphs in the results section present the data that were collected throughout the study, and how different symptoms were studied differently.

Lastly, the discussion section proves the connection between the study and the real world. This section is written in the past tense, and it has both active and passive voices. For instance, the text states, “We used longitudinal” and as the text continues it states, “longitudinal investigation was revealed in several ways.” The authors’ analysis of the study provided a foundation to help understand the heterogeneity of “long COVID”. Thus, this study can be utilized to help prevent symptoms of COVID.

 

 

Reference

Su et al., Multiple early factors anticipate post-acute COVID-19 sequelae, Cell (2022), https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.cell.2022.01.014