Paper-comparison worksheet
Compare two papers addressing a shared question and explain why their findings may agree or differ.
This is a blank educational worksheet for use with published sources. It is not a clinical decision tool. Do not include patient identifiers or personal medical information.
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Paper-comparison worksheet
01 / Compare the foundations
Choose two papers about a shared question. Describe differences before trying to combine their conclusions.
Shared question
What question am I comparing, and why are these two papers relevant?
| Study foundations | Paper A | Paper B |
|---|---|---|
| Source, date and DOI/link | ||
| Design and setting | ||
| Participants, samples or data | ||
| Exposure, method and comparator | ||
| Outcomes and time points |
Are these papers directly comparable?
Note the most important difference that may affect interpretation.
Paper-comparison worksheet
02 / Compare the conclusions
Record each paper's actual results, including units and uncertainty where reported. Avoid treating different outcomes as interchangeable.
| Findings and limits | Paper A | Paper B |
|---|---|---|
| Main result and table/figure reference | ||
| Reported uncertainty and missing information | ||
| Key limitations and disclosed conflicts |
Why might the findings agree or differ?
Consider design, participants, measurements, time points and analysis. Label your explanations as hypotheses.
Discussion conclusion and next source
What can I say cautiously? What remains unresolved, and what would I read next?