IMRaD:

Qualitative Research Reporting

Rudolf Cymorr Kirby P. Martinez,

PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT
 Learning Objectives
• Understand the IMRaD structure
• Enumerate the general content of each
section
• Recognize the unique attributes of reporting
qualitative research in IMRaD
R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT
 IMRaD
• Most prominent norm for a scientific
journal article
• Facilitates literature review, allowing readers
to navigate articles more quickly to locate
material relevant to their purpose
• It is a structure, not a format/style (APA 6th Ed)
R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT
 Appendices
IMRaD Structure
References

Body

Abstract

Title page

Standard Content R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
Why was the study undertaken?

General Content
A. Context of the Study
B. Literature Review
C. Aim/ Question
D. Framework

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
Why was the study undertaken?

General Content
A. Context of the Study
B. Literature Review
C. Aim/ Question
D.None
Framework

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
When, where, and how was the study done?

General Content
A. Design/ Approach
B. Setting, Sampling and Population
C. Data Gathering Procedure
D. Instrumentation
E. Analysis Plan
F. Ethical Considerations

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
When, where, and how was the study done?

General Content
Philosophical
A. Design/ Underpinning
Approach
Selection
B. Setting, of Participants
Sampling and Population
C. Data
WaysGathering Procedure
of Gathering the Narratives
D. Instrumentation
None
E. Analysis
Process Plan
of Reflective Analysis
F. Ethical Considerations

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
What did the study found?

General Content
A. Figures, Graphs, Tables
B. Analysis of Data

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
What did the study found?

General Content
A. Figures, Graphs, Tables
The Participants
B. Analysis of Data
Result/ Insights
(Themes, Codes, etc)

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
What might the answer imply &
why does it matter?

General Content
A. Analysis with Literature
B. Conclusion
C. Recommendation

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

IMRaD Structure
General Question:
What might the answer imply &
why does it matter?

General Content
A. Analysis with(RRL)
Resonance Literature
Creative Synthesis
B. Conclusion
C. Recommendation
Implication and
Future Direction

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

 APA Heading Levels
APA Headings
Level Format
1 Centered, Boldfaced, Upper & Lowercase Headings
2 Left-aligned, Boldface, Upper & Lowercase Headings
3 Indented, boldface, lowercase heading with a period.
4 Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase heading with period.
5 indented, italicized, lowercase heading with a period.

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

 Sample (Result of
an Interpretative

APA Heading Levels Phenomenological

Study)

Results Level 1

The Participants Level 2

Themes Level 2

Behind the Mask: The Blurring Self Level 3

Forbidden: Not Forgotten Level 3

Nasty Needles: A Friend and A Foe Level 3

Another subheading. Level 4

Another part of subheading. Level 5

Eidetic Insight Level 2

Symbolic Representation Level 2

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT
 Standard Content
Appendices Reflexivity General Content
“ changes brought about to A. Reflexivity
References ourselves, as a result of the B. Consent Form
research process, and how C. Tools/ Instrument
Body
these changes have D. Communications
affected the research E. Other forms
Abstract
process. It highlights the
Title page journey of discovering how
we, as researchers, shaped *(Palaganas et al., 2017)
and how we were shaped
by the research process
and outputs” *

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

 References
American Psychological Association (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Brain, L (1965). Structure of the scientific paper. British Medical Journal, 2, 868–869. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.5466.868.
Burrough-Boenisch, J (1999). International reading strategies for IMRD articles. Written Communication., 16(3), 296–
316. doi:10.1177/0741088399016003002.
Day, R. (1989). The origin of the scientific paper: the IMRAD format. AMWA Journal, 4(2). 16-25. Retrieved from:
http://www.amwa.org/default/publications/journal/scanned/v04.2.pdf
Malterud, K. (2001). Qualitative research: standards, challenges, and guidelines. The Lancet, 358, 483-488.
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(01)05627-6.
Palaganas, E. C., Sanchez, M. C., Molintas, M. P., & Caricativo, R. D. (2017). Reflexivity in Qualitative Research: A
Journey of Learning. The Qualitative Report, 22(2), 426-438. Retrieved from
http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol22/iss2/5
Sollaci, L. B., & Pereira, M. G. (2004). The introduction, methods, results, and discussion (IMRAD) structure: a fifty-year
survey. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 92(3), 364–371.
Tong, A., Sainsbury, P., & Craig, J. (2007) Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item
checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 19(6), 349–
357, doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzm042.
R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT
Maraming
Salamat

R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT

PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT, CSTP, FRIN

ResearchGate: https://goo.gl/dNr2Zs
R. Martinez, PhD, MA, RN, CAA, LMT