Where is the study population normally found in an intervention study?

Where is the study population normally found in an intervention study?

• A. Usually in the methods section of the study
• B. In the introduction
• C. In the results
• D. In the discussion

Answer: (A)

Describing who was studied, including eligibility criteria, how participants were recruited, the setting, and how many joined, is placed in the methods section. That part of the paper lays out the study design and the procedures used, so readers can assess internal validity and replicate the study. The introduction gives background and rationale, the results report the findings (often with baseline characteristics or a flow diagram), and the discussion interprets implications and limitations. While some demographic details may appear in results, the formal description of the study population belongs with the methods.

Describing who was studied, including eligibility criteria, how participants were recruited, the setting, and how many joined, is placed in the methods section. That part of the paper lays out the study design and the procedures used, so readers can assess internal validity and replicate the study. The introduction gives background and rationale, the results report the findings (often with baseline characteristics or a flow diagram), and the discussion interprets implications and limitations. While some demographic details may appear in results, the formal description of the study population belongs with the methods.