Table 3 The mean and the standard deviation of MERSQI and subscales scores for published and non-published poster and oral presentations between 2010–2014, p < .05 was considered statistically significant

Study design

1.1667

0.36968

1.1043

0.29446

0.257

No. of institutions studied

0.7843

0.43880

0.6062

0.27979

0.007

Response rate

1.1373

0.45911

0.8995

0.47740

0.001

Type of data

1.8627

1.00039

1.2462

0.65797

0.000

Internal structure

0.5098

0.50488

0.1520

0.35861

0.000

Content

0.8137

0.38679

0.5188

0.49838

0.000

Relationship to other variables

0.3529

0.48264

0.1181

0.32312

0.001

Appropriateness of data analysis

0.8235

0.38501

0.5063

0.49996

0.000

Complexity of analysis

1.5882

0.49705

1.2513

0.43428

0.000

Outcomes

1.0392

0.13576

1.0302

0.12434

0.628

Sampling

1.9216

0.59475

1.9216

0.59475

0.000

Validity of evaluation instrument

1.6765

1.03838

0.7889

0.83722

0.000

Data analysis

2.4118

0.77914

1.7575

0.82751

0.000

Total score

10.0784

2.74840

7.4328

2.41741

0.000