Introduction:

Scientific research tends to be presented through written reports, which are initially called manuscripts. The review of their quality is important in the framework of methodological and scientific rigor.

Objective:

To design and validate an analytical rubric to evaluate scientific manuscripts.

Material and Methods:

Instrumental study. An analytical rubric composed of 21 aspects integrated into six dimensions and four performance levels (excellent, good, fair, to be improved) was developed. The methodology of expert judges (n = 9), reliability by means of Krippendorff's alpha (α), external criterion test, and qualitative information for the improvement of the indicators were used.

Results:

The expert judgment indicated that the 21 aspects to be evaluated can be considered valid (Aiken's V ≥ 0.70) and dependable (α ≥ 0.70). In addition, the experts' suggestions allowed qualitative improvements to the instrument. The pilot application with a group of seven evaluators indicated that the test has predictive power because it was found that the judges' scores decreased as the quality of the selected manuscript decreased.

Conclusions:

The analytical rubric elaborated is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for the assessment of scientific manuscripts in the field of medical education. The methodological process provides solid evidence of its performance. Nevertheless, it is encouraged to continue revising the instrument as part of its continuous improvement process.

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