Getting Your Work Published Some Basics of Writing
Research Papers
David J Pierson MDPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Harborview Medical Center
Editor Emeritus, Respiratory Care
Outline of Presentation
• The different sections of a research paper and how to approach them
• 10 reasons manuscripts are not accepted for publication—and what to do about it
• Overcoming writer’s block
• Helpful resources on writing scientific manuscripts
Before You Write Anything
• Discuss authorship with all relevant parties
• Select the target journal
• Study that journal’s manuscript preparation guide
• Plan to submit a paper that is shorter than the journal’s average
What a Scientific Paper Needs to Communicate
• Why did you start?
• What did you do?
• What did you find?
• What does it mean?
What a Scientific Paper Needs to Communicate
• Why did you start? (Introduction)
• What did you do? (Methods)
• What did you find? (Results)
• What does it mean? (Discussion)
The Title
• Accurate promise of the paper’s content
• Specific about scope of study
• Indicates study design
• States subject—not conclusion
The Title
• Avoids abbreviations and acronyms
• Simple, short, concise (10-12 words)
• Interesting, eye-catching, “reader-grabber”
• Easy to understand
The Abstract
• Not the same as presented abstract
• Strict adherence to journal’s instructions
• Complete agreement with rest of text
• Includes nothing not in body of paper
• Conclusions specific and conservative
• Last part of paper to be written
The Introduction
• Provides adequate background information
• Defines any new/unusual/vague terms
• Points out gap in current knowledge
• Clearly states purposes of study
• Should be short
Byrne DW: Publishing Your Medical Research Paper. Williams & Wilkins, 1998
The Methods
• Simplest section to write (could be written before the data collection)
• Must be complete and accurate
• Reader should be able to replicate study
• Statistics clearly identified and described
• No results in this section
Byrne DW: Publishing Your Medical Research Paper. Williams & Wilkins, 1998
The Results
• Start with the major positive findings
• [Address the stated hypothesis]
• Include a table describing the study population
• Present the results in a logical order
• Do not repeat in detail information that is given in the tables and figures
The Results
• Report the results in the target journal’s format
• Use subheadings
• Include only results—no methods, no discussion
• Do not use more than the journal’s average number of tables and figures
Presenting Statistical Information
• Report relative risk and 95% confidence intervals
• Use statistical terms correctly (eg, “significant”)
• Provide exact p values, not “NS”
Tables
• Simple, self-explanatory
• In journal’s format
• Not a repetition of text
• Double-spaced
• Units for every variable
• Exact p values
• Appropriate rounding
• Format consistent with other tables
Figures
• Use to illustrate the major points
• Label axes and other elements clearly
• Don’t just use figures from poster
• Use style parallel with others in field
Figures
• Thick lines; large text
• Information not included in text
• Units and symbols in journal’s style
• Be careful about using colors & shading
• Clear, detailed legend
• Should be self-explanatory
The Discussion
Start with your most important point
Present no new data in this section
Focus on the implications of your results
Stick to the subject; keep it focused
The Discussion
Compare your study with previous studies
Discuss its weaknesses and deficiencies
Discuss alternative explanations for the results
Write clearly and in plain English
Keep this section as short as possible
Byrne DW: Publishing Your Medical Research Paper. Williams & Wilkins, 1998
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication*
10) Picking the wrong journal
*Pierson DJ, Respir Care 2004;49(10):1246-52
Choosing the Appropriate Journal and Article Category
Read the target journal
Become familiar with what it publishes– Subject matter– Format– Article length– Number of tables and figures– Comprehensiveness and detail
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
10) Picking the wrong journal
9) Submitting something that isn’t like what the journal publishes
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
10) Picking the wrong journal
9) Submitting something that isn’t like what the journal publishes
8) Not following instructions
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
7) Bad writing
Advice for Authors
In promulgating your esoteric cogitations or articulating your superficial sentimentalities and amicable philosophical and psychological observations beware of platitudinous ponderosities. Let your communications possess a clarified conciseness, a coefficient consistency and a concatenated cogency. Eschew conglomerations of flatulated garrulity, jejune babblement and asinine affectations. Let your extemporaneous descantings and unpremeditated expatiations have intelligibility and veracious vivacity without rodomontade or thrasonical bombast. Sedulously avoid polysyllabic profundity, setatious vacuity, ventriloqual verbosity, and vain vapidity either obscurant or apparent. Shun double entendre, purient jococity, and pestiferous profanity.
Advice for Authors
In other words, say what you mean,
mean what you say, and
don’t use big words
• Have something to say.
• Say it.
• Stop.
The Secret to Good Medical Writing
Lang TA. How to Write, Publish, and Present in the Health Sciences. A Guide for Clinicians and Laboratory Researchers. Philadelphia, ACP Press, 2010
Things to Avoid in Your Writing
Jargon
Clinical slang and cliches
The passive voice
Unconventional abbreviations
Pejoratives and unnecessary information about patients
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
7) Bad writing
6) Getting carried away in the discussion
Avoiding Problems with the Discussion
Don’t attempt to make more of your results than they deserve.
Frankly acknowledge the study’s limitations.
Avoid excess zeal (especially important when there are industry connections).
Let your results speak for themselves.
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
7) Bad writing
6) Getting carried away in the discussion
5) Suboptimal reporting of the results
4) Inadequate description of the methods
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
3) Poor study design
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
3) Poor study design
2) Not revising and resubmitting the paper
Pro
port
ion
of M
an
uscr
ipts
Su
bmite
d
Rejected without
external review
The Fate of Submitted Manuscripts
Peer review
Rejected after 1 round of peer review
Returned to author for revision
Never resubmitted
Rejected
Published
Peer review
Time
Siegelman SS. Assassins and Zealots: Variations in Peer Review. Radiology 1991; 178:637-642
Peer Reviewers: Assassins and Zealots
How to Respond to Peer Reviewers
Write a detailed cover letter to the editor with your revision.
Thank the reviewers, praise their insight, and don’t be nasty.
Deal point-by-point with every issue raised by the reviewers.
Don’t just respond with a point-by-point rebuttal.
The Top 10 Reasons Why Manuscripts Aren’t Accepted for Publication
3) Poor study design
2) Not revising and resubmitting the paper
1) Not writing the paper in the first place!
Overcoming Writer’s Block
• Break the project down into steps.
• Don’t write anything yet.
• Make a 1-page outline.
• Do the tables and figures.
• Note down points to be made and put them in order.
• Write one section at a time.
Outline of Presentation
• The different sections of a research paper and how to approach them
• 10 reasons manuscripts are not accepted for publication—and what to do about it
• Overcoming writer’s block
• Helpful resources on writing scientific manuscripts
A Great Recent ResourceFor Both
Beginning and Advanced
Researchers and Writers
Philadelphia, ACP Press, 2010, $59.95
Another Practical Resource
For the Beginning Researcher/Writer
• 18 different topics
• Most not specific to respiratory care field
• Full text (PDF) of all available free at www.rcjournal.com
Additional Resource: UW Course on Scientific Writing and Presenting
• EPI 534 / PHARM 536
• “Principles of Publishing Clinical Evidence”
• Co-Directors: Carin M Olson MD ([email protected]) and Eric S Johnson PhD ([email protected])
• 2 hours credit/no credit
• Offered spring 2011