HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER
Full Unequivocal Data Set Focus Careful
Planning Organization Attention to
Detail Communication with Colleagues
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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• FALLACY Its only the number of
• papers that count
• FACT One good detailed paper in
• a prestigious journal is
• worth far more than
• smaller component papers
• in lesser journals!

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• AUTHORSHIP
• Before Starting to Write, Define the Following
• Who will be coauthors
• Who only will be acknowledged
• Order of authors
• POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
• Senior Authorship/Independence
• Co-contributing 1st and 2nd Authors

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• Choose the journal before you start writing
• Carefully review several recent issues
• Study the Instructions to Authors
• Identify publication costs

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• COMMON GRAMMAR/STYLE ISSUES
• Spelling British vs American
• Spell-check false security
• Active vs passive voice
• Multiple adjectives
• Incorrect use of due to
• Ambiguous use of this
• Hyphenation
• Abbreviations
• Run-on, sentences, use of semicolons

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• TITLE PAGE
• ? Choice of Title
• Short
• Description of major conclusion
• ? Running Title
• Not longer than SPECS
• Include words from title
• No unusual abbreviations
• ? Authors Names
• Check instructions
• ? Footnotes/Symbols
• ? Author for correspondence
• ? Key words

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• ABBREVIATIONS
• ? Check instructions
• ? Standard abbreviations
• ? Frequent cumbersome phrases/words
• ? Abbreviation list vs in text
• ? Generally dont begin a sentence with an
  abbreviation

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• ABSTRACT/SUMMARY
• ? Is the entire paper worth reading?
• ? A brief account of papers relevant points
• ? Length and format specified for each journal
  (i.e. continuous vs. specific sections)
• ? It must stand alone without reference to text
  body

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PPAER

• INTRODUCTION
• ? Long enough to place paper in context
• ? Reasons for doing study
• ? Methods used
• ? Indication of conclusions
• ? DONT MAKE INTRO TOO LONG!!
• ? Dont provide a complete history of field
• ? Basically What you did, why you did it, what
  you found!

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• MATERIALS AND METHODS
• ? Provide sufficient detail for others to repeat
  and/or understand differences from past/future
  studies
• ? Use subtitles
• ? Patient populations Tables,
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria
• ? Use generic vs. trade names
• ? If unusual complexities, consider appendix
• ? Make sure statistics are appropriate

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• RESULTS
• ? Logical sequence of presentation
• ? Minimize unpublished results
• ? Use subheadings
• ? Use appropriate tables/illustrations
• ? Dont repeat data in text and tables/ills
• ? Number of significant places after decimal
• ? Patent issues

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• DISCUSSION
• Reviewers rarely complain a discussion is too
  brief
• ? Provide summary of results and how results led
  to conclusion
• ? Place results in context of current knowledge
• ? Impact of data (present and future)
• ? Unanswered questions
• ? Limitations of study
• ? Use subheadings
• ? Dont overemphasize your own work

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• ? Those not listed as authors who helped with
  study
• -Intellectual input
• -Encouragement
• -Special measurements/reagents
• -Techs in lab
• -Secretarial assistance
• ? Research support
• ? CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• REFERENCES
• ? CHECK WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
• ? Numerous variations
• ? Full names vs. initials
• ? Number of names before et al
• ? Page inclusitivity
• ? Punctuation
• ? Order in text vs. alphabetical
• ? No unpublished data or personal communications
  in this section
• ? Limit historical references
• ? Keep number of references as short as feasible

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• FIGURES/LEGENDS
• ? Focus on key points
• ? Dont clutter Illustrations
• ? Define symbols/abbreviations in legends
• ? Label axes
• ? Use same units as in text
• ? Photo authenticity (in view of recent scandal)
• ? Obtain permission for use of previously
  published material

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• SUBMISSION
• ? Address letter to Editor
• ? Describe paper in 3-4 sentences
• ? Why it is appropriate to this journal
• ? If allowable, suggest reviewers
• ? Define any competitors who you feel would give
  unfair review
• ? Signatures of all coauthors on statement of
  authenticity/responsibility

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• RESPONSE LETTER WITH REVISION
• ? Segregate responses to Editor and each reviewer
• ? Repeat responses to each reviewer even if
  already responded to another
• ? Respond to each comment (consider numbering)
• ? Start with polite intro to each reviewer
• We are grateful to reviewer A for useful
  comments ....
• ? Consider placing Reviewers comment in letter
  immediately above your response
• ? Make sure pagination of initial and revision
  are synchronous and differences stated
• ? Dont try to muscle the Reviewer!

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• COMMON MISTAKES
• ? Failure to follow instructions
• ? Too many fonts on the title page
• ? Inconsistent formatting in the body of the
  manuscript
• ? Errors in the punctuation of references in the
  List of References
• ? Failure to indicate the variability and/or
  reproducibility of results
• ? Results that are given to a degree of accuracy
  that far exceeds the accuracy of measurements
• ? Graphs and histograms without indications of
  standard deviations
• From Korner, AM. Guide to Publishing a Scientific
  Paper

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HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PAPER

• ? Outline Key Aspects of Paper!
• ? Introduction
• ? Method
• ? Results
• ? Conclusion
• ? Review with Senior Author and Key Collaborators
• ? Write First Draft
• ? Review with Senior Author/Key Authors
• ? Review Subsequent Drafts
• ? Penultimate Draft Sent to all Co-Authors