Title: Making An English Biomedical Paper: Why, What, and How
1Making An English Biomedical PaperWhy, What,
and How
- ??????????
- Ruiwen Zhang, MD, PhD, DABT ?????
- Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Director, Cancer Pharmacology LaboratorySr.
Scientist, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Clinical
Nutrition Research Center, - Chemoprevention Center, Gene Therapy Center,
Center for Aging, - Center for AIDS Research University of Alabama
School of Medicine - Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- ruiwen.zhang_at_ccc.uab.edu
- ????? (Editor-in-Chief)
- Jilin University, June 26, 2009
-
- This presentation does not necessarily represent
the opinion or idea of UAB or ???. - This presentation does not have any direct
connection to UAB business.
2Making An English Biomedical PaperWhy, What,
and How
- Outline
- Session 1A Why? General Instruction
- Session 1B What and How? Journal and Data
selection - Session 2 What and How? Specific Writing Tips
for Major Sections - Session 3 How? Communication with
Editors/Reviewers
3Making An English Biomedical PaperWhy, What,
and How
- ??????????Session 1A
- General Instruction
4Q A Which of the following is Most Important
or Difficult to Perform?
- Select the data
- Select a target journal
- Write an English paper
- Prepare a cover letter
- Communicate with Editors
5Writing and Speaking Well
- Learn to Write Well, or Not Write at All.
- John Dryden, Poet
- Avoiding Boring People.
- A book title from James Watson, Noble
laureate - Write or No Write, Speak or No Speak, Depending
on Your Ability to Deliver.
My belief
Session 1
6Obligations of a Scientist (Physician Scientist)
- Accomplish technically competent, thorough, and
ethical research - Employ objective scientific judgment and seek
appropriate advice. - Publish honest reports in a timely fashion.
Session 1
7Types of Scientific Writing
Not public
Public
Peer-reviewed
- Grant Applications
- Fellowship proposals
- Original papers
- Reviews
- Meeting abstracts
- Conference reports
- Books, chapters
- Book reviews
- Teaching materials
- Theses/dissertations
- Editorial comments
- Letters to the editor
- Research reports (sometimes)
- Web pages
Not peer-reviewed
- Correspondence
- Confidential reports
Session 1
8Overview The Research Process
Hypothesis
Session 1
9Overview The Publication Process
Session 1
10Major Techniques in Scientific Writing
- Definition
- Compare-contrast
- Enumeration/Illustration
- Cause-effect
Session 1
11Characteristics of Scientific Writing (1)
- English the universal language of science
- - Eugene Garfield, 1987
- Reader-oriented ---- Sharing information
- Three Things to Avoid
- Laboratory jargon
- Invented words
- Non-standard abbreviations
- Purposeful ---- Convey information, ideas,
concepts - Precise ---- Choose words meant to be said
- Accurate ---- Conformity, actual (true) state
Session 1
12Characteristics of Scientific Writing (2)
- Clear
- Reaches the audience with the same meaning it had
- Should NOT be interpreted in more than one way
---- Avoid - When something is said for the first time,
clarity is essential. - Concise
- Expresses, covers much in few words
- The best English is that which gives the sense in
the fewest short words. Instructions to
Authors, Journal of Bacteriology. - Simple ---- Easy to understand, not elaborate or
artificial, not ornate, not complicated - Illustrated ---- A picture is worth a thousand
words. Make use of good figures and tables
Session 1
13Sins of Language
excess
omission
Misunderstanding Misleading Harm
dishonesty
ignorance
malice
Session 1
14Characteristics of a Valid Manuscript (1)
- First report of the data (original paper)
- Original research results (not me-too)
- Allow peers to repeat the reported experiments
(not necessarily the results) - Publish in a journal or other public source
document - Available to the scientific community
- Be received and understood
Session 1
15Characteristics of a Valid Manuscript (2)
- Characteristic format ---- IMRAD
- (Introduction, Methods ( Materials), Results,
and Discussion) - Introduction What question was studied?
- Methods How was it studied?
- Results What were the findings?
- Discussion What do the findings mean?
- This logic helps the author organize and write
the manuscript. - Traditional format
- Cancer Research
- PNAS USA
- Alternative format Introduction, Results,
Discussion, and Methods ( Materials) - EMBO J
- Oncogene
- Letter format
- Nature
- Science
Session 1
16Steps in Writing a Manuscript (1)
Reading
Thinking
Writing Revising
Q Professional Writing Service?
Session 1
17Ten (10) Key Questions
- Is there a story to tell?
- What was the rationale for the project?
- Did I perform a thorough literature review?
- What is the historical context of the work?
- Did I have a clear hypothesis?
- Did the experiments test that hypothesis?
- Is the experimental design defendable?
- Can I justify what I did?
- Did I use appropriate controls?
- How do my findings relate to the existing
knowledge?
Session 1
18Steps in Writing a Manuscript (2)
- Search and Review the Literature
- Use MEDLINE other sources
- Search using all appropriate keywords
- Summarize relevant points of related articles
- Prepare an Outline
- Preparation forces you to think and organize.
- All points should be supported by appropriate
data. - Gives a logical, step-by-step order in which the
manuscript will be presented. - Gaps can be filled in, and extraneous material
can be eliminated. - Writing can be done with less interruption.
Session 1
19Checklist for Preparing an Outline
- Ensure that you are up-to-date on the literature
in the field - Confirm that the results are real- i.e., they
cannot be explained by experimental error and
have been repeated - Complete the initial statistical analyses
- Select a target journal
- Look over the Instructions for authors
- Decide on the authors, and decide who will be the
corresponding author - Verify the current institution and address for
each of the authors - Decide who will be responsible for the various
parts of the manuscript Introduction____________
_____Methods/Materials___________________ - Results____________________Discussion___________
_______________ - Figures____________________Tables_______________
______________ - References_________________Overall
formatting____________________ - Discuss who will be responsible for other parts
of the submission process - Cover letter_________________Online/mail
submission________________ - Revisions___________________Letter for
revision/rebuttal_____________ - Determine who should be included in the
acknowledgements - Select a targeted date for submission
- Select major references to be cited
- Make a list of the procedures and instruments
used, along with the conditions for each
experiment
Session 1
20Steps in Writing a Manuscript (3)
Actual Writing (Turtle or Rabbit Writer?)
- General Approach to
- generating first draft
- Tables and Figures
- Results
- Methods
- Introduction
- Discussion
- Abstract
- Title
- References
- Other parts
- General Approach to
- Revising first draft
- Read the First Draft (From the beginning to the
end - Read it again
- Read literature again
- Revise
- Introduction, Results and Discussion
- Methods
- Abstract
- Title
- Abstract
- Title and other parts
Session 1
21Steps in Writing a Manuscript (4)
Actual Writing (Turtle or Rabbit Writer?)
- General Approach to
- Revising 2nd and nth drafts
- 2nd Complete Draft
- Send to all authors
- Nth Draft
- Semi-final version
- Send to Outside reader/consultant/editing service
- Final version
- Send to all authors
- General Approach to
- preparing the final version
- Reading, reading, reading
- Checking, checking, checking
- Submission package
- Cover letter
- Suggested reviewers, if needed
- Submission
- Approve submission
- Waiting for the news
Session 1
22Q A Do I Have to Work in a Lab to Write a SCI
Paper?
- The answer is NO.
- Your options (examples)
- Case Report
- Clinical Trials (including lab work)
- Retrospective Study
- Population Study
- Meta Analysis
- Review/Mini-review
- Theoretical Papers (Hypothesis)
- Letter to Editors
- Comments
23Making An English Biomedical PaperWhy, What,
and How
- ??????????Session 1B
- Target Journals
- Data Preparation and Evaluation
24Select an Appropriate Journal (1)
Target Journal
- Have a journal in mind as you design and perform
your experiments. - Basis for selection of a target journal
- Who is the target audience?
- General
- Multidisciplinary
- Specific
- How important is the contribution?
- If it is earth-shaking and of interest in
several scientific fields or if it is a major
advance in a particular discipline, submit the
manuscript to Nature, Science, Cell, or PNAS.
Not Sure? Ask a trusted colleague!
Session 1
25Select an Appropriate Journal (2)
SCI and Impact Factor
- What is the impact factor of the journal?
- Calculation for journal impact factor
- Example Nature 2007 Impact Factor
- Cites in 2007 to articles published in 2006
25635Â Â - Â 2005 32644
-
Sum
58279Â - Number of articles published in
2006 962Â Â Â Â - 2005 1065Â Â Â Â
-
Sum 2027Â - Calculation 58279 /202728.751Â Â Â Â Â
Session 1
26Select an Appropriate Journal (2)
2008 SCI Impact Factor
- Total Number of Journals in SCI? 6598
- IF distribution Number Cum
- gt50 2 0.03
- 30lt50 11 0.17
- 20lt30 20 0.30
- 15lt20 20 0.30 0.8
- 10lt15 63 0.95 1.75
- 5lt10 295 4.47 6.22
- 3lt5 736 11.15 17.37
- 1lt3 2948 44.68 62.05
- 0.5lt1 1410 21.37
- 0lt0.5 1047 15.87
- No IF 46 0.69
Session 1
27Select an Appropriate Journal (2)
2008 SCI Impact Factor
- Top 10 Journals in SCI IF
- Journal 2008 IF 5-yr IF
Session 1
28Select an Appropriate Journal (2)
2008 SCI Impact Factor
- Other interesting journals
- Journal 2008 IF 5-yr IF
- Lancet 28.409 28.965
- Science 28.103 30.268
- Nat Med 27.553 28.965
- Interesting Facts (2008 SCI IF)
- IF N Nature Family Cell Family Review
Journals - gt20 33 14
2 17
Session 1
29Select an Appropriate Journal (3)
SCI and Impact Factor
- Myths of Impact Factors (IFs)
- IFs do not reflect the quality of individual
papers. - Review journals generally have higher IFs.
- IFs are biased against some specialty or new
fields of research. - Not all journals are included in the index.
- IFs can be manipulated by editors/publishers.
- IFs fluctuate year to year for a given journal.
- Journals originated from Non-English country
generally have lower IFs - IFs cannot be used to compare publications in
different fields (subject category) - Simple math does not work here
- IF 10 IF1 X10?
- IF 5 IF5 IF10?
- IF 10X 6 IF60?
- IF 5.614 is better than IF 5.613?
Session 1
30Select an Appropriate Journal (4)
Major Secondary Services
- Is it recognized by one or more of the major
secondary services (Chemical Abstracts,
Biological Abstracts, MEDLINE/PubMed)? - MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and
Retrieval System Online) is an international
literature database of life sciences and
biomedical information. It covers the fields of
medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry,
veterinary medicine, and health care and much of
the literature in biology and biochemistry.
(5000 serials) - PubMed is a free search engine offering access
to the MEDLINE database of citations and
abstracts of biomedical research articles. It
also provides access to many pre-1966
publications. - CA (Chemical Abstracts Service), a division of
the American Chemical Society, produces Chemical
Abstracts, an index of the scientific literature
in chemistry and related fields. (9500 serials) - Biological Abstracts directs users to
information on life science topics, ranging from
botany to microbiology to pharmacology. (gt3700
serials)
Session 1
31Select an Appropriate Journal (5)
More than IF
- What is the prestige of the journal?
- Is it a primary journal?
- Is it an open journal?
- What is the circulation of the journal?
- What is the review time for the journal?
- What is the publication time for the journal?
Most Journals publish the dates of submission,
review, and acceptance. You need to check the
publishing date Epub ahead of print In press
MS Open access online only PubMED submission
etc.
Session 1
32Select an Appropriate Journal (6)
More than IF
- Who will be interested in reading the paper
basic scientists, clinicians, or both? - Whom do you want to read the paper members of
the funding committee, the promotion committee,
or the competitors? - Is the paper within the Scope of the journal
(in the Instructions for Authors ). - Be familiar with the journal, especially papers
published in the last 6-12 months
Still not sure Ask a trusted peer, and, if
possible, be acquainted with the editor.
Session 1
33Select an Appropriate Journal (7)
Knew What You Wish For
- Check recent articles in various journals
examine their format and content. - Examine several articles in potential journals.
How many figures and tables do they have? - Read the Table of Contents of recent issues of
potential journals. - Consider Am I qualified to write an article for
this journal? - Consider Where were the papers you will cite as
references published-were they published in a
similar quality journal? - Read the Instructions for Authors and examples
of publications in these journals.
Keep in Mind Topic, Contents, Format, and Style.
Session 1
34Select an Appropriate Journal (8)
Wrong Journal or Wrong Paper?
- If you submit to a wrong journal
- Your manuscript may be returned to you without
review. - It may be reviewed inadequately.
- Its publication may be unnecessarily delayed.
- Your work may remain unknown because it is not
read after publication.
Still not sure Ask the Editor of the potential
journal. Do not overly depend on Professional
Editing Service
Session 1
35Data Preparation and Evaluation (1)
- Checklist for finalizing data for a manuscript
- Make sure your results have been
repeated/confirmed - Select results that are representative of your
repeats (for Western blots, photographs, spectra,
etc) or prepare averages and standard deviations
for your data (clinical parameters, animal
studies, etc.) - Ensure that your data are statistically
significant, and that you indicate this in the
text and figures. - Prepare an appropriate number of figures and/or
tables (many journals have a limit of 6 figures) - Confirm that your figures and tables are
supported by raw data - Make sure that the raw data is retrievable (in
laboratory records) - Organize data by importance (key data,
supporting evidence, and/or supplemental data) - Determine they type of illustration that will
best showcase the data (Figure? Table?
Photograph?) - Generate figures of sufficient quality for your
selected journal (journals frequently require
figure quality of 600 dpi) - Format your illustrations according to the
instructions for authors (font style and size)
and, if possible, use a consistent size and style
for each figure and table - Avoid redundancy between tables, figures and the
text - The corresponding author needs to check the
quality and accuracy of the data, and that the
data is supported by raw data - The figures and tables should indicate
statistical significance (if applicable) - Prepare supplemental illustrations (if applicable
for your journal) - Write figure and table legends (the legends
should describe the figure and methods in
sufficient detail so that the reader knows what
the data indicate and how they were obtained) - Check all the materials and methods and/or key
references
Session 1
36Data Preparation and Evaluation (2)
- Q Do I need All the data before beginning the
writing - No
- But You need
- All Key data
- Most supporting data
- Some supplemental data
- You need ALL the data before the completion of
the first draft - You still can add data before final submission
You should evaluate your data periodically and
prepare your outline and key data as soon as
possible.
Session 1
37Data Preparation and Evaluation (3)
- Q Who should evaluate and check the data?
- All the authors
- Key persons
- Primary authors
- Corresponding author
- Technical staff
- Collaborators
- You may ask trusted colleagues to evaluate the
data
Hot topic Can you trust the internet to send
your unpublished data?
Session 1
38Data Preparation and Evaluation (4)
- Q Does the format of the data presentation
matter? - Yes
- You can present your data in various manners
- Table
- Simple
- Complex
- Number of the tables
- Figure
- Color?
- Number of the figures
- Number of panels in a figure
- Text
- The best way is to use all the above, but not
redundant
Hot Topic The art of scientific data presentation
Session 1
39Data Preparation and Evaluation (5)
- Q Why is statistical analysis so important?
- The following statements are frequently based on
statistical analysis - Significant
- Effective
- Correlation/relation
- Causal relation
- Safe
- Better or Worse
- Confirm or rule out a hypothesis
- Prediction/Extrapolation
- Other
- You Almost Always need help from a statistician,
from planning to design to analysis to reporting - It is almost too late if the reviewer/editor
requests statistical analysis for your paper.
Hot topic You should know the difference between
statistical significance and biological
significance.
Session 1
40Making An English Biomedical PaperWhy, What,
and How
- ??????????
- Session 2
- Writing Tips for Major Sections
41Q AWhich Part (s) of A Paper is(are) Most
Important?Which Part (s) of is(are) Most
Difficult to Write?
- Title
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Materials and Methods
- Results (figures and tables)
- Discussion
- Acknowledgements
- References
42General Order of Writing (1st Draft)
- Selecting and Finalizing Data
- Results
- Materials and Methods
- Introduction
- Discussion
- Title
- References
- Abstract
- Other sections
Session 2
43Introduction/Background (1)
- Every Paper needs an Introduction section
- Original Article
- Review Article
- Case Report
- Technical/Method Report
- Letter
- Editorials
- Other
- This section is a critical showcase.
- May be written late in the process, e.g., after
you complete Results and Methods section.
Session 2
44Introduction/Background (2)
- The first sentence should stimulate the interest
of the reader. - Example 1
- Poor The purpose of this article is to show that
case management can be a cost-effective approach
in patient care. (unnecessary words) - Improved Case management can be a cost-effective
approach in patient care.
Session 2
45Introduction/Background (3)
- The first sentence should stimulate the interest
of the reader. - Example 2
- Poor From the beginning of time, strokes have
been a major health problem. (trite, negative) - Improved Advanced treatments for stroke patients
are giving them new hope.
Session 2
46Introduction/Background (4)
- Three Important components in this section.
- The topic to be covered and why it is important
(The rationale) - The purpose of the studies.
- The hypothesis that led to the investigation.
Session 2
47Introduction/Background (5)
- Try to state
- Whats new?
- Whats special?
- Whats significant?
- How to do it?
- Provide a brief review of the literature and cite
findings that led to the present studies. - Example
- Good In inner-city adolescents, the increased
incidence of illnesses related to sexuality
demonstrates a lack of understanding of these
problems. Through counseling and referrals, nurse
practitioners in our hospital developed a
procedure to reach this population and reduce the
occurrence of these diseases.
Session 2
48Introduction/Background (6)
- This section should be short 500-1000 words.
- How to do it?
- Discuss any unknowns and controversies that exist
, with respect to the rationale for the studies. - The information should be fresh/novel,
interesting, and specific. - Much of the Introduction should be written in the
present tense, when you mention the published
data/hypothesis. - This section is best written in the active voice.
The active voice gives writing a sense of
strength, energy, and direction. (It is also
20-30 shorter than the passive voice.)
Session 2
49Introduction/Background (7)
- You need a clearly stated HYPOTHESIS and
Approaches. - How to do it?
- State the hypothesis directly.
- Set up the problem and show how it was dealt
with. - It is acceptable to briefly state the conclusion.
- Use only the most important references. Do not
refer to individual scientists unless it is
necessary to contrast results from different
laboratories. (This principle applies also to
other sections of the manuscript.) - Preliminary reports should be mentioned.
- If there are related publications that will be
published soon, they should be mentioned. (But
you need to check the journal format, with
respect to unpublished data.)
Session 2
50Introduction/Background Summary (1)
- Include in this section
- A brief review of the field (1 paragraph),
including a description of areas in the specific
field that are unclear or uncharacterized. - An introduction to the present study (1
paragraph), including hypothesis, major models
and readouts, and key conclusions - A brief comparison of the present study to the
current knowledge, concluding with the
significance and possible impact. - A simple figure for testing system or agents that
are new to the field, e.g., structure for a newly
identified chemical that has been published.
Session 2
51Introduction/Background Summary (2)
- DO NOT include in this section
- A lengthy review of the field or related fields
- Methods used for the paper
- For papers detailing the discovery or
design of a new method, this may sometimes be
mentioned. - Results
- Discussion
- Unrelated materials
- Complex table or figures
Session 2
52Introduction/Background Summary (3)
- Common problems
- Overly state the broad research area
- Inclusion of textbook information
- Lengthy citation of old research
- Descriptions of the results and methods from
published studies or the present study - Discussion of the results of the present study
- Inclusion of identical sentences from the
Abstract or other sections, especially the
discussion section. - Inclusion of references that are not generally
available, such as non-English publications - Too short or too long
- Overly negative to studies of other groups
- Over-emphasize previous studies from the same
group and or ignore studies from other groups - Including complex table or figures
Session 2
53Materials and Methods (1)
- General Suggestions
- For beginning authors, this section can be
written first because it is easiest to write. - The format is usually specific to the journal.
- Subheadings are characteristically used.
- Much of this section is written in the past
tense, passive voice. - Much of this section can be included in the
supplementary data section - This section can be placed after the Discussion
section in many journals.
Session 2
54Materials and Methods (2)
- This section should be specific, providing
sufficient details that allow an experienced
researcher in the related field to repeat the
experiments in this study. - How to do it?
- Provide sources of key materials and describe
preparation of non-standard solutions. - Experimental animals, plants, and microorganisms
should be identified by genus, species, and
strain, as well as age. Sources should be listed
and special characteristics described. - For human subjects, the criteria for selection
should be described, and a statement relating to
informed consent should be included. - Provide sufficient details of the experiments.
Descriptions of new methods should include all
the needed details. If the methods have been
published, references to the specific
publications can be used. Do not describe
previously published procedures in long detail,
but do describe any modifications. - Describe the study design and procedures for
analysis of the data. - Provide information on statistical analyses
performed and state the number of observations in
each group.
Session 2
55Materials and Methods (3)
- Include in this section
- All the methods used to generate all of the data
presented in the results section. - Strains and ages of animals, doses used,
treatment routes and durations, and other details
that would allow the reader to repeat the
experiments. - Citations for protocols used previously.
- Detailed descriptions of new techniques/models or
changes in standard techniques. - Methods used to analyze data.
- A statement indicating that informed consent was
obtained (if you are reporting a clinical study)
or that your experiments were in compliance with
your institutions animal regulations. - Most used subheadings Chemicals and reagents
Instruments Animals Subjects in vitro assays
(specific) in vivo models and treatment
Analytical methods Data and statistical analysis
Session 2
56Materials and Methods (4)
- Do NOT Include in this section
- Standard instruments, common buffers, routine
clinical chemistry - Published synthetic pathway for test compounds
- Lengthy descriptions of commonly used procedures
(Western blotting, RT-PCR)- a brief mention of
the antibodies used and the primer sequences and
PCR conditions is sufficient. - Non-standard abbreviations for reagents or
procedures. - Results
- Discussion of the selection of the models and
assays - Acknowledgments
Session 2
57Materials and Methods (5)
- Common Problems
- Overly detailed descriptions of common protocols.
- Too few details about new or difficult methods.
- Insufficient details about models (for example,
no age or strain of animals is mentioned). - Laboratory jargon and non-standard abbreviations.
- Too long or too Short.
- Methods section does not match the results
section and/or the figure/table legends. - No statistical analysis section.
- No mention on regulatory approval for animal use
or human trials. - Written as a laboratory protocol.
- No vendor information for specific
agents/instruments (City, country) - Redundancy and Inconsistency
Session 2
58Results (1)
- General Guidelines
- Present results in a logical (not necessarily
chronological) order. - Give the big picture, especially for each set
of experiments - Present selected data.
- A fool collects facts the wise man selects
them. John Wesley Powell. - To maintain momentum, the evidence must tell a
story and support the conclusion. - Write in the past tense.
- Provide sufficient interpretation of data to lead
the reader from one concept to the next but leave
detailed analysis and comparison of findings for
the Discussion section. - Key previously published data can be referred but
not the actual data - Avoid duplication of information in the text and
in tables and figure legends.
Session 2
59Results (2)
- Include in this section
- The most interesting and clear data obtained from
your studies. - Illustrations of various types (for example
figures, photographs, and tables). - A clear and concise description of your studies
and the data. - Properly use subheadings to organize the data
Session 2
60Results (3)
- Do Not Include in this section
- Discussion material. (The Results should not
discuss the implications of the data.) - Detailed methods and materials.
- Dont include titles on figures. This information
should be in the figure legends. - Too many figures and tables. (Well written
manuscripts contain only a few important, clear
figures). Include only enough to tell your
story. - Too many references. (A few may be cited if
necessary, but these should be kept to a
minimum.)
Session 2
61Results (4)
- Common Problems
- Repetition of data in figures, tables and text.
- Inclusion of Discussion material. (For example,
inclusion of what the results mean and how they
are related to previous results.) - Lack of sufficient details about the experiments.
(Are the data representative of repeated
experiments? Why were specific treatment
durations or doses chosen?) - Lack of statistical analysis and/or indication of
significance in figures/tables.
Session 2
62Results (5)
- Common Problems
- When the Methods section is placed after the
Discussion section, the lack of experimental
details in the Results section may result in
difficulties in presenting and understanding the
results.
Session 2
63Illustrations (1)
- General Suggestions for Illustrations
- Check the journal to see how illustrations are
presented. - The text is easier to write after illustrations
have been prepared. - A goal is to simplify the message without
falsifying the data.
Session 2
64Illustrations (2)
- General Suggestions for Tables
- Tables present exact values and allow
comparisons between data points. - Tables should be understood without referring to
the text. - In general, use only one table per 1000 words of
text. - The text must refer to the table by number.
- Numbers should show no more decimal places that
are essential for reasonable precision and
accuracy. - Captions should be concise, contain key words,
and be parallel for all tables in the manuscript.
Captions should not be sentences. - Do not include columns containing only one
repeated value. - Tables should contain no vertical lines.
- Use straddle lines over all columns of items to
which the heading refers. - Comparisons between like elements are made down
columns, not across rows. - Align decimals in columns.
Session 2
65Illustrations (3)
- General Suggestions for Graphs
- If you choose to use a graph, it should convey
information better than a text or a table. - Graphs should be understood without referring to
the text. - Graphs show trends, overall patterns, and
interactions between variables. - Graphs demonstrate change over time or
concentration. - Graphs do not emphasize individual values.
- Graphs should avoid wasted space.
- Place the independent variable on the x-axis and
the dependent variable on the y-axis. - On both axes, plot the length of intervals so
that the curves are not excessively flat or
steep. - Captions should be concise, contain key words,
and be parallel for all graphs in the manuscript.
Captions should not be sentences. - The number of curves on a graph should be limited
to five. - It is generally better to use symbols (?, , ?)
than line patterns. - The curves should be bold and easy to see the
axes and tic marks can be smaller/less bold , but
should still be easy to see.
Session 2
66Sample Figures
- Fig. 6 Plasma concentrations of adaphostin
following intravenous administration to each of
two dogs at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg.
Session 2
67Sample Figures
- General Suggestions for Other Illustrations
- Bar charts, which have only one measurable axis,
dramatize differences, but they are not
numerically specific.
Session 2
68MDM2-p53 Interaction
Sample Figures
- General Suggestions for Other Illustrations
- Diagrams illustrate complex relationships,
pathways, and interactions
Ub
Ub
Ub
Ub
Ub
Ub
Favors Nuclear Export
Ubiquitination
MDM2
p53
MDM2
p53
Inhibits Transactivation Activity
p53
p53 Target Genes
Tumor Suppressive Activity
Session 2
69Sample Figures
- General Suggestions for Other Illustrations
- Flow charts show sequential processes and
describe causation
Session 2
70Sample Figures
- General Suggestions for Other Illustrations
- Pie charts show proportions, parts of a whole, or
percentages.
MCF7 Cells
20(S)-PPD
20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD
MDA-MB-468 Cells
20(S)-PPD
20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD
71Sample Figures
- General Suggestions for Other Illustrations
- Western blots and IHC data
72Illustrations Summary (1)
- Include in this section
- Clear labels for all parts of the figure, table,
or illustration. - Consistent font styles and sizes (if possible)
for each figure. - Labels indicating statistical significance (where
applicable). - Legends describing the method used to obtain the
data and what special symbols indicate.
Session 2
73Illustrations Summary (2)
- Do Not Include in this section
- Too many parts per figure. (Four to six parts per
figure is acceptable more than that leads to
confusion.) - Small fonts. (Ideally, the font should be at
least 10 pt.) - Large tables. (More than 5 columns or longer than
2 type-written pages in length is too large.) - Figures of poor quality. (Most journals now have
minimum resolution requirements for photographs,
figures and illustrations.)
Session 2
74Illustrations Summary (3)
- Common Problems
- Unclear figures (low quality).
- Differences in font size and style between
figures. - Unclear figure labels.
- Misspelled labels.
- Missing units (hours? minutes? days?).
- Overly complex table or figures.
- Redundancy and inconsistency
Session 2
75Discussion (1)
- General Suggestions
- The primary function is to relate the present
work to previous reports and to point to future
efforts. - An introductory statement can describe again
the purpose of the studies. - If it is reasonable, the topics in the Discussion
should be parallel to those in the Results. - Main purpose is to present principles,
relationships, and generalizations about the
findings reported in the paper. - The length of the Discussion is generally
proportional to the amount of new information
presented (1/4 text). It should contain about one
word for every four words in other parts of the
manuscript.
Session 2
76Discussion (2)
- General Suggestions
- Use present and past tense, as appropriate.
- Present tense Other published work, including
your own work. - Past tense your present work
- Avoid re-stating the Background/Introduction
information but prepare the Discussion in the
context of the Background/Introduction. - Avoid reiteration of Results, but discuss
interpretations and conclusions based on the
results. - Show how your data agree with previous results
point out exceptions. - The conclusion should restate the thesis.
Session 2
77Discussion (3)
- General Suggestions
- Do not recapitulate results. Discuss theoretical
and practical applications. - State the significance of the results and how the
results advance knowledge. - Limited speculation is acceptable.
- Identify future studies that are needed.
- Avoid undue claims of primacy (being first?).
- Present a strong ending.
Session 2
78Discussion (4)
- General Suggestions
- Clearly and briefly state the conclusions and the
significance. - Conclusions should be logically derived from data
presented. - Compare how the conclusions agree or contrast
with previously published work. - Dont try to hide unclear thinking with excess
words. - Identify possible sources or error and
inadequacies in the work. - Present a strong ending.
Session 2
79Discussion Summary (1)
- Include in this section
- Principles, relationships, and generalizations
about the data. - A description of how your data agree with
previous results, and any exceptions. - Conclusions logically derived from the data.
- A comparison of how the conclusions agree or
contrast with previously published work. - Most used structure (usually no subheading)
purpose and significance of the study summary of
key findings interpretation of the main results
and comparison with previous works (do not have
to be the same order as Results possible
mechanisms limitation of the present study
future studies summary or conclusions
implication and translational potential. - Additional illustrations can be used to
facilitate discussion but not new data.
Session 2
80Discussion Summary (2)
- Do Not Include in this section
- Textbook information
- Repetition of the Introduction, Methods/Materials
or Results sections - Extreme words, for example, extremely first
very, super, and crucial - Concepts that were not introduced earlier in the
manuscript - Similar discussion from similar published papers
Session 2
81Discussion Summary (3)
- Common Problems
- Textbook information
- Repetition of the Introduction, Methods/Materials
or Results sections - Extreme words, for example, extremely first
very, super, and crucial - Concepts that were not introduced earlier in the
manuscript - Similar discussion from similar published papers
- Inconsistency with other sections
- Recite Illustrations
- Length too short or too long
- Overemphasis of the importance of the findings or
previous work from your own group - Too much speculation
- Misinterpret other published studies
- Overly use subheadings
Session 2
82Abstract (1)
- General Suggestions
- It is a window that reveals the contents of the
manuscript. - Structured abstracts (more common nowadays),
- Background/objective
- Methods
- Results
- Conclusion
- It is usually a single paragraph.
- Limited length lt250 words for most journals
(some lt100 lt350 words) - It should summarize each of the main sections of
the paper, including the following - the background (1-3 sentences)
- the hypothesis (1 sentence)
- model systems used
- general methods
- a short description of the results
- a statement regarding the significance of the work
Session 2
83Abstract (2)
- General Suggestions
- It should be complete and intelligible without
reference to the text. - Generally, it should be written in the past
tense, especially methods and results . - Within the space allowed, all key findings should
be included. - It should ordinarily be written after a
semi-final draft of the manuscript has been
prepared. - In contrast to a meeting abstract, the abstract
for a manuscript should ordinarily not include
actual data values.
Session 2
84Abstract (3)
- General Suggestions
- In general, citations should not be included.
- In general, abbreviations are not included,
unless the same, long term is used repeatedly.
(Abbreviate at the first use in the text) - Terms included in the abstract will be included
in various databases for literature searches. - Importance of the Abstract Its contents can
establish the interest of the editor and
reviewers and will determine if the reader
actually reads the manuscript. Editors will
often use the abstract to determine whether the
paper should be reviewed for their journal. After
the paper is published, readers may read only the
abstract.
Session 2
85Abstract (4)
- Include in this section
- Background for the study
- The purpose of the study
- Sufficient details to allow the reader to
understand what the manuscript is about and what
the major points are - (Experimental details would include, for
example, the number of test subjects and
controls, species of animals, drug dosages and
routes of administration, and tumor yields.) - Major findings (new and important)
- Principal conclusions
- Any items/sections required by the target journal
Session 2
86Abstract (5)
- Do Not Include in this section
- Unnecessary abbreviations
- Detailed results (including numerical values for
data) - Statistical values (p-values) for the findings
- Overstatement of the significance
- Extreme words
- Vague statements, such as, The significance of
the results is discussed or Future studies are
needed.
Session 2
87Abstract (6)
- Common Problems
- Not exciting
- Too long or too short
- Too much background information
- Not enough information about the results
- Unnecessary citations
- Excessive numerical data
- Inconsistency with other parts of the text
- Too much discussion or speculation
Session 2
88Abstract (7)
- Example
- Down-regulation of p53 by MDM2-mediated
proteasomal degradation makes cells resistant to
apoptosis. The MDM2-p53 interaction is well
characterized, but the mechanisms that regulate
the interaction are not well understood. Here, we
show that PA28?, a proteasome activator that
inhibits apoptosis and promotes cell cycle
progression through unknown mechanisms, exerts an
effect as a cofactor in the MDM2-p53 interaction.
The polymer form of PA28? interacts with both
MDM2 and p53 proteins and facilitates their
physical interaction. This promotes
ubiquitination- and MDM2-dependent proteasomal
degradation of p53, limiting its accumulation and
resulting in inhibited apoptosis after DNA
damage. Elimination of endogenous PA28? in human
cancer cells abrogates MDM2-mediated p53
degradation, increases the activity of p53, and
enhances apoptosis. These findings reveal the
mechanism by which PA28? affects apoptosis and
proliferation. Manipulation of the level of
PA28?, an approach that would regulate the
cellular content of p53, may improve the efficacy
of current cancer therapies.
Session 2
89Title (1)
- General Suggestions
- Usually written in Title Case, with upper-case
letters for nouns and other words of more than
four letters. - As far as possible, use specific terms, for the
title is a key element of the manuscript. - Key words should appear in the title.
- Use the fewest words possible to adequately
describe the contents of the paper.
Session 2
90Title (2)
- General Suggestions
- The first noun should be powerful.
- Sentence titles, which are now often used.
- Many people will read the title, including
abstracting services. - It is generally appropriate to choose the title
when the manuscript is almost complete. - Series titles and titles with colons (hanging
titles) are generally not desirable. - Titles should almost never contain abbreviations,
chemical formulas, proprietary names, or jargon.
Session 2
91Title (3)
- Comparisons
- Which of the following is preferable?
- Involvement of GREB1 (gene regulated by estrogen
in breast cancer 1) in breast carcinogenesis - Involvement of gene regulated by estrogen in
breast cancer 1 (GREB1) in breast carcinogenesis - Involvement of gene regulated by estrogen in
breast cancer 1 in breast carcinogenesis - Involvement of GREB1 in breast carcinogenesis
Session 2
92Title (4)
- Comparisons
- Poor Action of Streptomycin on Mycobacterium
tuberculosis - Better Inhibition of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis growth by Streptomycin - Poor Mechanism of Suppression of
Non-transmissible Pneumonia in Mice Induced by
Newcastle Disease Virus - Better Mechanism of Suppression of
Non-transmissible Pneumonia Induced in Mice by
Newcastle Disease Virus
Session 2
93Title Summary (1)
- Include in the title
- A clear, specific, and concise statement
reflecting the major findings reported in the
manuscript. - Key words that will attract the interest of the
editor, the reviewer, and reader.
Session 2
94Title Summary (2)
- Do Not Include in this section
- Roman or Arabic numerals showing that the paper
is part of a series - Jargon
- Abbreviations other than well-accepted standards
such as, DNA, RNA, and RT-PCR - Punctuation other than commas (and commas should
be used sparingly) - The words study, critical, very, or first
- Extensive prepositional phrases (ofinof)
Session 2
95Title Summary (3)
- Common Problems
- Not exciting
- Too long or too short
- Not enough information about the finding
- Inconsistent with other parts of the text
- Extreme words
- Speculation
Session 2
96Sample Titles (1)
- Example
- Poor The use of microbiological and enzymatic
assays in studies on the disposition of
2'-deoxycoformycin in the mouse. - Better The disposition of 2-deoxycoformycin in
mice as determined by microbiological and
enzymatic assays.
Session 2
97Sample Titles (2)
- Examples
- Controlling the Bollworm
- Investigations into the Effects of Several
Selected Phenolic Acid Compounds on the Mortality
Rate, Developmental Time, and Pupal Weight Gain
of the Cotton (Gossipium hirsutum L.) Bollworm
(Helicoverpa zea Boddie) in Studies Involving
Larvae Fed a Synthetic Diet in the Laboratory - The Effects of Selected Phenolic Compounds on the
Mortality, Developmental Time, and Pupal Weight
of Helicoverpa zea Boddie Synthetic Diet Studies - Benzoic and Cinnamic Acids in Synthetic Diets
Retard Development of Helicoverpa zea Larvae - Influence of Benzoic and Cinnamic Acids on
Mortality and Growth of Bollworm Larvae - Toxicity of Benzoic and Cinnamic Acids to
Helicoverpa zea Larvae
Session 2
98Running Title
- A shortened, but descriptive version of the title
(usually limited to about 60 characters and
spaces) - Placed on the title page
- Often appears on each page (or every other page)
of the manuscript.
Session 2
99Key words
- Most journals now ask for 3-6 key words to make
it easier to link your article to search engines.
- These words should indicate the major focus of
the manuscript (e.g., genistein, MDM2, and
cancer). - Suitable terms can be found in the Medical
Subjects (MeSH) list of Index Medicus. See
http//www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html.
Session 2
100List of Authors
- Example of authors
- Mao Li,1 Zhuo Zhang,1 Donald L. Hill,1,2 Xinbin
Chen,2,3 Hui Wang,1,2 and Ruiwen Zhang1,2 - 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,
Division of Clinical Pharmacology 2Comprehensive
Cancer Center, 3Department of Cell Biology,
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham,
AL - Corresponding author. Department of
Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of
Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd.,
Volker Hall 113, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. Tel.
205 934 8558 Fax 205 975 9330 E-mail
ruiwen.zhang_at_ccc.uab.edu
Session 2
101References (1)
- General Suggestions Part A
- Limit the number of citations to a number
consistent with articles published by the
journal. For most publications (except reviews),
fewer than 50 citations are adequate. - For references, include primary sources if
possible. - Cite reviews rather than each article covered by
the review. Instead of listing numerous
references for a prior discov