anatomy of a manuscript

Office of Clinical Research

Anatomy of a ManuscriptAnatomy of a Manuscript

Presented by:Presented by:Kenny Fountain, PhD candidate, Department of RhetoricKenny Fountain, PhD candidate, Department of RhetoricMary Knatterud, PhD, Department of SurgeryMary Knatterud, PhD, Department of SurgeryLiz Fine, MLIS, Bio-Medical LibraryLiz Fine, MLIS, Bio-Medical Library

April 20, 2007April 20, 2007


AgendaAgenda

• Function and purposeFunction and purpose

• Title, subheads, paragraphsTitle, subheads, paragraphs

• Tables and graphsTables and graphs

• BibliographiesBibliographies

• Question-and-answer sessionQuestion-and-answer session


Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:participants should be better able to:

1. Define the function and purpose of a 1. Define the function and purpose of a manuscriptmanuscript

2. Effectively write titles, subheads and 2. Effectively write titles, subheads and paragraphsparagraphs

3. Develop tables and graphs3. Develop tables and graphs

4. Develop bibliographies4. Develop bibliographies


Kenny Fountain Disclosure InformationKenny Fountain Disclosure InformationApril 20, 2007April 20, 2007

• I will not discuss off label use I will not discuss off label use and/or investigational use in my and/or investigational use in my presentation.presentation.

• I have no financial relationships to I have no financial relationships to disclose.disclose.


Anatomy & WritingAnatomy & Writing

Anatomy = Relationship between Form & Anatomy = Relationship between Form & FunctionFunction

Writing = Relationship between Form Writing = Relationship between Form (/Genre) and Function (/Purpose)(/Genre) and Function (/Purpose)


Genre/Function ApproachGenre/Function Approach

1.1. Understand the genre/function Understand the genre/function relationshiprelationship

2.2. Know the purpose & function for each Know the purpose & function for each section of your papersection of your paper

3.3. Consider what readers will do with Consider what readers will do with each sectioneach section

4.4. Analyze (or dissect) other research Analyze (or dissect) other research articlesarticles


Genre Function QuestionsGenre Function Questions

1.1. Understand the genre/function Understand the genre/function relationshiprelationship

– What genre are you writing in?What genre are you writing in?– What is the purpose of that genre?What is the purpose of that genre?

2.2. Know the purpose & function for each Know the purpose & function for each section your papersection your paper

– What is the purpose for each section?What is the purpose for each section?– How does each section function for that How does each section function for that

purpose?purpose?


Genre Function QuestionsGenre Function Questions

3.3. Consider what readers will do with each Consider what readers will do with each sectionsection

– What are the readers’ purposes for reading?What are the readers’ purposes for reading?– How does each section function for your How does each section function for your

readers?readers?

4.4. Analyze (or dissect) other research articlesAnalyze (or dissect) other research articles– What are the major sections?What are the major sections?– How does each section function in the article?How does each section function in the article?– What is interesting or beautiful about the article?What is interesting or beautiful about the article?– What is odd (or anomalous) about the article?What is odd (or anomalous) about the article?


Mary Knatterud Disclosure InformationMary Knatterud Disclosure InformationApril 20, 2007April 20, 2007

• I will not discuss off label use and/or I will not discuss off label use and/or investigational use in my investigational use in my presentation.presentation.

• I have no financial relationships to I have no financial relationships to disclose.disclose.


Title, subheads, paragraphsTitle, subheads, paragraphs

II

MM

RR

AA

DD


““Detecting commonly missed Detecting commonly missed hand and wrist injuries”hand and wrist injuries”

• Scaphoid fractureScaphoid fracture• Scapholunate dissociationScapholunate dissociation• Trapezial ridge fracturesTrapezial ridge fractures• Hamate hook fractureHamate hook fracture• Triquetral fractureTriquetral fracture• Metacarpal collateral ligament ruptureMetacarpal collateral ligament rupture• Sagittal band ruptureSagittal band rupture• Flexor digitorum profundus avulsionFlexor digitorum profundus avulsion• Lunate dislocationLunate dislocation• Radial collateral ligament rupturesRadial collateral ligament ruptures• Use a thorough evaluation to ensure detectionUse a thorough evaluation to ensure detection


““Malaria: Current Diagnosis and Malaria: Current Diagnosis and Management and Advising the Management and Advising the

American World Travelers”American World Travelers”

• EPIDEMIOLOGYEPIDEMIOLOGY

• DIAGNOSISDIAGNOSIS

• TREATMENT AND PREVENTIONTREATMENT AND PREVENTION

• ROAD MAPS AND DRUG DOSAGES FOR ROAD MAPS AND DRUG DOSAGES FOR CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS AGAINST MALARIACHEMOPROPHYLAXIS AGAINST MALARIA

– Vaccines; any hope yet?Vaccines; any hope yet?

– General advice to the American travelersGeneral advice to the American travelers

• CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION


““Otitis Media: Determining Its Origin”Otitis Media: Determining Its Origin”

• Why in children? PathophysiologyWhy in children? Pathophysiology• Who are the culprits?Who are the culprits?• Clinical PresentationClinical Presentation• Differential DiagnosisDifferential Diagnosis• TreatmentTreatment• Recurrent and chronic OMRecurrent and chronic OM• SummarySummary


Connect sentences and Connect sentences and paragraphs logically: Deftly use paragraphs logically: Deftly use

transition words and phrasestransition words and phrases

• EXPANDEXPAND

• COMPARECOMPARE

• CONTRASTCONTRAST

• EXPLAINEXPLAIN



Orient your reader at the Orient your reader at the beginningbeginning of of each sentence and paragrapheach sentence and paragraph



Use the colon and the single dash to Use the colon and the single dash to point the reader aheadpoint the reader ahead



Be consistent so your reader is not Be consistent so your reader is not confused:confused:

Echo key terms throughoutEcho key terms throughout


Liz Fine Disclosure InformationLiz Fine Disclosure InformationApril 20, 2007April 20, 2007

I will not discuss off label use and/or I will not discuss off label use and/or investigational use in my presentation.investigational use in my presentation.

I have no financial relationships to I have no financial relationships to disclose.disclose.


Tables and GraphsTables and Graphs

All visual displays (tables, charts, graphs, etc.) All visual displays (tables, charts, graphs, etc.) function as evidence and explanationfunction as evidence and explanation

1.1. What is the purpose of this visual display?What is the purpose of this visual display?2.2. How does it function in my article?How does it function in my article?3.3. What does the reader need to see/know?What does the reader need to see/know?4.4. How will this display function for the How will this display function for the

readers?readers?5.5. What types of visual displays are published What types of visual displays are published

in this journal?in this journal?

RefWorksRefWorks


•Web-based citation manager provided by the Web-based citation manager provided by the Libraries Libraries

•Create databases of citations by importing Create databases of citations by importing references or entering manually using a template references or entering manually using a template

•Web-based account can be shared with Web-based account can be shared with collaboratorscollaborators

•Automatically insert references in papers and Automatically insert references in papers and generate bibliographies in all major stylesgenerate bibliographies in all major styles

•References can be transferred to other citation References can be transferred to other citation manager programs, or exported into a text filemanager programs, or exported into a text file

Getting help with RefWorksGetting help with RefWorks


• Upcoming RefWorks Workshop: Upcoming RefWorks Workshop: – Wednesday, April 25th 1:00-2:00Wednesday, April 25th 1:00-2:00– AHC Learning Commons (5th floor Diehl Hall)AHC Learning Commons (5th floor Diehl Hall)– Register on Bio-Medical Library's home page (left Register on Bio-Medical Library's home page (left

sidebar)sidebar)

• Well documented on U of M RefWorks page (Well documented on U of M RefWorks page (http://www.lib.umn.edu/site/refworks.phtml))

• Help menu inside RefWorks programHelp menu inside RefWorks program

• Contact a librarian for help!Contact a librarian for help!

http://www.lib.umn.edu/site/refworks.phtml


Top TipsTop Tips

• Think about the genre you’re usingThink about the genre you’re using• Think about the function of that genreThink about the function of that genre• Know your readersKnow your readers• Pay attention to your title, subheads, and Pay attention to your title, subheads, and

paragraphsparagraphs• Use transitions and topic sentencesUse transitions and topic sentences• Write sections that you have information for Write sections that you have information for

firstfirst• Know your table’s purpose and how the Know your table’s purpose and how the

reader will use itreader will use it• Take advantage of RefWorks Take advantage of RefWorks

anatomy of a manuscript

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