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Workshop Outline
1. Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS)
2. How to write a scientific manuscript
3. Pre-submission do’s and don’ts4. What happens after submission5. Editors’ panel discussion
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• Quality
• Originality
• Good methods
• A good fit to the journal
• No trouble
What editors want ☺
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Writing & Science
From a scientific point of view –
Results that are not published means the research did not take place
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It’s all about the question…
QuestionQuestionAnalysis of the data
Design and implementation
of research
Discussion of the findings
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Manuscript structure
Title/title pageAbstract
IntroductionMethods and materials
ResultsDiscussionReferences
Tables and Figures
What is the most important part of a scientific article?...
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Title
Title
Abstract
Main
text
The part most often readOften the only part read
ShortSpecific
RepresentativeInformative
Effect of multiple micronutrient supplementation on survival of HIV-infected children in Uganda: a randomised controlled trial
Ndeezi et al, JIAS 2010
cohort
setting design
intervention outcome
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Abstract
• Main problems encountered by editors:– Inconsistent – Incomplete
• Brief summary • Complete
– Background– Experimental design– Major findings– Conclusion
• Stand alone• Consistent with the paper
Title
Abstract
Maintext
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Introduction: What was your question?
• Background – context for understanding the question
• Problem – nature and importance of problem
• Question – underlying research
• Forecasting – mini-summary for readers
Problem: authors write as if readers know as much as they do
Funnel-shaped, from general to specific
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Methods/Materials: How did you examine your hypothesis?
• Validates your study• Use subheadings to organize this
section if needed• Details on ethical approval and patient
consent• Detailed enough to allow replication
– Procedures, materials used, data collected, data analysis and statistical methods
• Past tense• No results yet!
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Results: What did you find?
• What is the best way to present your data: table, figure or text?– Avoid repetition
• Present only the results relevant to your hypothesis
• Relate results to methods, but do not describe them again
• Do not discuss yet!
!!! Careful with the word ‘significant’
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Figures: Different figures for different messages
Change over time
Source: UNAIDS/WHO, 2008
0
5
10
15
20
25
1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005
Adult HIVprevalence (%)High estimate
Low estimate
• Only when helpful to convey information• Should be understandable without text• Choose type based on the kind of data you have
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Figures: Different figures for different messages
• A bar graph would work for a different type of data:
Source: UNAIDS/WHO, 2006
Ratios
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Discussion: What do your findings mean?
• Do not repeat results, but should be based on the results!
• Discuss the importance and implications of your findings
• Describe any limitations of the study• Conclude with the key points• Did the results answer your
question?
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Criteria for evaluating qualitative analyses
• Significance of the data set; contextualization and production conditions
• Sufficiency of the data• Coverage of the analysis• Transparency and repeatability of the
analysis
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Which section of a manuscript usually contains the most errors?
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References
• Credibility– Knowledge and awareness of the field– Validates your claims and arguments
• How to write references:– Pay attention to the ‘Instructions for Authors’of your selected journal
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Cover letter
• Editors read the cover letter ☺
• Statements of manuscript submitted to one journal only and not previously published.
• Your chance…– to highlight the importance of your study– to explain why manuscript of interest to
journal
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deadly sins
• Carelessness• Redundancy• Unfair authorship• Undeclared conflicts• Subject violations• Plagiarism• Fraud
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To do and not to do in manuscript submission
Elise Langdon-Neuner
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Choosing a Journal
Traditional list
• Journal’s prestige (Impact factor)
• Publication speed
• Circulation
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Choosing a journal
• Coverage by abstracting + indexing
• Open access
• Influence
• Cost
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High impact factor pros
• Citation rates more strongly influenced by journal IF than by merits of the study(JAMA 2002)
• Reviews might help improve paper for resubmission
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High impact factor cons
• Acceptance rates of high impact journals often below 10%
• Delay if rejected
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How easy is it to get published?
0102030405060708090
100
Acc
epta
nce
rate
BMJ JAMA JIAS J InfectDis
AIDS PlosOne
Journal(from 2009)
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Practical approach
• Look at article• Subject matter—of national/international interest• Who will be interested• Reference list
• Look at journals• Types of topic• Author instructions for scope• Editorial board• New journal-will it survive?
• Ask colleagues
Have a second choice ready
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A website that might help
• http://www.biosemanitcs.org/jane
• This website searches for journals in the field
• You insert your abstract in the box provided
• The site compares your abstract with articles on Medline and produces a list of possible journals for your article
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Where are the instructions?
• Instructions to authors: journal webpage
• Examine a recent issue of the journal
• Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journals (ICMJE) [www.icmje.org]
• CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) [www.consort- statement.org] NB NEW STATEMENT
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Most often ignored instructions
• Word counts
• Reference formats: in-text citations or referencing incorrect
• Tables/figures: inserting in the text rather than at the end of the manuscript or as separate files
• Poor quality: figures/photos or non-standard formats
• Abbreviations: failure to write out the first time they are written in the manuscript
• Photos of patient: lack of consent/confidentiality of body parts
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Look out for limitations
in number of • Authors
• Words
• References
• Tables/Figures
• Characters in running title
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Format
Check• Format required for manuscript:
Word, pdf, figures included in file/separate
• Structured abstract?• Format for references• Format for figures• Cover letter required
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Forms
• The contributions made by each author
• The conflicts of interest of each author
• Also to be included in the manuscript?
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Electronic submission
Information needed:
• Authors’ full names, email, MD/PhDs
• Corresponding author’s keywords
• Preferred/non-preferred reviewers + email, addresses
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Manuscripts sent back because...
• Authorship/COI form not signed by every author
• No title page, no abstract
• No figure legends
• Incorrect figure/table labels
• Reference order incorrect, usage of et al. in references
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Reviewer’s comments
• Comply with as many reviewer requests as possible
• Disagree or explain reasons for non- compliance politely and well argued
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Categorising comments
• Difference of opinion irresolvable
• Request impossible
• Request possible but impracticable
• Difference of interpretation
• Request acceptable
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Replying to reviewers’ comments
• Point-by-point reply
• Highlight the changes you have made clearly
• Keep your reply short and to the point
• Answer reviewers’ questions in the manuscript
—not only in your reply to reviewer’s comments
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Prior publication
• Key is whether prior publication was work in progress or completed work
• Congress abstracts, posters, proceedings = work in progress
• Eprints?
• Posting trial results on a clinical trial registry?
NB: FDA Amendment Act
• http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/cgi/collection/mwt
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Editorial black box
Online submission
Initial decision by Editors
Reviewed by at least 2 selected experts
Accept
Revision
Reject
Published in JIAS - open access
Revision reviewed
Reject
Mentoring
Mentoring
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that you always wanted to ask an editor
YOUR questions
What editors want?
What are the reasons for instant rejection?
What are the reasons for rejection after revision?
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Editor’s checklist upon submision
• Objective • Scientific importance • Originality and novelty• Validity• Presentation quality
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Common reasons for instant rejection
Journals have a duty to avoid wasting referee time and undue delays in responding to authors
x Not within Journal’s scope
x Manuscript type unacceptable
x Ignores instructions to authors
x Major methodological weakness
x Clear ethical problems
x No clear hypotheses / objective
x Incorrect analysis & conclusion
x Lack of Statistical analysis
x Nothing new
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Editors’ decisions depend on:
o Importance, originality
o Reviewers’ concerns
o Fatal flaws
o Journal Philosophy
o Space available
o The quality of the competition
o Editorial work required
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The Balance between Innovation and Rigour
The perfect paper has important new ideas backed up by sound data from thoroughly validated methods.
In real papers there is a trade-off between innovation and quality of data.
Good luck!
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How did we do?
• Please take a minute to fill out our evaluation form.
• Many thanks for your participation.
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http://www.emwa.org/, click journal, then free sample copy of TWS