how to write a journal article
TRANSCRIPT
Prof. Dr.Khalid
Mahmood
University of the Punjab
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HOW TO WRITE A JOURNAL
ARTICLE
Professor of Information Management at University of the Punjab
Post-doctoral research fellow at University of California, Loss Angeles, USA
150+ publicationsSupervised many Ph.D., M.Phil. and master thesesWorked for many research journals as editor,
reviewer and editorial board memberConducted many trainings on research writing
and publishing
ABOUT ME
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I have prepared this presentation with the help of many books, presentations and Websites.
I pay my sincere gratitude to all authors, professors and experts for their efforts and contributions.
Particular thanks to Professor Barbara Gastel of Texas A&M University for allowing me to use her presentations shared on
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Journal – a channel for research communicationPreparing to writeSources to identify a topicCharacteristics of a good topicDoing the writingTypes of a journal articleStructure of a journal articleOrder of reading and writing an articleHow to write:
Title, authors, abstract, keywords, introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, references, acknowledgement
Guidelines for research writingEthics in writingRevising your workChecklist for review of an article
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TODAY’S PRESENTATION
Writing up the findings of research into an article to be published in a scholarly journal is considered as “the most common method of scholarly communication”
34,000+ peer-reviewed journals in late 2014
Publishing 2.5 million articles per yearGrowth at 3 percent per year
JOURNAL – A CHANNEL FORRESEARCH COMMUNICATION
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Remember that you are writing to communicate, not to impress
Realize that journal editors and peer reviewers reading your work want you to do well. The purpose of their constructive criticism is to help you succeed
Select a journal for publicationUse published items as modelsRead journal’s instructions to authorsConsult a style manual — for example, manuals
made by: American Medical Association American Psychological Association Modern Language Association University of Chicago
PREPARING TO WRITE
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From advisors, students, collaborators
Brainstorming with colleagues Review papers, listen to research talks
Teach a course/Give a talk: forced to understand the details and think hard to prepare for tough questions
Hot emerging fields that could lead to many publications or easier funding
SOURCES TO IDENTIFY A TOPIC
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Interesting to youEnhancement of previous researchAreas of weakness in current research
Current trendsNot too broad or too narrowWorkableAcceptable to the journal editor
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD TOPIC
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Make an outline for your paperBreak down the writing process into steps
Schedule specific times to writeAssign a due date for each stepMake weekly and daily priority listsStart with whatever part you find easiestUse word processing to write more efficiently
DOING THE WRITING
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American Medical Association
Reports of original dataReview articlesDescriptive articlesClinical practice guidelines
and consensus statementsArticles of opinionOther – Correspondence,
book reviews, news articles, conference reports, etc.
American Psychological Association
Empirical studiesLiterature reviewsTheoretical articlesMethodological articlesCase studiesOther – Brief reports,
comments, book reviews, etc.
TYPES OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE
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IMRaD FormatIntroduction: What was the question?Methods: How did you try to answer
it?Results: What did you find? andDiscussion: What does it mean?
STRUCTURE OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE
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STRUCTURE OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE
TitleAuthorsAbstractKeywordsIntroductionLiterature reviewMethods
ResultsDiscussionConclusionReferencesAcknowledgemen
tsBiographical
sketchAppendices
Complete Format
People read the sections of research articles in various orders
You can write the sections in any orderA convenient order to write:
MethodsResultsDiscussion Introduction
ORDER OF READING AND WRITING AN ARTICLE
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First thing which everybody readsImportant in literature searchingThe fewest possible words that
adequately indicate the contents of the paper
Should not include extra words, such as “A Study of” or “Observations on”
Should be specific enoughGenerally should not include
abbreviations
TITLE
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Examples of Four FormsNominal
Relationship of interns’ working hours to medical errorsCompound
Treatment effect of dietary fiber on serum phosphorus and quality of life in hemodialysis patients with constipation: A randomized controlled trial
Full sentence Full-face helmets provide greater protection in motorcycle
accidents than other helmet designsQuestion
Do full-face helmets provide greater protection in motorcycle accidents than other helmet designs?
TITLE
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Criteria for AuthorshipSubstantial contributions to the conception or
design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
Final approval of the version to be published; ANDAgreement to be accountable for all aspects of
the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
(International Committee of Medical Journal Editors – ICMJE)
AUTHORS
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Often listed from greatest contributions to least, irrespective of academic status
Order of the author should be a joint decision of the authorsA supervisor should be co-author, with the student as first
author, in a paper based on thesisMere possession of an institutional position on its own, such
as Head of the Research team, does not justify authorshipField workers, language editors and statisticians are not co-
authors Important to list one’s name the same way on every paperAlso mention institutional affiliation of each authorSome journals also mention designation and academic
degreesGive contact detail of the corresponding author
AUTHORS
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An important part of the paper Relatively widely read Used to decide whether to read the rest of the paper Gives editors, reviewers, others a first impression
Briefly summarizes the paperUsually a single paragraphShould be organized like the paper (for example, in sort of a
mini-IMRaD format)Some journals use structured abstracts (with standardized
headings)Word limit varies from journal to journal (usually 150 – 200
words for unstructured and 250 words for structured abstracts)
ABSTRACT
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3 to 10 keywords Selected from the title and
abstract Can be selected from a standard
list (e.g., Medical Subject Headings – MeSH)
KEYWORDS
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PurposesTo provide background of the study
In order to help readers understand the paper In order to help readers appreciate the importance of the research
To identify the question(s) the research addressedSometimes stated as a thesis or hypothesis
INTRODUCTION
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ContentsInformation on importance of topicHighlights of relevant previous researchIdentification of what is lacking in the current knowledge
Approach you used to fill the gap in knowledge
In some cases, the main findings
INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
First paragraph
Middle paragraphs
Final paragraph
Topic of paper
Literature review
Justification & road map
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Usually a part of ‘Introduction’ but sometimes, a separate section
Not a comprehensive review of literature; Only a few major papers
Try to use primary sourcesMostly use past tenseArrange mostly in chronological orderMake logical connections between studiesSometime, summary table is useful for
comparing studies
LITERATURE REVIEW
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PurposesTo allow others to replicate what you
did In order to test it In order to do further research
To allow others to evaluate what you didTo determine whether the conclusions seem valid
To determine whether the findings seem applicable to other situations
METHODS
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ContentsDescribe the context and setting of the studySpecify the study designDescribe the ‘population’ (patients, doctors,
hospitals, etc.)Describe the sampling strategyDescribe the intervention, if applicableIdentify the main study variablesDescribe data collection instruments and
proceduresOutline data analysis methods
METHODS
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Amount of Detail to UseFor well-known methods
Name of method, citation of referenceFor methods previously described but
not well knownBrief description of method, citation of reference
For methods that you yourself deviseRelatively detailed description
METHODS
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GuidelinesShould be written in past tenseSome journals use subheadsMay include tables and figures — for
example:FlowchartsDiagrams of apparatusTables of experimental conditions
METHODS
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The core of the paperReport on data collection and recruitment (response
rate, etc.)Describe participants (demographic, clinical condition,
etc.)Present key findings with respect to the central
research questionPresent secondary findings (secondary outcomes,
subgroup analyses, etc.)Often include tables and figuresShould present results but not comment on themSome journals, however, combine the Results and the
Discussion
RESULTS
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Verb Tense: PastExamples:
A total of 417 samples were analyzed._____ increased, but _____ decreased.The median salary of these surgeons was _____.
Three of the mixtures exploded.This difference was not statistically significant.
RESULTS
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Tables and FiguresHow much should the information in the text
overlap that in the tables and figures? Not extensive overlap In general, text should present only the main points
from the tables and figures Also include a few of the most important data Detail should be clear from the table or figure
Remember to mention every table and figure in the text. Example: Researchers who attended the workshop
published twice as many papers per year (Table 3).
RESULTS
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Common MistakesIllogical sequence of data presentationInaccurate dataRepetition of dataMisplaced information between the methods
and results sectionsInappropriate presentation of data – overuse
and abuse of tables and figuresAttempts to draw conclusions – this should be
covered in the discussion section
RESULTS
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One of the most difficult parts to write, because have more choice of what to say
Often should begin with a brief summary of the main findings
Should answer the question(s) stated in the introduction (or address the hypotheses stated in the introduction
DISCUSSION
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Possible ContentsStrengths of the study
For example, superior methods, extensive dataLimitations of the study
Small sample size, short follow-up, incomplete data, possible sources of bias, problems with experimental procedures
If the limitations seem unlikely to affect the conclusions, can explain why
DISCUSSION
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Possible Contents (cont…)Relationship to findings of other
research — for example:Similarities to previous findings (your own and others’)
Differences from previous findingsPossible reasons for similarities and differences
DISCUSSION
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Possible Contents (cont…)Applications and implications — for
example:Possible uses of the findings in policy and practice
Relationship of the findings to theories or models: Do the findings support them? Do they refute them? Do they suggest modifications?
DISCUSSION
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Possible Contents (cont…)Other research needed — for example:
To address questions still unansweredTo address new questions raised by the findings
Sometimes, summary of findings and recommendations form a separate section as ‘Conclusion’
DISCUSSION
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Common MistakesRepetition of data presented in the results
sectionIncorrect interpretation of the findingsImportance of results inadequately discussed
or omittedConclusions not supported by findingsIrrelevant and faulty discussion pointsFailure to identify any weaknessOmission of key and relevant referencesExplanations are too long or verbose
DISCUSSION
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PurposesTo give credit to others for their workTo add credibility to your work by
showing that you used valid information sources
To help show how your work is related to previous work
To help readers find further information
REFERENCES
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FormatsVarious formats exist for citation in text — for
example:Accuracy of references is important (Day & Gastel, 2011).
Accuracy of references is important.3
Various formats exist for items in reference lists — for example:Pineda D. 2003. Communication of science in Colombia. Sci. Ed. 26:91-92.
Pineda D. Communication of science in Colombia. Sci Ed 2003;26:91-2.
REFERENCES
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Citation Management Software
Examples: EndNote, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero
Allows you to keep a database of references
In many cases, provides the citations and references in the proper format for your target journal
REFERENCES
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A place to thank people who helped with the work but did not make contributions deserving authorship
Sometimes the place where sources of financial support are stated
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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“The preparation of a scientific paper has less to do with literary skill than with organization”
Robert Day
GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH WRITING
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Write simply, clearly and conciselyUse common wordsFollow instructions (and conventions) regarding structureUse subheadings to guide readersOrganize information carefully at all levelsProvide overviews before detailsAvoid very long paragraphsAvoid very long sentencesDefine terms that might be unfamiliar to readersRemember to define acronymsAvoid the use of passive voiceWrite in the first person (“i,” “we”)
GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH WRITING
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Authenticity (not fabrication)Accuracy
Providing complete data (not only those supporting your hypothesis)
Using appropriate statistical proceduresOriginality (Not republishing the same findings)Credit
Citing sources of information and ideas Avoiding excessive use of others’ words Observing copyright and obtaining needed
permissionsGood treatment of humans and animalsDisclosure of conflicts of interest
ETHICS IN WRITING
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Good writing is largely a matter of good revising
First revise your writing yourself. Then get feedback from others and revise more
Consider having a mentor or volunteer/commercial editor for help
Avoid the temptation to keep revising your writing forever
REVISING YOUR WORK
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1. Does the title reflect accurately the content of the paper?
2. Are the significant words in the title near the beginning to catch a reader’s attention?
3. Does the Introduction begin with the big issue of topical/scientific interest and then narrow down to the specific topic of the paper?
4. Does the Introduction locate the study effectively within the recent international literature in the field?
5. Does the Introduction highlight a gap that the research fills, or present a need to extend knowledge in a particular area? (Does it say why the work was done?)
CHECKLIST FOR REVIEW OF AN ARTICLE
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6. Does the Introduction end with a clear statement of the aim/hypothesis of the research or summarize the main activity of the paper (depending on the field and relevant journal conventions)?
7. Are the methods, including statistical analysis, appropriate for the questions addressed and the study conducted?
8. Are the methods given in enough detail to convince a reader of the credibility of the results?
9. Do the results provide answers to the questions raised in the Introduction, or fulfill the objectives given?
10. Are the results presented in a logical order (either similar to the order of presenting the aims or methods, or similar to the order in which the Discussion is presented)?
CHECKLIST FOR REVIEW OF AN ARTICLE
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11. Are all the tables and figures needed to tell the story of the paper? Could any be combined or deleted?
12. Do all the tables and figures stand alone? (i.e., can readers understand them without going back to read the text of the paper?)
13. Does the Discussion begin with a reference to the original aim/ hypothesis/ question?
14. Are the results compared with other relevant findings from the literature? Are you aware of any other comparisons that could be made? Are appropriate explanations/ speculations included about reasons for observed similarities, differences, and other outcomes?
15. Are appropriate statements made about the wider significance of the results, their l imitations, and/or their implications for practice and/or future research directions?
16. Does the paper end with an appropriate concluding paragraph or section that emphasizes the key message(s) and their significance to the field?
CHECKLIST FOR REVIEW OF AN ARTICLE
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17.Is the list of references complete (all the works in the list are referred to in the paper, and all the works referred to in the paper are in the list)?
18.Are the reference list and in-text references formatted accurately and in the right style for the target journal?
19.Does the Abstract include all the information required by the journal, and does it highlight appropriately the key results and their significance?
20.Does the Abstract adhere to the word limit and follow the prescribed format of the target journal?
21.Are the selected keywords those that will best allow the article to be located by the full range of its prospective readers?
22.What additional comments do you have for strengthening the paper?
CHECKLIST FOR REVIEW OF AN ARTICLE
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Good luck for
your writing
career!
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