Reporting your Findings- What does it take to clear the

“peer-reviewed” hurdle?

DIE 4564 Research MethodsWeek 3 Day 3

• General Guidelines Use proper grammar and spelling Use a style guide (such as APA)

Writing Research• General Guidelines

Understand functions of scientific reportingA report should communicate a body of

specific data and ideas.A report should contribute to the general

body of scientific knowledge.A report should stimulate and direct

further inquiry.

Avoid PlagerismPlagiarism – presenting someone else’s words or thoughts as though they were your own, constituting intellectual theft. Ground rules for avoiding plagiarism:

1. Do not use another writer’s exact words without using quotation marks and giving a complete citation.

2. Do not edit or paraphrase another’s words and present the revised version as your own.

3. Do not present another’s ideas as your own, even if you use totally different words to express those ideas.

Writing Research• Some Basic Considerations

Audience Form and Length of Report Aim of Report “Advice to Authors” – guidelines for journal

publication

Choosing a Target Journal• Researchers who want to publish their findings

must identify one or more journals that could reasonably be expected to disseminate their reports.

• Selecting a target journal early in the writing process makes it easier to hone the paper’s message for the journal’s audience.

Aim, Scope, Audience• The most important considerations when

considering potential target journals are the fit of the research topic with the aims, scope, and audience of the journal.

• Some general journals are very broad in focus, while some specialty journals publish in only one geographic or subspecialty area.

Impact Factors• The target journal should not be selected

primarily because of its impact factor, ranking, or reputation, but these are all factors to consider.

• The impact factor is based on the number of times a typical article in a journal is cited in its first year or two after publication.

Journal CharacteristicsAfter identifying potential journals, look at the journal requirements, such as• word limits• turnaround time (the average time from

submission to first decision) • acceptance rates• the method of submission

Publication CostsAlthough many journals are able to cover costs through subscriptions, advertising, and/or the support of a professional society, an increasing number of them are resorting to a variety of mechanisms that compel authors to cover some of the costs of publishing.

Publication CostsExamples of these publication costs are:• submission fees• processing charges / fees• page charges / fees• membership fees for sponsoring organizations• open access feesPublication fees are usually disclosed in a journal’s author guidelines and/or on the journal’s website.

Online Journals• The vast majority of print publications also offer

online access to subscribers. • Some recently-founded journals are available

only online. • Some open-access online journals are well

respected, but be cautious about publishing in new, unproven journals.

• Before submitting to an online-only journal, be sure that the journal is legitimate.

From Paper to Publication• A manuscript has a high likelihood of eventually

being published if it is written in decent English, if the methods were reasonably rigorous and valid, and if the findings have a clear application or message.

• Publication is a priority for many health researchers because, from the perspective of the broader scientific community, a project that has not been published is a project that never happened.

The Paper’s “Plot”Every paper should tell a “story” that has:• A beginning—the introduction sets the stage• A middle—the methods and results say what

happened• An end—the discussion provides a conclusion that

ties all the parts of the story together

The first step in editing is to make sure that the big picture is being clearly communicated.

Does the Paper Tell a Compelling “Story”?

Organization of the Report Purpose and Overview

Provide a brief statement of the purpose of the study and the main findings (in a journal article, this is the abstract)

Review of the LiteratureFit your research into the context of

existing scientific knowledge

Organization of the Report Study Design and Execution

Include the population, the sampling frame, the sampling method, the sample size, the data collection method, the completion rate, and the methods of data processing and analysis.

Organization of the Report Analysis and Interpretation

The presentation, manipulation and interpretation of data should be integrated together

Summary and ConclusionsReview significant findings in the

context of the larger project and existing scientific research, review shortcomings and make suggesting for future research

Guidelines for Reporting Analyses Provide maximum data without being cluttered For quantitative data, presenting data such that

the reader can re-compute them Describe all aspects of quantitative analysis Provide details Integrate supporting materials Draw explicit conclusions Point out qualifications Write clearly

Tables & Figures• Many health journals limit the number of tables

and figures allowed for each article, often to a maximum total of four (tables and figures combined).

• This limit means that the content for tables and figures must be carefully selected to highlight the most important aspects of the study.

Tables & Figures• Tables should be used to organize and present

statistical results that cannot easily be listed in the text in a sentence or two.

• Graphs and other figures should be used when a visual presentation of the material is more effective than words at conveying a result.

• Any images used should be meaningful, not merely decorative.

• There is no need to repeat information in the text that is provided in a table or figure.

Tables• A table should provide enough information so

that it can be independently interpreted and understood even in the absence of the text.

• The rows and columns should each have a descriptive label.

• For each statistic, provide a confidence interval, p-value, and/or other measure of uncertainty.

• Consistent fonts, spacing, and number of decimal points should be used for all tables in the manuscript.

FIGURE 29- 1 Example Frequency Table for a Case Series

Figures• A graph should provide enough information in the

title, figure, and/or legend or key for a reader to be able to interpret the graph even without reading the related portion of the text.

• High-resolution photographs, maps, flowcharts, and other images made by the authors can also be figures.

• Photographs of study participants are usually not allowed without the written permission of the subjects.

FIGURE 29- 2 Examples of Correct and Problematic Graphs

Key Content for Articles Reporting on Analysis of Individual-Level Data

Key Content for Articles Reporting on Analysis of Individual-Level Data

Common Reporting Guidelines

Style & ClarityIn a final check, look at each word, sentence, paragraph, and section, examining style and clarity.• Words must be used carefully.• Sentences must be concise and clear.• The voice must be consistent.• The grammar and spelling must be proper

throughout.

From Paper to Publication• Submitting to a journal as soon as a revised and

polished manuscript has been crafted is critical. • Submission is not the end of the writing process.

Additional revisions will likely be required, even if the first journal to which a manuscript is submitted accepts the paper.

Journal Selection• Once all coauthors are satisfied that the

manuscript is ready to be submitted for peer review, one journal must be selected as the first journal for submission.

• Submitting to two or more journals at the same time is not permitted in the health sciences.

• See the website of the Committee on Publication Ethics about appropriate conduct for authors.

Manuscript Formatting• Each journal provides author guidelines that

state how manuscripts should be formatted. The guidelines must be carefully followed.

Manuscript Formatting Requirements Addressed by Journals’ Author Guidelines

Manuscript Formatting Requirements Addressed by Journals’ Author Guidelines

Cover Letter• Even though most submissions are made online,

a cover letter must usually still be uploaded. • The letter should summarize the manuscript and

seek to convince the editor that the work is important, valid, original, and a good fit with the aims of the journal.

• The editorial staff’s decision about whether to consider the article for publication may be made solely on the basis of the abstract and cover letter, so these documents should be compelling.

Sample Cover Letter Content

Online Submission• Most journals require online submission. • Only the corresponding author—the coauthor

who will communicate with the journal and answer questions from readers after the paper is published—needs to register.

• In addition to facilitating submission of the manuscript, the online account enables the corresponding author to track the manuscript’s progress through the review process.

Initial Review• Once a manuscript is submitted, the journal’s

editorial staff does a preliminary review and decides whether to send the manuscript to external peer reviewers or to reject it without review.

• Some journals send nearly all manuscripts out to reviewers; others select only a small fraction of them for peer review.

The Journal Review Process

Rejection Without Review• Rejection without review is often not a commentary

on the quality of the manuscript. It is rather a decision based on the perceived fit of the paper with the journal’s current interests.

• If an article is rejected without review, the authors should identify a different journal that might be a better fit, make any edits deemed necessary, reformat the manuscript for the new journal, and submit there.

External Review Results• Decision letters sent after peer review are

almost always accompanied by comments provided by one to four reviewers.

• An external peer review can lead to three possible results: Rejection An opportunity to revise and resubmit Acceptance

Rejection• Rejection from one (or even several) journals

does not mean that a paper will never be published.

• Most papers can be made suitable for publication if the researchers are willing to learn from each set of reviewer comments.

• Never submit to a second journal without taking advantage of the input provided by the first set of reviewers.

Revision & Resubmission• Authors invited to revise and resubmit (R&R) to

the same journal need to edit the manuscript and prepare a response to each reviewer comment.

• Every response needs to be carefully constructed and respectful.

• Authors who disagree with the suggestion of a reviewer are not obligated to change their paper to suit the reviewer, but they do need to write a thoughtful explanation of their point of view.

Sample Responses to Reviewer Comments

After Acceptance• Once a paper is formally accepted, it is usually

sent to a copyeditor, who checks the paper carefully for grammar, spelling, and adherence to the journal’s style.

• The paper is then sent to a layout specialist who formats the document to look like all the other articles published in the journal.

• The page proofs (or galley proofs) are then sent to the corresponding author for review, usually as a pdf file.

After Acceptance• After the authors return the page proofs, the

time to publication of the article depends on the journal.

• Soon after the article is published, the abstract will be added to the databases that index the journal.

• The published article may be cited for the first time in another article about a year or so after publication.

• At this point, the research cycle is complete!

Chapter 17 Quiz

In most journals, each article beings with a/n _____.

A. table of contentsB. indexC. summaryD. abstract

Chapter 17 Quiz

Answer: D.In most journals, each article beings with an abstract.

Chapter 17 Quiz

2. Most original research is seen as a/n _____ of what has previously been learned.

A. causeB. replacementC. extension

Chapter 17 Quiz

Answer: C.Most original research is seen as an extension of what has previously been learned.

Chapter 17 Quiz3. Which of the following questions might you ask

when evaluating data on websites?

A. Who is the author of the website?B. Is the site advocating for a particular point of

view?C. Does the website give complete references?D. all of the aboveE. none of the above

Chapter 17 Quiz

ANSWER: D.You should ask all of the following questions when evaluating data on websites:

1. Who is the author of the website?2. Is the site advocating for a particular point

of view?3. Does the website give complete

references?

Chapter 17 Quiz

4. Which of the following should be included in a research report?

A. purpose and overviewB. review of the literatureC. analysis and interpretationD. all of the aboveE. none of the above

Chapter 17 Quiz

ANSWER: D.All of the following should be included in a research report:

1. purpose and overview2. review of the literature3. analysis and interpretation

Presenting at Conferences• Research results are often publicly shared for

the first time during an oral presentation or poster session at an academic or professional conference.

• The primary outcome of most professional and academic conferences is networking.

• Presenting new research at a conference can be a useful way to get feedback on a project.

Structure of ConferencesMost conferences include a mix of:• Plenary sessions where keynote addresses are

given• Business meetings run by the officers of the

sponsoring organization• Concurrent sessions in which multiple panels of

oral presentations are held at the same time in different rooms

• Poster sessions in which attendees can mingle while reviewing research posters

Structure of Conferences• Oral presentations require speaking in front of

an audience and possibly facing an open question-and-answer period in which the work can be discussed.

• Poster sessions allow attendees to browse posters at their own pace and interact with presenters if they want more information about a project.

Submitting an Abstract• Researchers interested in presenting at a

conference are usually required to submit an abstract for consideration by the organizing committee.

• Abstracts selected for a conference are usually printed in a conference bulletin.

• A good abstract includes key words and conveys one clear health message that is appropriate to the audience expected at the conference.

Submitting an Abstract• Submitting an abstract for consideration infers a

commitment to attend the conference if selected to be a presenter.

• Most conferences require presenters to pay a registration fee (often several hundred dollars) as well as cover all of their own travel expenses.

Preparing a Poster• When preparing a poster, give equal attention to

its content and to its design. • Posters can be created using either specialized

graphic design software or a simple presentation software program like PowerPoint. The size of a “slide” can be adjusted so that the dimensions match those required by the conference.

• Check on printing costs, which vary significantly based on size, amount of color, paper type, etc.

Suggestions for Poster Content, Layout, and Formatting

Suggestions for Poster Content, Layout, and Formatting

Sample Poster Layout

Presenting a Poster• At most conferences, the poster presenter is

responsible for setting up and taking down the poster at an assigned time.

• Some conferences designate poster session times when presenters are expected to stand by their posters and interact with attendees.

Preparing an Oral Presentation• A typical oral presentation time slot is about 15

minutes long, with about 10 to 12 minutes of this time slot available for the actual presentation.

• Most presenters at health science conferences prepare a set of PowerPoint slides that will guide their talks and provide information to the audience.

• Most presenters cover 1 or 2 slides a minute, so about 12 to 20 slides are appropriate for a 10- to 12-minute talk.

Sample Distribution of Slides for a 10- to 12-Minute Talk

Checklist for Presentation Slide Show

Checklist for Presentation Slide Show

Preparing an Oral Presentation• Preparing the slide show is only the first step in

preparing to make an oral presentation. • Practice making the presentation many times in the

weeks before the conference, since practice makes a positive experience more likely.

Giving an Oral Presentation• Arrive at the presentation room at least 15

minutes before the panel begins and check in with the moderator.

• Be considerate of other presenters in their session by strictly adhering to their assigned time limits.

• Be prepared to politely answer questions from the audience, either immediately after the presentation or after all the panelists in the session have spoken.

Checklist of Tasks on the Day of the Presentation

Checklist of Tasks on the Day of the Presentation