Preparing a manuscript for publication: A user-friendly guide

ANZ Journal of Surgery, 2013

Indian Journal of Private Psychiatry, 2021

Many journals and other published guidelines provide large, sometimes strict instructions to be included for becoming eligible in academic journals. However, there is a lack of simple and clear recommendations on how to write such scientific articles. We propose a simple and easy-to-follow hypothesis-based approach. The introduction section should start by introducing the relevant concepts, formulate the study hypothesis, mention the gap in knowledge in the existing literature, and describing the study hypothesis in simple language at the end. The material and methods section must describe the study design, sample or material, the tools, instruments, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and procedures used to test the study hypothesis. The results section must describe the data analyses that lead to the confirmation or rejection of the hypothesis. The discussion must state whether the study hypothesis has been confirmed or rejected and compare the study result with previous research. It should clarify the limitations of the study and explore the relevance of the study findings for clinical practice and future research. An abstract at the beginning of the manuscript, usually structured with objectives, material and methods, results and conclusion, should be added. Acknowledgments, ethical approval, informed consent by study subjects, conflicts of interests by authors, and a reference list will be needed in most scientific journals.

International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 2001

Health care practitioners who are inexperienced in writing for publication are sometimes daunted by the publication process and fail to submit their work on quality improvement to a journal. New authors can acquire experience in writing a paper by working through a systematic thought process that includes consideration of what journal readers and editors want and if the work is ready for publication. The most important part of writing a paper is to think through the key ideas and messages for readers and then to organize the ideas into a logical structure. Writing clear answers to 10 key questions may be one way to start the process.

Canadian Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 2008

The production of publications is a key component of one's career advancement in medicine. The goal of this piece is to discuss five tips to help health profession students get started in medical writing. First, students should take full advantage of the time-saving resources at the local academic biomedical library. Second, outlining a manuscript is one of the essential first steps for producing a successful, high-quality publication. Third, planning the manuscript and writing efficiently is critical since many young authors are either in medical school or residency and do not have ample time to devote to the writing process. Fourth, communicating complex concepts, thoughts, ideas, and observations in a simple way is important and helps limit redundancies, awkward passages, and improves reader comprehension. Lastly, a student can maximize their chances at publication if they are persistent in how they approach manuscript submission. The chances for successful publication of a project can be increased if young authors consider the tips supplied here.

Journal of Management Education, 1987

Claims that today's college students are less able writers than their predecessors in some "Golden Age" of university instruction are legion in the discourses of college educators. Asking students to keep a journal using one or a combination of the journal writing techniques suggested here is one method that can be used to enhance communication skills, logical analysis, and creative expression. Journal assignments may be designed so that their positive effects can be seen in improved analysis of problems and writing on essay exams, term papers, and case analyses. Perhaps the most important change that journals can facilitate, however, is an improved attitude toward writing itself. In this paper we will focus on three uses of journal writing: to encourage creative expression, to strengthen logical thinking, and to help students improve specific writing skills. Numerous journal techniques are provided to accomplish these three purposes. Finally, we will discuss the process of making and evaluating these assignments.

Microsurgery, 2012

The purpose of this essay is to make some self-evident (yet often ignored) remarks about how to write a paper. We argue that the key to writing well is full awareness of the role of papers in the scientific process and full implementation of the principles, derived from this awareness, in the writing process. We also provide some concrete suggestions.