Writing for Impact: How to Prepare a Journal Article
– Andrew M. Ibrahim, MD, MSc and Justin B. Dimick, MD, MPH
Writing your Specific Aims Page
– Pasithorn A. Suwanabol, MD, MS
SOQIC’s Approach on How to Prepare a Scientific Manuscript
– Karl Bilimoria, MD, MS
1. General information:
– Use 1″ Margins all around
– Arial, Size 11 Font
– Insert page number on bottom right (“Page X of Y”)
– Double space entire document except references, tables, and figures)
– Two spaces after a period (no exceptions)
– Start each new section on a new page. Each individual tables or figure is on a page of its own
– Leave a line between paragraphs – always make it easier for the reviewer/editor
– Order of sections: Title page, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, References, Figure Legends, Tables, Figures
– Prepare the outline as below and be very methodical and stick to the outline
2. Review the instructions to authors from the journal
– Generally, if you cannot follow their directions, they assume you cut corners on the research as well
– Make your manuscript look like what they publish – they notice and means you do not read their journal regularly
3. Search for a consensus statement or guidelines to follow for your type of paper (IE. STROBE)
4. Order of paper writing
– Complete figures and tables first so you know what you have
– Do the abstract to reorganize your thoughts and hit the main points
– Methods – write this as soon as you can so you do not forget what you have done (similar to lab notes)
– Results
– Introduction
– Discussion
Components in each Section
Title Page
– Title, authors, author affiliations, if presented at a meeting (meeting, location, date), corresponding author contact information, funding sources (grants, contracts, institutional funds – for fellows and faculty) – all left justified.
– Bold title
– Title: Do not state the main result in the title
– Do not ask a question in the title
– Titles for manuscripts are more straight forward/objective than what you for a meeting abstract
– Highlight important novel aspects
Introduction
– About one to one and a quarter pages double spaced at the most
– Start broad then focus down to objectives
– Do not give too much detail in the Introduction. Just what they need to read the paper
– Do not discuss specific papers in Introduction unless absolutely critical
– Instead, describe what is known generally and reference it. You can get into the details a little in the Discussion
– IMPORTANT: your objectives should be the same in Abstract and Introduction (can have slightly different wording to accommodate Abstract word limit) and these objectives should be the organization for the rest of the paper in the Results and in the Discussion.
First Paragraph
– Overview of the problem and why it is important
– Try to start where relevant for your audience and for the paper
– Do not go back to describe natural history and incidence of the disease
Second Paragraph
– Describe what is known and then gap in knowledge
Third Paragraph
– Tie the overview and the gap together in the first sentence or two
– Explain why the work will be significant/novel
– State your objectives
– Sometimes you need to give a hypothesis, but often the objectives are sufficient
Methods
Data Source:
– Describe where the data came from. Describe the quality of data a little – how validated?
Study Population:
– Describe how you selected your patients (inclusion/exclusion). Give “N”s for those excluded at each step (some journals want the “N”s in the Results section)
Variables:
– Define the key variables of your study
Outcomes:
– Define the key outcomes of your study
Statistical Analysis:
– Univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, variables included in models, model specifications, include details (how you handled missing data, confounding, multiple comparisons, etc.), sensitivity analysis, and software
Results
Overview:
– Describe the key features of the patient population
– Overview of a typical Table 1 (Key patient demographics)
– Do not just covert Table 1 into text
– Less is more.
Objective Results:
– If reporting a model, give univariate briefly but do not go full into detail
– Focus on adjusted results.
Discussion
First Paragraph:
– First sentence: Restate the problem briefly and why it is important
– One to two sentence overview of finding of your study
– Sometimes a policy implication sentence (without editorializing or grandstanding)
Objective 1:
– One to two paragraphs, preferably one
– Describe what others have found – briefly. Only describe key studies briefly or give summary sentences of the literature
– Describe what you have found and why it adds to what was known previously
– Tie both items listed above together
– Do not go on and on – put your results in context and move on
Objective 2 – 3:
– One to two paragraphs, preferably one
Limitations:
– One to two paragraphs
– State limitations that are obvious, but particularly those that can impact the results. Be sure to state how you think they can impact the results – what direction is the bias in. Particularly focus on limitations that could change your results
– Do not just state theoretical limitations of little to no importance
Implications of your Study:
– One paragraph
– Keep mostly to the facts and avoid being sensationalistic
– This is not a place to editorialize. Leave that to someone writing the commentary/editorial to go with your paper or for you to write a subsequent Op-Ed about.
Conclusion:
– Brief overview of key results
– Why they are important
– General future directions (but do not say more research is needed – it is always needed)
