How to write an article

Dr. Zahra Abdulqader Amin

Pharmacognosy Department

College of Pharmacy

Hawler Medical University

Outlines

• Writing a paper• How to write a good manuscript for an

international journal?• Common errors• Ready for publishing

Writing papers: model 1

Idea Do research Write paper

Writing papers: model 2

Idea Do research Write paper

Idea Write paper Do research

“There are three necessary steps in a useful research: the first to begin it, the second to end it and the third to publish it.”

*Your paper is worthless if no one reads, uses, or cites it

How to write a good manuscript for an international journal?

A. Preparation before startingB. Construction of an articleC. Technical details

A. Preparation before starting

1. Check the originality of your idea at the very beginning of your research

A. Preparation before starting (cont.)

2. Decide the type of your manuscript

Full article/original articles letters

rapid communications/ short communication review paper /perspectives

A. Preparation before starting (cont.)3. Who are your audiences?

A. Preparation before starting (cont.)4. Choose the right journal

WHY PUBLISH IN OPEN ACCESS JOURNALS? –Your article will obtain more citations. –You own the copyright to your article.

–Your article will be peer-reviewed and published very fast. –All interested readers can read, download, and/or print open access articles at no cost!

–Your article can be read by potentially millions of readers, which is incomparable to publishing in a traditional subscription journal.

A. Preparation before starting (cont.)

A. Preparation before starting (cont.)5. Read the guide for authors again and again

B. Construction of an article

Fewest possible words that describe the contents

Keep your name and affiliation consistent

What has been done & what are the main findings.

It is the advertisement of your article

B. Construction of an article

How your manuscript should be labeled or categorized

What problem was studied and why your work is necessary

How was the problem studied

B. Construction of an article

What have you found?Statistical analysis

A figure is worth a thousand word

What do the results mean?Relate with previous publications

How the work advances the field of study?

B. Construction of an article

Make everything conforms to the Guide for Authors of the journal, The correct format is the responsibility of the author, not the Editor!

Experimental details with secondary importance

Is your chance to thank people who have helped & Funding

organizations

• To avoid plagiarism, do not try to rewrite an author’s sentences in your own words. You will almost always use too many of that author’s words.

B. Construction of an article (cont.)

I’ve just stolen other

author’s work!

“Plagiarizer”

C. Technical details

1. Suggested text layout2. Suggested length of the article3. Abbreviations (Acronyms)4. Cover letter5. Suggested potential reviewers6. Revision before submission (checklist)

READY for publishing

What Happens to Your Article?

• Submitted to Editor• Editor’s “assessment” (reject; revise)• Sent to Reviewers• Reviewers reply to Editor• Editor’s decision (accept; reject; revise)• Back to you: revised version and letter• Editor may revert to Reviewers

READY for publishing (cont.)

What Do I Look For as an Editor?

• Originality– What’s new?

• Content– Is there enough?

• Simplicity– Can it be clearer, shorter?

READY for publishing (cont.)

Rejection is not the end of the world

READY for publishing (cont.)

• Re-evaluate your work and decide whether it is appropriate to submit the paper elsewhere.

• If so, begin as if you are going to write a new article. Read the Guide for Authors of the new journal, again and again.

• Questions?