ii the publication process. conduct literature review start the paper conduct study/analyze data...
TRANSCRIPT
II
THE PUBLICATION PROCESS
• Conduct literature review• Start the paper • Conduct study/analyze data• Organize/summarize results succinctly• Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks")• Formulate your key message• Apply the "new/useful" test• Choose your target audience• Choose your target journal• Read journal instructions for authors• Draft (and debug) an abstract• Write the first draft• Master the literature• Relearn, rethink, rewrite• . . . and rewrite and rewrite• How long?• Critically review and finalize the abstract• Attend to the details• Submit article to target journal• Have a Plan B• Mark your calendar
Conduct literature review
Conduct literature review
Finished?
Start the paper
even before I do the study??
Start the paper
• Draft the Introduction
perhaps borrow from a study protocol or grant proposal that you already wrote
• Draft dummy table shells and figure axes for Results.
Conduct study/analyze data
Now it’s time to write the first draft, right?
Maybe not.
Organize/summarize results succinctly
• Fill in dummy tables and figures with real data.
• Draft additional tables and figures if needed – look at published articles for potential templates.
• Summarize each table/figure in a single sentence.
Get early, frequent feedback
in "chunks"
Get early, frequent feedback
• Share your tables/figures and single-sentence summaries to coauthors/colleagues. Ask if they are clear/concise/compelling.
• Give presentations to colleagues at work, at conferences.
• Try to formulate a concise key message.
Get early, frequent feedback
• Share your tables/figures and single-sentence summaries to coauthors/colleagues. Ask if they are clear/concise/compelling.
• Give presentations to colleagues at work, at conferences
• Try to formulate a concise key message. Get feedback.
Please listen carefully to what I am about to say. . .
Don’t wait for a complete draft to begin getting feedback.
Thanks for your detailed and lengthy criticism of my manuscript. I’ll be sure to incorporate your suggestions
into my next draft.
Formulate your key message
• Keep it simple; try to boil down to a single sentence.
• Your message must contain something new and useful.
• Make sure your results support your key message.
• The message may change as you develop the paper.
Apply the “new/useful” test
BMJ “Rejection Checklist”
Why did we reject your paper?• on balance, your paper is not sufficiently interesting
for general readers (relative to other papers)
• the message is not new enough
• the topic is interesting but the paper does not cover it in enough depth
• the paper adds a small amount of new information but not enough to warrant space in the BMJ
• the message is not useful enough in practice
BMJ “Rejection Checklist”
Why did we reject your paper?• on balance, your paper is not sufficiently interesting
for general readers (relative to other papers)
• the message is not new enough
• the topic is interesting but the paper does not cover it in enough depth
• the paper adds a small amount of new information but not enough to warrant space in the BMJ
• the message is not useful enough in practice
• What/Who is a “general reader”
BMJ Mission Statement
to lead the debate on health, and to engage, inform, and stimulate doctors, researchers and other health professionals in ways that will improve outcomes for patients
BMJ Mission Statement
to lead the debate on health, and to engage, inform, and stimulate doctors, researchers and other health professionals in ways that will improve outcomes for patients
BMJ Mission Statement
to lead the debate on health, and to engage, inform, and stimulate doctors, researchers and other health professionals in ways that will improve outcomes for patients
Choose your target audience
Choose your target journal
Choose your target journal
Criteria
– A journal that matches your target audience
– How strong is your article?
Instructions for authors
can help to confirm whether your topic is relevant to the journal’s mission
e.g. Is AJPH interested in global health?
“The foremost mission of the American Journal of Public Health is to promote public health research, policy, practice, and education. We aim to embrace all of public health, from global policies to the local needs of public health practitioners. Contributions of original unpublished research, social science analyses, scholarly essays, critical commentaries, departments, and letters to the editor are welcome.”
“The foremost mission of the American Journal of Public Health is to promote public health research, policy, practice, and education. We aim to embrace all of public health, from global policies to the local needs of public health practitioners. Contributions of original unpublished research, social science analyses, scholarly essays, critical commentaries, departments, and letters to the editor are welcome.”
Instructions for authors
And now for the details . . .
Certify that . . .
Final approval of manuscript
Take public responsibility
Your contributions
Draft (and debug) an abstract
Draft (and debug) an abstract
• Purpose
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusions
RELIABILITYVALIDITY
RELIABILITY
RELIABILITY
FLEXIBILITYUTILITY
Write the first draft
Finally!
Write the first draft
• Write for your target audience (use appropriate terminology/jargon).
• Consider using an outline.
• Don’t sweat the grammar, syntax or details (only you need to understand the first draft).
When the Journal Responds
• Acknowledgment of receipt
• Internal review
• External review
• Comments from editors/referees
• Responding to the comments
• Writing the cover letter
• When to contact the editor
When the Journal Responds
• Acknowledgment of receipt
• Internal review
• External review
• Comments from editors/referees
• Responding to the comments
• Writing the cover letter
• When to contact the editor
When the Journal Responds
• Acknowledgment of receipt
• Internal review
• External review
• Comments from editors/referees
• Responding to the comments
• Writing the cover letter
• When to contact the editor
# months
Submission to final acceptance 5
Acceptance to publication 10-12
15-17
Complete data analysis to journal submission 6-12
Begin data analysis to complete data analysis 3-8
24-37
How Long Does it Take?
# months
Submission to final acceptance 5
Acceptance to publication 10-12
15-17
Complete data analysis to journal submission 6-12
Begin data analysis to complete data analysis 3-8
24-37
How Long Does it Take?
# months
Submission to final acceptance 5
Acceptance to publication 10-12
15-17
Complete data analysis to journal submission 6-12
Begin data analysis to complete data analysis 3-8
24-37
How Long Does it Take?
The Secret of Success
The Secret of Success
• Conduct literature review
• Start the paper
• Conduct study/analyze data• Organize/?summarize results succinctly• Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks")• Formulate your key message• Apply the "new/useful" test• Choose your target audience• Choose your target journal• Read journal instructions for authors• Draft (and debug) an abstract
• Write the first draft
?
The Secret of Success
• Conduct literature review
• Start the paper
• Conduct study/analyze data
• Organize/summarize results succinctly
• Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks")
• Formulate your key message
• Apply the "new/useful" test
• Choose your target audience
• Choose your target journal
• Read journal instructions for authors• Draft (and debug) an abstract• Write the first draft
The Secret of Success
• Conduct literature review
• Start the paper
• Conduct study/analyze data
• Organize/summarize results succinctly
• Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks")
• Formulate your key message
• Apply the "new/useful" test
• Choose your target audience
• Choose your target journal
• Read journal instructions for authors• Draft (and debug) an abstract• Write the first draft
Organize/summarize results succinctly
Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks")
Formulate your key message
Apply the "new/useful" test
Choose your target audience
Choose your target journal
Read journal instructions for authors
Draft (and debug) an abstract