How to publish an articleHow to publish an article

Saleem Saaed QaderSaleem Saaed Qader

MBChB, MD, MSc, MPH, PhD, SBGSMBChB, MD, MSc, MPH, PhD, SBGS

Consultant General Surgeon and LecturerConsultant General Surgeon and Lecturer

General DirectorGeneral Director

Medical Research Centre, Hawler Medical University, ErbilMedical Research Centre, Hawler Medical University, Erbil

Department of Surgery, Medical College, Hawler Medical Department of Surgery, Medical College, Hawler Medical UniversityUniversity

Department of Surgery, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, ErbilDepartment of Surgery, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil

TMCTMC

Oct 2014Oct 2014

Scientific paper

Is a written and published documentA report describing original research results

1. To assess observations

2. To repeat experiments

3. Must have an impact

4. Available to scientific community without restriction

5. Available for regular screening by one or more of the major recognized secondary services (Pub Med etc…)

Brilliant writing can NOT mask a poor experiment Brilliant writing can NOT mask a poor experiment But poor writing can mask a brilliant experimentBut poor writing can mask a brilliant experiment

Publish OR Perish?

Publish AND Flourish!

Why should scientists publish?

To share COMMUNITY with something that advances (not repeats) knowledge in a certain field

To present a review/ summary of the field

Academic career depends on publication list Getting employ easier (to get you short listed)

A scientific experiment is not complete until the results have been published & understood

The knowledge should be distributed to all others Knowledge could not be circulated without publication

PhD degree?

Stages of Publication?

Draft Manuscript Submitted Under revision In press Published

Which journal?

Where to look for the journal:Personal experienceColleagues’ experienceLibraryCitations and published articlesOnline

PAUSE & PONDER

Questions to answer in choosing a journal

1. National or international audience? 2. Language? 3. Disciplinary? 4. The journal’s content area/culture? 5. Chances of acceptance? 6. Indexed journal (PubMed) 7. What about the impact factor? 8. Practical matters (time to publication, etc.)

Know your journal targets?

a) Impact factor and prestige b) Content of one of the journal issues

a) Which kind of manuscripts are published ?b) What are the preferred formats ?

c) Style and recent trends in the journald) Who is the editor-in-chief ? Can you contact him ?e) Who are the members of the editorial-board? They are

very aware of the journal’s publication policyf) How much it costs?g) Citation index

Nature around 20

On PublicationsAuthorship

all authors must have scientific contribution

How many authors? No matter how many are ...Review process

getting a postive comments means that you are able to publish the paper

You need to convince editors that your topic is interested and significant: Letters to editros/ cover letterApproval copyAny conflict

Submission process

The average reviewing time (assistant of the editors) Is there an online submission process? Can you track your manuscript status online?

Citation rates

The Institute of Scientific InformationInstitute of Scientific Information (ISI)(ISI) records scientific citations/references

Citation Index: The number of times a publication has been cited within a certain period

Published annually in the Journal Citation Reports

Impact factor

The recorded number of citations within a certain year (eg 2003) to the items published in the journal during the preceding two years (e.g. 2001 and 2002)

Citation Half Life

How long articles in a journal continue to be cited after publication

Calculating the BMJ’s impact factor for 2003

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

J Natl Cancer Institute 10.730 12.945 14.159 14.240 14.500

J of Clinical Oncology 8.228 7.963 8.773 8.530 9.868

Cancer Research 8.370 8.614 8.460 8.302 8.318

Clinical Cancer Research 2.941 3.442 4.643 5.076 5.991

Oncogene 6.192 6.517 6.490 6.737 5.979

Gene Chromosome Cancer 3.804 4.902 4.534 4.416 4.199

Int Jrnl Cancer 3.283 3.545 3.918 4.233 4.056

Cancer 3.660 3.362 3.611 3.909 3.941

Annals of Oncology 2.867 3.195 3.249 3.153 3.114

Impact Factor: Oncology

Getting your paper accepted

Keep it simple (focus on one specific theme)

Announce that idea in abstract, intro & conclusion

Follow style and structure the journal you have in mind

If more ideas or themes come to mind: split it off for future publications

Help Editors/ Referees (and yourself); Number all pages

Re-writing

Be prepared to re-write and revise and revisere-write and revise and reviseGo through revisions and feedback: colleagues, supervisors,

native speakers, editors.Follow suggestions from editorsWelcome useful suggestions but make sure you remain

coherent & consistentIf you disagree with reviewer’s suggestions: make a case to

the editorBe self-critical, but not to the point of paralysis

What to do with rejected papers?Read rejection letter, don’t send angry impulsive emailsReturn to it after a couple of days?Take criticism into account, may be change angle of the

paper, focus on strongest points, if necessary rework design & analysis

Submit to another journalSee it as new projectAim for a slightly less prestigious journal

Who is going to deal with your paper?

Editors and reviewers:

1.The most precious resource of a journal!

2. Practicing scientists, even leaders in their fields

3. Busy people doing their own research, writing and teaching, and working for journals in their spare time, to contribute to science

Editors may receive a small payment, but reviewers are UNPAID

QUALITY The heart of scientific communication

Do not publish:

1. Reports of no scientific interest

2. Duplication of previously published work

3. Incorrect/unacceptable conclusions

4.“ salami-sliced” papers: datasets too small to be meaningful

Deadly sins-Unethical behavior “ can earn rejection and even a ban from publishing in the journal”

— Terry M Phillips, Editor, Journal of Chromatography B

Multiple submissionsRedundant publicationsPlagiarismData fabrication and falsificationImproper use of human subjects and animals in researchImproper author contribution

Why is revision important and necessary?

Which procedure do you prefer? Send out a sloppily prepared manuscript get

rejected after 4-6 months send out again only a few days later get rejected again….

Take 3-4 months to prepare the manuscript get the first decision after 4 months revise carefully within time limitation….accepted

Please protect your own achievements!

Before submitting your article1. Check the originality of your idea

Have you done something new and interesting?Is there anything challenging in your work?Have you provided solutions to any problems?

2. Decide the type of your manuscript

Full articles/Original articles;Letters/Rapid Communications/Short communications;Review papersAsk your colleagues for advice:

Sometimes outsiders see things more clearly than you

3. Who is your audience?

Do you want to reach specialists, multidisciplinary researchers, a general audience?

Journals reach readers with different backgroundIs readership worldwide or local?

4. Choose the right journalInvestigate all candidate journals to find out: Aims and scope and types of articlesYou can get help from your colleagues Articles in your references will lead you to the right journalDO NOT scatter your manuscript to many journals

Only submit once!

The Process of publishing an article

Writing the manuscript:Moral and ethical standards Obtaining data, analyzing results and writing IMRAD Revision and revision and revision

Getting feedback (supervisor and coauthors)Finding journals (instruction to the author)Submitting (confirmation letter)Revisions (changes and comments) or rejection

2. Revision after 2. Revision after submittion: Carefully submittion: Carefully read the comments and read the comments and prepare a detailed letter prepare a detailed letter of responseof response

Reasons for rejectionDid not address important scientific issueNot originalDid not test authors hypothesisDifferent study should have been performedSample size too smallUncontrolled or inadequately controlledAnalyze incorrect or inappropriateUnjustified conlcusion reched from dataSignificant conflict of interestBadly prepared regarding submittion requirements or poor

English

Rejection: not the end of the world

Everyone has papers rejected-do not take it personally.Try to understand why the paper was rejected.Note that you have received the benefit of the editors and

reviewers’ time; take their advice seriously!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 &

again

Don’t resubmit a rejected manuscript to another journal without significant revision! It won’t work

What to avoid in the paperSuperficial literature search, Wikipedia-basedDon’t claim that “very little” research has been done in an

area if you’re not 100% sure! => reviewers may react negatively

Sloppiness in presentation of text: respect style sheet, make sure references are in right format, double-check list of references, make sure spelling of surnames is correct

Style that does not match that of journalTaking a side in a debate & ignoring the counter-arguments

Moral standards

Establish a reputation of a reliable & honest researcher (always acknowledge your sources)

Be prepared to give advice to those who seek your adviceAccept to review papers (journals)/ chaptersStick to deadlinesDon’t be pretentious, don’t take your work too seriouslyBe optimistic and friendly with colleagues

If you guessed who reviewed your paper and you meet that

person: don’t start talking about the paper unless the reviewer starts about it

Ethical standardsAs a reviewer in an international journal

Make sure you give constructive criticism together with your honest opinion

Never be nasty or dogmaticDon’t cite/use data of a paper you revisedIf you wish to contact the author/s, ask the editor to pass on

the message

Final recommendations

Research is fun! Publish and flourish! (it’s a game really)Writing up requires patience & perseverance: it is

worth the effort!Nobody is perfect: everybody sweats!Be thankful of the reviewer who sends you a 10

page report with criticism & comments: that person has spent a lot of time and effort on your work (and it may be a major name, who might start referring to your work)

What mark have you thought to leave after?What mark have you thought to leave after?