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EAU Annual Meeting

April 18, 2010 Barcelona

ESU Course 20

How to write a manuscript and get it published in European Urology

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Faculty

• Prof. Francesco Montorsi (Italy) - Chair

• Prof. Christian Gratzke (Germany)• Prof. Giacomo Novara (Italy) • Prof. Shahrokh Shariat (U.S.A)• Prof. Alexandre Zlotta (Canada) – Co-

Chair

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With special thanks to

Dr. Christine McKillop for her contribution to the material of

this course

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European Urology Editorial TeamEuropean Urology Editorial Team

Editor-in-ChiefEditor-in-ChiefProf. Francesco MontorsiProf. Francesco Montorsi Milan, ItalyMilan, Italy

Associate EditorsAssociate EditorsProf. Anders Bjartell Prof. Anders Bjartell Malmö, SwedenMalmö, Sweden

Prof. Christian StiefProf. Christian Stief Munich, GermanyMunich, GermanyProf. Tullio SulserProf. Tullio Sulser Zurich, SwitzerlandZurich, SwitzerlandProf. Alexandre ZlottaProf. Alexandre Zlotta Toronto, CanadaToronto, Canada

Surgery EditorSurgery EditorProf. Markus Graefen Prof. Markus Graefen Hamburg, Hamburg,

GermanyGermany

EAU-EBU Update Series EditorEAU-EBU Update Series EditorProf. Oliver HakenbergProf. Oliver Hakenberg Rostock, Rostock,

GermanyGermany

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European Urology Editorial TeamEuropean Urology Editorial Team

Words of Wisdom EditorWords of Wisdom EditorProf. Fritz SchröderProf. Fritz Schröder Rotterdam, The NetherlandsRotterdam, The Netherlands

Editorial Office ManagerEditorial Office ManagerCathy PierceCathy Pierce Milan, ItalyMilan, Italy

Editorial AssistantsEditorial AssistantsKerri James-SalinaKerri James-Salina Milan, ItalyMilan, ItalyPatricia BachmannPatricia Bachmann Basel, SwitzerlandBasel, SwitzerlandJudith CarleenJudith Carleen Munich, GermanyMunich, GermanyBeth RobyBeth Roby New York City, U.S.ANew York City, U.S.AKarin van AlphenKarin van Alphen Rotterdam, The Netherlands Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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Course Materials

Course material and slides will be available online after the EAU meeting at:

www.europeanurology.com

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HOW TO GET YOUR MANUSCRIPT PUBLISHED IN

EUROPEAN UROLOGY

Francesco Montorsi

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Original Articles Submitted 2006 - 2010  2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

January 71 90 103 106 104 99

February 64 96 122 96 114 81

March 64 84 100 98 126  118

April 86 77 103 102 82  

May 66 98 119 103 108  

June 67 88 117 127 106  

July 79 146 121 126 105  

August 80 109 150 78 95  

September 94 122 122 96 107  

October 82 104 115 104 113  

November 82 91 121 96 99  

December 78 117 121 107 98  

TOTALS 913 1222 1381 1233 1234  

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ACCEPTANCE – REJECTION RATES (ORIGINAL ARTICLES)

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Straight Reject

32% 33% 43% 40% 52%

Reject After Peer Review

40% 43% 46% 47% 36%

Accept After Peer Review

28% 24% 11% 13% 12%

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2008 Impact Factors• European Urology 6.512• Journal of Sexual Medicine 5.393 • Journal of Urology 3.952 • Prostate 3.069 • British Journal of Urology Int 2.704 • Urology 2.242• Urologia Internationalis 0.891

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The European Urology 2008 Impact Factor Equation

639Source items

published in European UrologyIn 2006 and 2007

4161Citations in 2008 of Articles

published in European Urology in 2006 and 2007

= 6.512

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EUROPEAN UROLOGYIF TREND

0500

10001500200025003000350040004500

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Citations Source Items

2.651

3.542

4.850

5.634

6.512

???

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• We need top quality Original Articles

• We read with interest proposals for review articles but these are less important for us

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Original Articles are more demanding than Review Articles

• Authors should think about a hypothesis to assess

Study must be designed and completed

Rigorous analysis of the results A well written manuscript is closing the

circle

• Altogether, this is very demanding!

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The Platinum Original Article…

• Must address a timely and interesting hypothesis

• Must have a topic which is not too specific

• Must be based on sound methodology

• Has results which may change practice patterns

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The “Our Experience” ArticleThe “Our Experience” Article

• It is clear that data based on large patient series attract the interest of readers

• Large sets of patients are difficult to be assessed with care

• The article MUST address a hypothesis, it cannot be a compilation of results

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• Make sure European Urology is the appropriate journal for your manuscript (if the manuscript is not really “top” do not waste time - head to another journal!)

• Follow the author guidelines – especially the recent changes (word count, abstract, etc)

Helpful tips when considering The Platinum Journal for your next manuscript:

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Deciding on authorship

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Who should be listed as an author?

• Substantial contributions to:– Conception and design– Acquisition of funding– Data acquisition or analysis– Data interpretation– Drafting the article– Revising it for intellectual content

• General supervision of the research group does not justify authorship

• Sequence of names: first and last position; alphabetical

• The first 2 authors may equally contribute to the article and this can be clearly stated at time of submission

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Helpful tips when considering The Platinum Journal for your next manuscript:

• Have the manuscript revised by a professional copyeditor prior to submission

• Expect comments from the reviewers

• Respect the revision deadlines: 30 days for Major Revision / 15 days for Minor Revision

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Why papers are rejected (1)

• The study did not assess an important scientific issue

• The study was not original• The study did not test the author’s

hypothesis• A different type of study should have been

done• Compromise of original protocol, e.g.

caused by practical difficulties

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Why papers are rejected (2)

• Poor study design

• Sample size too small

• Study uncontrolled

• Statistical analysis incorrect or inappropriate

• Authors draw unjustified conclusions

• Conflict of interest

• Badly written

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Responding to reviewer’s comments

• Address each comment individually in written resubmission

• Number and respond courteously to every comment• Mark changes in text• You do not have to make all changes if you disagree

with them – present a valid argument• Don’t argue with the reviewer, both reviewers and

authors are trying to improve things for the reader

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