Most physicians have had little or no exposure to systematic teaching or training during the medical school and residency with respect to writing and publishing an original research article. The framework of every article should include the study objective(s), study design, results, and conclusion(s). The current "Clinical Opinion" article proposes a set of guidelines, based on the authors’ experience, which can be useful to junior physicians who plan to publish their work. These guidelines should assist not only in the writing process of the initial manuscript but also in responding to reviews and in modifying the original manuscript.
This PowerPoint, which was first presented to Indonesian graduate students in Indonesian Embassy Manila last March 1, 2019, aims to describe how to write and publish a research article in reputable international journals and avoid predatory publishing. It describes (1) the major types of paper and their basic structures, (2) the important steps in publishing papers in journals, and (3) the distinction between Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, and predatory journals, and differences between Impact Factor (IF) and Citescore.
This PowerPoint, which was first presented to Indonesian graduate students in Indonesian Embassy Manila last March 1, 2019, aims to describe how to write and publish a research article in reputable international journals and avoid predatory publishing. It describes (1) the major types of paper and their basic structures, (2) the important steps in publishing papers in journals, and (3) the distinction between Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, and predatory journals, and differences between Impact Factor (IF) and Citescore.
Sole reliance on citation data provides an incomplete understanding of research. Although citation analysis may be simple to apply, it should be used with caution to avoid it coming under disrepute through uncritical use. Ideally, citation analysis should be performed to supplement, not replace, a robust system of expert review to determine the actual quality and impact of published research.
In the race to publish more papers, some researchers indulge in unethical practices, one of which is salami slicing. Salami slicing means fragmenting one study and publishing it in multiple papers. This practice is considered improper and can affect your career, besides being damaging to science. This SlideShare explains in detail what salami slicing is and why it is considered unethical. It also includes opinions of journal editors on the issue.
Science is ever evolving, and replication studies and negative findings play a major role in helping science grow. But journals are not always open to publishing these. What role do replication studies play in scientific discovery? And how does publishing negative results help further the cause of science? View this presentation to learn more.
There are some common criteria you should consider when choosing a journal to publish in. Once you have a publication strategy in place, choose journals that meet all of your criteria.
Citing is the process of giving credit to the sources you used to write your paper
Write in your own words
Citation located within the text
A “reference list” usually called “Literature Cited” section
located at the end of the work.
What is salami slicing?
It refers to the practice of partitioning a large study that could have been reported in a single research article into smaller published articles.
In other words, it means breaking up a single research paper into their “least publishable units,” with each paper reporting different findings from the same study.
A set of papers are referred to as salami publications when more than one paper covers the same population, methods, and research question.
5 hours course taught by Nicolás Robinson-García and Evaristo Jiménez-Contreras in June 23-July 3, 2014 in the University of Granada within the exchange program with Al-Faraby Kazakh National University students 'Current problems of modern philology'.
Presentación realizada en la European Sumer for Scientometrics 2014. Viena, 10 de julio de 2014 http://www.scientometrics-school.eu/programme.html
Since its emergence in 2004, Google Scholar has attracted a huge interest in the scientific community. More recently, it has also drawn attention not only as a information source but also as a tool for evaluation purposes.
The launch of products such as Google Scholar Citations and Metrics or the recent agreement with Thomson Reuters' Web of Science shows that Google is already a major player in the scientific information market.
Its price (free), its huge coverage and the better attention to Social Science and Humanities (compared to commercial databases) has made Google Scholar a potentially valid source for bibliometrics in these areas. Nevertheless, Google Scholar (and their tools) presents many shortcomings that are necessary to know to perform reliable analysis.
In this session, we will briefly review Google Scholar pros and cons and will examine the usefulness of tools such as Citations and Metrics.
Digital strategies to find the right journal for publishing your researchSC CTSI at USC and CHLA
Date: Apr 3, 2019
Speaker: Duncan Nicholas, Former Development Editor at international academic publisher Taylor and Francis Group, and now Director of DN Journals research publishing consultancy, and Senior Consultant for Enago Academy.
Overview: This webinar will provide an overview of digital tools and initiatives that help researchers select the right journal for their manuscript to ensure the best chance of article acceptance.
Sole reliance on citation data provides an incomplete understanding of research. Although citation analysis may be simple to apply, it should be used with caution to avoid it coming under disrepute through uncritical use. Ideally, citation analysis should be performed to supplement, not replace, a robust system of expert review to determine the actual quality and impact of published research.
In the race to publish more papers, some researchers indulge in unethical practices, one of which is salami slicing. Salami slicing means fragmenting one study and publishing it in multiple papers. This practice is considered improper and can affect your career, besides being damaging to science. This SlideShare explains in detail what salami slicing is and why it is considered unethical. It also includes opinions of journal editors on the issue.
Science is ever evolving, and replication studies and negative findings play a major role in helping science grow. But journals are not always open to publishing these. What role do replication studies play in scientific discovery? And how does publishing negative results help further the cause of science? View this presentation to learn more.
There are some common criteria you should consider when choosing a journal to publish in. Once you have a publication strategy in place, choose journals that meet all of your criteria.
Citing is the process of giving credit to the sources you used to write your paper
Write in your own words
Citation located within the text
A “reference list” usually called “Literature Cited” section
located at the end of the work.
What is salami slicing?
It refers to the practice of partitioning a large study that could have been reported in a single research article into smaller published articles.
In other words, it means breaking up a single research paper into their “least publishable units,” with each paper reporting different findings from the same study.
A set of papers are referred to as salami publications when more than one paper covers the same population, methods, and research question.
5 hours course taught by Nicolás Robinson-García and Evaristo Jiménez-Contreras in June 23-July 3, 2014 in the University of Granada within the exchange program with Al-Faraby Kazakh National University students 'Current problems of modern philology'.
Presentación realizada en la European Sumer for Scientometrics 2014. Viena, 10 de julio de 2014 http://www.scientometrics-school.eu/programme.html
Since its emergence in 2004, Google Scholar has attracted a huge interest in the scientific community. More recently, it has also drawn attention not only as a information source but also as a tool for evaluation purposes.
The launch of products such as Google Scholar Citations and Metrics or the recent agreement with Thomson Reuters' Web of Science shows that Google is already a major player in the scientific information market.
Its price (free), its huge coverage and the better attention to Social Science and Humanities (compared to commercial databases) has made Google Scholar a potentially valid source for bibliometrics in these areas. Nevertheless, Google Scholar (and their tools) presents many shortcomings that are necessary to know to perform reliable analysis.
In this session, we will briefly review Google Scholar pros and cons and will examine the usefulness of tools such as Citations and Metrics.
Digital strategies to find the right journal for publishing your researchSC CTSI at USC and CHLA
Date: Apr 3, 2019
Speaker: Duncan Nicholas, Former Development Editor at international academic publisher Taylor and Francis Group, and now Director of DN Journals research publishing consultancy, and Senior Consultant for Enago Academy.
Overview: This webinar will provide an overview of digital tools and initiatives that help researchers select the right journal for their manuscript to ensure the best chance of article acceptance.
Accuracy of Abstracts in Pharmacy Journals for Original Research Articles – P...Pubrica
The abstract of an original research manuscript writing article (e.g., clinical trial) published in the biomedical literature is considered a synopsis of the essential principles of the study. The background, purpose, basic methodology, key results, and a general conclusion should be presented within the abstract.
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Accuracy of Abstracts in Pharmacy Journals for Original Research Articles – P...Pubrica
The abstract of an original research manuscript writing article (e.g., clinical trial) published in the biomedical literature is considered a synopsis of the essential principles of the study. The background, purpose, basic methodology, key results, and a general conclusion should be presented within the abstract.
Continue Reading: https://bit.ly/3oYUd02
For our services: https://pubrica.com/services/physician-writing-services/
Why Pubrica:
When you order our services, we promise you the following – Plagiarism free | always on Time | 24*7 customer support | Written to international Standard | Unlimited Revisions support | Medical writing Expert | Publication Support | Bio statistical experts | High-quality Subject Matter Experts.
Contact us:
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Blog: https://pubrica.com/academy/
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A meta-analysis is the use of statistical methods to summaries the results of the studies. Meta-analyses are conducted to assess the strength of evidence present on a disease and treatment. The results of a meta-analysis can improve precision of estimates of effect, answer questions not posed by the individual studies, settle controversies arising from apparently conflicting studies, and generate new hypotheses. In particular, the examination of heterogeneity is vital to the development of new hypotheses.
Systematic review article and Meta-analysis: Main steps for Successful writin...Pubrica
A review article is a piece of writing that gives a complete and systematic summary of results available in a certain field while also allowing the reader to perceive the subject from a different viewpoint.
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For our services: https://pubrica.com/services/research-services/systematic-review/
Why Pubrica:
When you order our services, We promise you the following – Plagiarism free | always on Time | 24*7 customer support | Written to international Standard | Unlimited Revisions support | Medical writing Expert | Publication Support | Biostatistical experts | High-quality Subject Matter Experts.
Contact us:
Web: https://pubrica.com/
Blog: https://pubrica.com/academy/
Email: sales@pubrica.com
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A BRIEF APPROACH ON WRITING HIGH-QUALITY MEDICAL MANUSCRIPTS.pptxSmiqgen
The current main method for disseminating ideas and findings from validated research is to publish articles in international medical publications.
See More : https://www.smiqgen.com/a-brief-approach-on-writing-high-quality-medical-manuscripts/
Running head: RESEARCH TYPES
1
Title of PaperStudent NameWalden University
Class Number, Section Number, Class Name
Date of Submission
SEE PAGE 5
Title of Paper
Introduction to topic that gives the audience and idea of what you will be discussing in the paper. This should be a brief paragraph that provides an overview of the key points that will be addressed. This section should be concluded with a purpose statement. The purpose of this paper is …consider the intent of the application and list all requirements.
Research Methodologies
Discuss the attributes of quantitative and qualitative research methods and compare/contrast the type of information you can obtain from both types of research. Make sure you are referencing the course learning materials as well as some external references. You should have a minimum of three course learning resource references and two credible external references. Remember that web sites are only considered credible if they end in .gov, .edu, or .org.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Discuss the reality that there are advantages and disadvantages to both types of research.
Quantitative Research
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative research. When is it helpful and when is it not helpful. Consider things like type of information that you are seeking, ethics, time needed to complete, etc.
Qualitative Research
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative research. When is it helpful and when is it not helpful. Consider things like type of information that you are seeking, ethics, time needed to complete, etc. Also, make sure you address the argument that qualitative research is not real science. Is this true? Why or why not? What value does qualitative research have in nursing practice?
Summary
Write a one paragraph summary of the main points of the paper. This is not an area for adding new information. That should be in the body of your paper. Do not forget to appropriately cite in references in this section too. This is a good place to pull in your course learning resources again.
References
Last name, X. (Year of publication). Name of online article. Source. Retrieved from http:// www.nameofwebsite.com
Last name, X. X. (Year of publication). Name of book here. City, State Initial: Publisher.
Last name, X. X. (Year of publication). Name of journal article: Capitalize only letters after punctuation marks. The Journal of Whatever, Volume (Number), Page-Page. doi: number if available.
Last name, X. X. (Year of publication). Name of journal article: Capitalize only letters after punctuation marks. The Journal of Whatever, Volume (Number), Page-Page. doi: number if available.
Last name, X. X. (Year of publication). Name of journal article: Capitalize only letters after punctuation marks. The Journal of Whatever, Volume (Number), Page-Page. doi: number if available.
Last name, X. X. (Year of publication) ...
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Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the medical sciencesPubrica
This editorial concept first gives a brief overview of the history of evidence synthesis, then explains the significance of reporting standards, lists the sequential steps involved in SRs and meta-analyses, and lists additional methodological concerns that researchers should take into consideration when conducting and presenting the results of their systematic reviews (SRs).
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Critical Review of Published ArticlesAccording to the syllabus, .docxfaithxdunce63732
Critical Review of Published Articles
According to the syllabus, MGMT 650 students are
… required to complete a critical review of one research orientated journal article. The article will be selected by the student with approval of the instructor from peer-reviewed journals in an area of interest to the student. The article reviewed will use descriptive statistics that the student has been exposed to in the first 4 - 6 weeks of this course. Students will choose articles to review from UMUC’s library resources.
For the article, students may select a topic of their interest. The empirical research article, “Academic procrastination and statistics anxiety” used for Sessions 1 and 2 Discussion assignments (see Conferences section), is an example of a descriptive statistical research article. In addition, the students are encouraged to use UMUC’s Library to locate an empirical research article. Finally, the instructor of the course must approve the article. Students should upload the pdf version of the article in the Workbook section of the online class.
Empirical Research Articles
If you never read an empirical research article, the following web sites will help you to understand the difference between a primary empirical research article and a secondary article:
1. http://www.nsu.edu/library/pdf/EmpiricalResearch.pdf
2. http://www.up.edu/showimage/show.aspx?file=12944
APA Writing Style
To help with the organization of the critique information in the 5- to 7-page report, the students are required to use APA format 6th edition with headings and subheadings.
Critique Report Format
The critique report format was adapted from the University of Michigan web site: http://open.umich.edu/sites/default/files/Topic8Assignment-CritiqueArticle.pdf.
1. Title page, which includes (a) title of the empirical research article and author’s name(s), (b) your name, (c) Turnitin reliability index score, (d) running head with continuous page numbers, and (e) date. The title page does not count towards the 5- to 7-pages for the critique report.
2. Problem statement and purpose (Answer the following questions; however, do not write the questions in the report.) In addition, from the empirical research report, include the page number(s) to answers the questions:
a. What were the purpose and/or problem of the research study?
b. What are the independent and dependent variables of the study? Correctly, identify the independent and dependent variables.
3. Review of literature and theoretical framework (Answer the following questions; however, do not write the questions in the report.) In addition, from the empirical research report, include the page number(s) to answers the questions:
a. What concepts/theories are included in the review? Please explain them.
b. Did the author discuss the independent and dependent variables? If so, provide examples from the literature review.
4. Hypotheses and/or research questions (Answer the following questions; however, do not wr.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
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Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology:
Ethnobotany in herbal drug evaluation,
Impact of Ethnobotany in traditional medicine,
New development in herbals,
Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
Role of Ethnopharmacology in drug evaluation,
Reverse Pharmacology.
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
2. Many busy journal readers frequently
read the condensation first even before
deciding whether to read the abstract or
the paper.
Abstract
The abstract is the “mirror” of the full
manuscript. There is no doubt that the
abstract is the most widely read part of
the article by both those who peruse
through the journal, as well as those who
perform electronic literature searches.
The abstract should be structured with
specifically designed headings focusing
the writer (and the reader) to the 4 main
elements, namely, objective(s), study de-
sign, results, and conclusion(s). The au-
thor has the opportunity to use succinct
language to summarize the paper by fol-
lowing 2 principles: (1) the abstract
should be clear enough to be understood
by a reader who may not read the rest of
the article, and (2) the abstract should
not be too long (word limitation varies
from journal to journal).
Introduction
The introduction is 1 of the most critical
parts of the article because it sets the tone
for the reader and the reviewer. Ideally,
the introduction should contain 2 com-
ponents, preferably expressed in 2 para-
graphs. The first paragraph should sum-
marize the background information
leading to a rationale for performing the
study, justifying the need for the study,
and clarifying the new information that
the study aims to offer. The first para-
graph should convince the reader that
the study is not a “fishing expedition”
butitisbasedonasolidbackgroundwith
respect to plausibility. The second para-
graph should clearly state the study ob-
jective (or the hypothesis).
Materials and Methods
(or Patients and Methods)
The Materials and Methods (or Patients
and Methods) section should include de-
scriptions of (1) study design; (2) docu-
mentation of institutional review board
(IRB) approval and type of consent ob-
tained,ifapplicable;(3)demographicsof
the study cohort, if applicable; (4) inclu-
sion and/or exclusion criteria; (5) clear
description of any procedures or tests;
(6) clear definitions of exposures, and
primary and secondary outcomes; (7)
sample size calculation based on primary
outcome; (8) types of measurements
used; and (9) methods of statistical anal-
ysis and level of significance.
In our computerized age, there is
widespread use of statistical software
among young academic physicians and
scientists. Some of the commonly used
statistical software programs are SAS
(http://www.sas.com/), SPSS (http://
www.spss.com/), STATA (http://www.
stata.com/), R (http://www.r-project.
org/), SPlus (http://www.splus.com/),
and MINITAB (http://www.minitab.
com/). Tables 1 and 2 can serve as a quick
referencetothechoiceoftheappropriate
FIGURE
Framework of the peer-reviewed article reflecting the ideal flow of the paper and its connecting 4 main parts
Study Objective(s)
Study design
1. Type of study
Conclusion(s)
1. Clear statement what the new knowledge is
2. IRB approval
3. Demographics
4. Inclusion and exclusion criteria
5. Description of procedures and
tests
6. Definition of exposures and
outcomes (primary and secondary)
7. Sample size calculation
8. Types of measurements
2. Comparison with previous studies
3. Possible explanation(s)
4. Strengths and weaknesses
5. Direction of future research
Results
Inclusion of all (primary and secondary) outcomes
and measures
Vintzileos. How to write and publish an original research article. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010.
www.AJOG.org Education Clinical Opinion
APRIL 2010 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 344.e2
3. statistical test(s) according to the type of
the data to be analyzed and compared.
The descriptive statistics and methods
of statistical analysis should be carefully
determined based on the type of data to
be analyzed. Data can be continuous (in-
terval or linear), ordinal, or categorical.
In descriptive statistics, continuous data
that are assumed to follow a normal dis-
tribution are often expressed as “mean
and standard deviation,” continuous
data without normal distribution or or-
dinal data are expressed as “median and
interquartiles or ranges” and categorical
data are expressed as proportions
(percent).
Unfortunately, peer-reviewed articles
frequently use inappropriate descriptive
statistics. For instance, it is not infre-
quent for obstetric articles to use Apgar
scores or parity (or gravidity) as contin-
uous variables and express them as
“mean” Apgar scores (or mean parity/
gravidity). Examples include a mean
1-minute Apgar score of 7.5 or parity 1.5.
However, Apgar scores, as well as parity
(or gravidity) are often not normally dis-
tributed. In addition, in real life, Apgar
scores or parity/gravidity are not ex-
pressed with decimals. Therefore, it is
more appropriate to describe such vari-
ables by using median and ranges.
One of the most frequently used statis-
tical methods with respect to the accu-
racy of a diagnostic test is the determina-
tion of its sensitivity, specificity, and
positive and negative predictive values.
The thorough and clear understanding
of these terms is an absolute necessity for
both the author, as well as the reader of a
peer-reviewed article. It is axiomatic that
to establish the accuracy of a test there
should be a phase of observation (natu-
ral history) without an intervention that
can alter the outcome. If there is an in-
tervention as a result of an abnormal test
result, which possibly can alter the out-
come of interest, then the accuracy of the
test cannot be established. The classical
example of this scenario is our inability
to truly establish the accuracy of intra-
partum fetal heart rate monitoring be-
cause in real life, for ethical reasons, an
“abnormal” fetal heart rate pattern will
most likely lead to intervention (ie, in-
strumental or cesarean delivery), which
may have prevented the “bad” outcome.
Nevertheless, in such cases, the fetal
heart rate monitoring “abnormality”
may be erroneously perceived by some as
a “false-positive test.” Another area that
authors and readers should be aware of is
the effect that “prevalence” of disease has
on the diagnostic accuracy of a test. The
traditional teaching is that the sensitivity
and specificity of the “disease” are not
influenced by the prevalence of the dis-
ease and that only positive and negative
predictive values are influenced by the
prevalence of the disease. However, this
principle is true only if the test condi-
tions are “fixed” and the results are re-
producible. If the test conditions are not
fixed or if the results of the test are sub-
jective, then sensitivity and specificity
are definitely influenced by the preva-
lence of disease. Here, the classical exam-
ple is the performance of an obstetric ul-
trasound to rule out fetal anomalies. If
the a priori risk for a fetal anomaly is high
(high prevalence of disease), the exam-
iner will most likely pay much higher at-
tention and spend more time to visualize
completely all fetal structures. On the
contrary, in a routine sonogram on
women with low a priori risk (low prev-
alence of disease), it is expected that the
ultrasound examiner may not exercise
the same degree of scrutiny in the ultra-
sound examinaton. Thus, in the first case
(high prevalence of disease), the sensitiv-
TABLE 1
Appropriate statistical tests for continuous, ordinal, and categorical data
Comparison Continuous data Ordinal data Categorical data
2 groups of different subjects Unpaired t testa
or Z-testa
Mann-Whitney rank sum testb
2
or Fisher’s exact testb
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Ն3 groups of different subjects ANOVAa
Kruskal-Wallis testb
2
or Fisher’s exact testb
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Same subjects (before/after treatment) Paired (matched) t testa
Wilcoxon-signed rank testb
McNemar’s 2
testb
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Same subjects (Ն3 treatments) Repeated measures ANOVAa
Friedman testb
Cochrane Q testb
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Association between 2 variables Linear regression/correlationa
Spearman correlationa
Contingency coefficientb
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
ANOVA, analysis of variance.
a
Indicates test for parametric data; b
indicates test for nonparametric data.
Vintzileos. How to write and publish an original research article. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010.
TABLE 2
Appropriate regression analyses according to the type of data
Data Type of regression analysis
Dependent (Y) variable (outcome) is continuous Linear regression
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Powers of independent (X) variables Polynomial regression
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Ն2 independent (X) variables Multiple regression
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Selection of best set of independent (X) variables Stepwise regression
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Dependent (Y) variable (outcome) has 2 categories Logistic regression
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Dependent (Y) variable (outcome) has Ն3 categories Polytomous logistic regression
or discriminant analysis
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Vintzileos. How to write and publish an original research article. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010.
Clinical Opinion Education www.AJOG.org
344.e3 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology APRIL 2010
4. ity of the (ultrasound) test to identify fe-
tal anomalies is higher as compared with
the second case (low prevalence of dis-
ease). Thus, it appears that the condi-
tions of the (ultrasound) test are not
fixed because there is intraobserver vari-
ation in the accuracy of the test depend-
ing on the prevalence of the sought dis-
ease (a priori risk). In addition, there is
interobserver (subjective) variation in
the accuracy of ultrasound as a test de-
pending on the skill of the ultrasound
examiner.
Another issue to be considered is that
case-control studies can provide esti-
mates of positive and negative likelihood
ratios but not positive or negative pre-
dictive values. In addition, case-control
studies do not allow determination of
population prevalence or incidence of a
disease.
Another consideration in this section
pertains to articles in which a relatively
new methodology is used where those
details have been previously published in
another report. In such instances, it is
preferable to describe, briefly, that par-
ticular methodology again rather than
referring the reader to those previously
published reports. This shows respect for
the reader’s time.
Results
In the results section the author(s)
should be prepared to give “results” for
all outcome measures that are described
under “Materials and Methods.” The
converse is also true. The paper should
not contain results that are not men-
tioned under “Materials and Methods.”
The results may include text, tables, fig-
ures, or any combination of the above.
Results should be given for all outcome
measures (primary and secondary) that
are described under “Materials and
Methods.” Here, the opportunity exists
for reporting all the raw data. However,
the editorial space should be respected
by the judicious use of tables and/or fig-
ures, which have the purpose of saving
editorial space and at the same time
make it easier for the reader to under-
stand or interpret the results. Each table
or figure should stand on its own and be
self-explanatory. In deciding the exact
format and data to be depicted in each
table or figure, it is a good idea to con-
sider that each table or figure is a candi-
date for reproduction by another author
for another publication. The text and ta-
bles should not contain raw numbers
without percentages or percentages
without the raw numbers. The numbers
should be internally consistent and in
agreement between the tables and the
text. Any internal discrepancies in the
numbers put in jeopardy the credibility
of the author(s) and severely compro-
mise the chances for publication. Confi-
dence intervals provide more accurate
indication of the strength of the associa-
tions and therefore, provide better infor-
mation than P values; thus, in conjunc-
tion with the effect measure, confidence
intervals should be used liberally.
The text should include a brief de-
scription and analysis of the findings and
it should follow the order that tables and
figures appear. The important findings
should be highlighted that may or may
not be statistically significant. Again, the
editorial space should be respected and
detailed description or repetition of all
the information depicted in the tables or
figures should be avoided.
Comment (or discussion)
The comment (or discussion) section
should include the following: (1) clear
statement of what the principal findings
were, as well as the new knowledge that
the current study offered; (2) strengths
and weaknesses of the study; (3) com-
parison of the findings of the current
study with those of previous studies; (4)
clarification regarding the similarities
and differences with the findings of pre-
vious studies; (5) possible explanation(s)
for the different findings; (6) clear and
concise conclusion of the meaning of the
study as it relates to clinical practice or
future research; and (7) proposal for fu-
ture research.
References
The references list may be one of the most
important parts of the paper with respect
to the chances for publication. The rea-
son for this is because editors frequently
use as reviewers those included as au-
thors in the reference list. This is only
natural because some of the references
have authors who have completed simi-
lar work and therefore, they are consid-
ered experts.
At this point, it should be emphasized
that for studies requiring IRB submis-
sion and approval, and almost all studies
do, the introduction, materials and
methods, a significant portion of the dis-
cussion, and the references are already
most likely included in the IRB applica-
tion. Thus, most of the hard work in re-
gard to the writing of the paper is already
done.
Tips to consider before submitting
the manuscript for publication
Before submitting the paper for publica-
tion, all coauthors should have the op-
portunity to review the manuscript and
providesuggestions.Inaddition,consid-
eration should be given to the following:
(1) ask someone with experience in writ-
ing or reviewing peer-review articles to
review the paper. It would be preferable
that this senior reviewer is not very fa-
miliar with the study details, so that he/
she can be a neutral barometer regarding
the quality of the paper; (2) the paper
should not contain any contradictions;
(3) the paper should be understood by a
reader with average knowledge; and (4)
avoid errors.
As per the authors’ experience as peer
reviewers, the most frequent errors are as
follows: (1) inappropriate conclusion(s),
forexample,conclusionsthatareapplied
to populations different than the one
used in the study or conclusions imply-
ing cause-and-effect relationship based
on inappropriate study designs; (2) lack
of power analysis; (3) inadequate sample
size; (4) too much confidence in negative
results from small samples; (5) improper
use of statistics; (6) when multiple com-
parisons are made true clinical signifi-
cance should not be assumed if 1 or few
comparisons turn out to be statistically
significant because this can happen by
chance alone; (7) incorrect use of statis-
tical terminology with the terms “multi-
variable” vs “multivariate.” Unfortu-
nately, these 2 terms are being used
interchangeably. However, the term
“multivariable” refers to situations when
a response or disease status is measured
once (ie, as in case-control studies), and
www.AJOG.org Education Clinical Opinion
APRIL 2010 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 344.e4
5. the association between an exposure and
an outcome is assessed after adjustment
for confounders. In contrast, the term
“multivariate” refers to situations when
the response is measured repeatedly on
the same subject, thereby yielding a “vec-
tor” of responses for each subject, and
hence “multivariate”; (8) inappropriate
reporting of “rates of proportions” with-
out any reference to the numerators and
denominators. It is not good practice to
present (or interpret) relative measures
(ie, relative risk) without examining ab-
solute measures (ie, absolute risk); (9)
possible retrospective manipulation of
the study objective according to the
(positive) findings; and (10) misspelling
of the authors’ names that are cited in the
references. If an authors’ name is mis-
spelled, and that author is one of the as-
signed reviewers, the reviewer may be
“turned off.”
Tips to consider after receiving
the editor’s response
A few weeks after submission of the pa-
per, it is expected that the editor’s re-
sponse, along with the reviewers’ com-
ments, should be received. Based on the
editor’s letter and the reviewers’ com-
ments, the presumed disposition of the
paper can be in 1 of 4 categories: (1) ac-
ceptance without revisions, as is (ex-
tremely rare); (2) possible acceptance af-
ter minor revisions; (3) possible
acceptance after major revisions; and (4)
rejection. Each 1 of these 4 initial dispo-
sitions requires a different course of ac-
tion to maximize the chances for
publication.
If the paper is accepted without revi-
sions, we suspect this is a very rare occur-
rence, the only challenge is to correct the
galley proofs very carefully. This task
should not be taken lightly because
“what goes in print, stays in print for-
ever.” The quality of the galley proofs
varies from journal to journal. Some-
times, editors or publishers may change
the meaning of the article in their at-
tempt to improve it by substituting cer-
tain words with others. If the error is
substantial and it is caught late, it may be
acknowledged as an “erratum” in a sub-
sequent edition of the journal; but, it is
almost certain that most of the audience
will be unwilling to go back and read the
original article again to obtain the com-
plete picture. In other words, the damage
may be irreparable. There have been in-
stances that typographic errors were not
caught until months or years later when
a particular table or figure was repro-
ducedforanotherpublicationinanother
journal. This is clearly an avoidable
situation for which particular attention
has to be given, especially by busy
physicians.
If the paper needs revisions, we sus-
pect most papers do, the revisions can be
minor or major. It is a good policy to
follow all minor revisions assuming that
the clarity or quality of the paper will not
be compromised. In such cases, the ac-
ceptance for publication is almost cer-
tain. However, the situation is quite dif-
ferent when major revisions are
required. Major revisions can be catego-
rized in 4 categories (each requiring a
different action): (1) those that improve
the quality of the paper, when revised (it
is strongly advisable to implement the
suggested revisions); (2) those that have
no effect on the quality of the paper (it is
advisable to implement those changes to
the extent possible); (3) those that may
diminish the quality or clarity of the pa-
per (it is advisable to not follow those
suggestions); and (4) those that are im-
possible to do (they cannot be done).
The rule of thumb is that if all or most
suggested major revisions are followed,
the acceptance is almost certain, whereas
if several of the suggested revisions are
rebut the acceptance remains uncertain.
The chances are that the paper most
likely will not be accepted if all suggested
major revisions are refuted.
When the paper needs to be revised,
especially when major revisions are
needed, the most critical factor that will
determine the fate of the paper is the
cover letter to the editor. This letter
should address each revision separately.
Here, the author has the opportunity to
“communicate” directly with the indi-
vidual who has the ultimate power in de-
ciding the fate of his/her paper. Editors
read a large number of manuscripts and
cover letters every day. Therefore, the
cover letter has to be clear and concise
addressing each criticism and need not
be lengthy. If a suggested revision was
followed,itisgoodpracticetostateinthe
cover letter: “the revision was followed”
and indicate its exact location in the re-
vised manuscript. All revisions should be
highlighted in the revised manuscript. If
a suggested revision was not followed, it
is imperative to explain why. If the rebut
is not convincing to the editor and it in-
volves several revisions, then the editor
may send the revised manuscript back to
the reviewer who suggested the particu-
lar revisions in the first place and that
may decrease the chances for publication
dramatically. Thus, it is of paramount
importance to put forward an extremely
logical and concise rebut in your cover
letter to the editor, so he/she does not
send your revised manuscript back to the
reviewers.
The fourth possibility, which is quite
frequent, is that the paper is rejected
from publication. This can be extremely
disappointing, even heartbreaking, espe-
cially for young investigators who may
take the criticisms personally. Fortu-
nately, many editors use language to in-
dicate that their decision was very much
influenced by the high volume of papers
that they receive and that this does not
necessarily mean that the paper has no
value. In case of rejection, it is advisable
to try to improve the paper, before sub-
mitting it to a second journal, by ad-
dressing all the issues raised by the re-
viewers. This is recommended for 2
reasons: (1) some journals may ask if this
is the first submission. If it is not, they
may want to see how the criticisms of
previous reviewers have been addressed;
and (2) quite frequently the same re-
viewers may be asked by the editor(s) of
the second journal to review that same
paper. If none of their criticisms have
been addressed it is natural, and quite
justifiable, to feel insulted, it is certain
that the paper will be rejected again. The
same process should be carried out in the
event of more submissions to more jour-
nals. However, one should be mindful
that the paper does not lose clarity or fo-
cus in its final form after multiple
revisions.
The last piece of advice for those
young investigators who are apprehen-
sive or fearful about writing and submit-
Clinical Opinion Education www.AJOG.org
344.e5 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology APRIL 2010
6. ting a paper for publication has to do
with the realization that there is a very
large number of obstetrics and gynecol-
ogy journals, both in the United States
and abroad, which are available and will-
ing to consider publishing their work. In
our view, adherence to the guidelines de-
scribed previously will most likely in-
crease the chances for publication. f
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APRIL 2010 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 344.e6