communicating your research in journal articles · understanding of what tpack is, and the way...

Trevor Lane, PhDEducation Director

China Webinar

8 August 2016

Communicating your research in journal articles

Visit us at: www.liwenbianji.cn

Associate Publisher/Managing Editor/Senior Editor

Education Director at Edanz

Publishing Manager/

Part-time Lecturer

About Dr Trevor Lane…

University of HK

COPE Council

MemberJournal of Oral and

Maxillofacial Surgery,

Medicine, and Pathology

Be an effective communicator

Your goal should be not only to publish, but also to be widely read and highly cited

Prepare well

Improve your writing skills

Logically express your ideas

成为一个有效的沟通者

Skills needed on the path to publication success

Preparation

Journal Selection

Writing

Submission

Peer Review

Publication Success

• Training in reading papers, ethics, writing, presenting

• Expert Scientific Review

• Expert Scientific Review

• Journal Selection & submission strategy

• Training in ethics, writing, presenting

• Revising• Editing• Reformatting

• Training inethics, writing

• Editing• Abstract

Development• Cover Letter

Development• Reviewer

Recommendation

• Training in navigating peer review

• Review Editing• Point-by-point

checking• Response

Letter Development

• Reformatting

• Press release, news writing

• Media & presentation training

• Training for early and mid career researchers

• Training in writing grant proposals

• Grant proposal editing

Prepare well

Section 1


Prepare wellPublish ethically

International ethics guidelines

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

Clinical/Human:Good Publication Practice 3 (GPP3) guidelines

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)

始终遵循出版伦理道德准则Always follow ethics guidelines

Prepare well Summary of publication ethics

Submissions

No plagiarism

No data manipulation

Authorship

Submit to only one journal; do not republish an article; no salami; do not manipulate peer review

Paraphrase/summarize/synthesize & cite all sources

Do not fabricate or falsify dataDo not manipulate parts of images

(1) Study design or data acquisition/analysis; (2) Writing/revising; (3) Approval; (4) Accountability

Conflicts of interest

State funding source and any financial/personal relationships that could bias the work

SafetyEthics board approval; for humans: signed consent,

data privacy; animal & environmental safety

Prepare wellEthics declarations

Declare in your cover letter…

Not submitted to other journals

Research ethics approval,

patient consent

All authors agree and contributed

Original and unpublished work

State potential conflicts of interest,

funding source

Accurate details of recommended peer reviewers

Prepare well

Insert your proposed abstract

Journal Selectorwww.liwenbianji.cn/journal_selector

Prepare well

Are they published recently? Have you cited relevant ones?

Similar published articles

Journal Selectorwww.liwenbianji.cn/journal_selector

Journal’s aims & scope, impact factor

and publication frequency

Matching journals

Prepare wellPublication models

Subscription-based

• Mostly free for the author• Reader has to pay

Open access• Free for the reader• Author usually has to pay

Hybrid• Subscription-based journal• Has open access options

Prepare wellPredatory journals

Some Open Access journals are not good

Easy way to get money from authors

• Promise quick and easy publication• Often ask for a “submission/handling” fee• May copy name/web of real journal; false impact factor• May not exist, or may be of low quality• Beware of spam e-mails!

If you are ever unsure, please check Beall’s List of Predatory Publishers &

Directory of Open Access Journals

Prepare well

THINK Trusted and appropriate?

SUBMIT Only if OK

thinkchecksubmit.org

CHECK Do you know the journal?

Trustworthy journals

Section 2



Coverage and Staffing PlanWriting skills Improve readability

Nature’s guide to authors:

Nature is an international journal covering all thesciences. Contributions should therefore be writtenclearly and simply so that they are accessible toreaders in other disciplines and to readers for whomEnglish is not their first language.

www.nature.com/nature/authors/gta/index.html#a4

“I should use complex words to make my writing more impressive.”

Coverage and Staffing PlanWriting skills

Keep it simple!

Use short sentences15–20 words; one idea per sentence

Prefer simpler/shorter words

Use active voiceSimpler, more direct, and easier to read

“The active voice is to be used” “Use the active voice”Most writing style guides and journals prefer it…

“Nature journals prefer authors to write in the active voice”

www.nature.com/authors/author_resources/how_write.html

Modern scientific writing

Coverage and Staffing PlanWriting skills Simple language

PreferEnoughClearDetermineBeginTryVerySizeKeepEnoughEndUse

AvoidAdequateApparentAscertainCommenceEndeavorExceedinglyMagnitude*RetainSufficientTerminate*Utilization*OK in certain fields (magnitude of earthquakes, to terminate gene expression)


“A number of studies have shown that the charged group...”

“...as described in our previous study.”

“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”

“As a matter of fact, such a low-temperature reaction…”

“That is another reason why, we believe…”

“It is well known that most of the intense diffraction peaks...”“It is well known that Most of the intense diffraction peaks...”

“As a matter of fact, such a This low-temperature reaction…”

“A number of studies have shown that The charged group...”

“That is thus another reason why Therefore, we believe…”

“...as described previously in our previous study.”

“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”

Simple language

Delete extra words!


AvoidAt a concentration of 2 g/LAt a temperature of 37CIn order toIn the first placeFour in numberGreen colorSubsequent toPrior toFuture plans; past history

PreferAt 2 g/LAt 37CToFirst FourGreenAfterBeforePlans; history

Simple language


Estimate Estimation

Decide Decision

Assess Assessment

We made a/an… We conducted a/an…Extra verb

We decided… Clear, short, and direct

Avoid mistakes 1

Don’t hide verbs inside nouns!

Coverage and Staffing PlanWriting skills Avoid mistakes 2

Compared with is for saying how things are different

The performance of our algorithm was high compared to the previous algorithm.

The performance of our algorithm was high compared with that of the previous algorithm.


Compared with is for saying how things are different

The performance of our algorithm was high compared to the previous algorithm.

The performance of our algorithm was high compared with that of the previous algorithm.

The performance of our algorithm was higher thanthat of the previous one.


Respectively is used for corresponding list items

The two values were 143 and 21, respectively.

The two values were 143 and 21.


Respectively is used for corresponding list items

The two values were 143 and 21, respectively.

The values for groups A and B were 143 and 21, respectively.

The two values were 143 and 21.


Use parallel terms

The values were higher in group 1 than for group 2.

The values were higher in group 1 than in group 2.The values were higher for group 1 than for group 2.


Use parallel terms

The values were higher in group 1 than for group 2.

The values were higher in group 1 than in group 2.The values were higher for group 1 than for group 2.

Writing involves many skills: planning, preparing, drafting, and you need to check carefully.

Writing involves many skills: planning, preparing, drafting, and careful checking.


Avoid informal & inappropriate wordsThe successfully made fresh samples were put in the

fridge for apppox two hours to cool right down.

The freshly prepared samples were placed in the refrigerator for approximately 2 hours.


Avoid informal & inappropriate wordsThe successfully made fresh samples were put in the

fridge for apppox two hours to cool right down.

But it can be seen here that factors like temp & dampness etc… have got so significant roles in reality!!

The freshly prepared samples were placed in the refrigerator for approximately 2 hours.

In practice, factors such as temperature and humidity have important roles.

Section 3



Manuscriptstructure

1. You deserve the funding, but the study design is not perfect.

Which sentence suggests that you

will get funding?

2. The study design is not perfect, but you deserve the funding.

Improving structure 1

Manuscriptstructure

1. You deserve the funding, but the study design is not perfect.

Which sentence suggests that you

will get funding?

2. The study design is not perfect, but you deserve the funding.


Stress position

Manuscriptstructure

The study design is not perfect, but you deserve the

funding. The grant will be awarded in two stages.

Stress position

Topic position

Readers focus at the end of the sentence for what is important. Information in this stress position can also introduce

the topic of the next sentence (useful for explanations and processes).


Manuscriptstructure

The local government has been striving to introduce Information

and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. In medical

education, technology was introduced through the ICT-Connect-TED

project. The program aimed at improving the quality of lecturers

through the use of ICT. ICT-Connect-TED recently provided

computers and a networking infrastructure to all medical colleges.

idea ideaideaidea

Topic link

sentence

Adapted from: Kafyulilo et al. Educ Inf Technol. 5 May 2015; DOI 10.1007/s10639-015-9398-0


Manuscriptstructure

Almost all participants indicated a high level of satisfaction with the content, sequenceand relevance of the ICT professional development program they attended. Only a fewlecturers reported that the duration of the professional development program was tooshort. However, the majority of the lecturers reported that they developed anunderstanding of what TPACK is, and the way technology can enhance teaching andlearning of difficult medical concepts through the collaborative design of technology-enhanced clinic sessions in teams. “I developed an understanding of how TPACK can beapplied in the design and teaching of a technology-enhanced lesson” said one of the pre-service lecturers. A lecturer from College C said if it was not the professionaldevelopment he attended, he would not know how to use technology in teaching.

The pre-service lecturers had the opportunity to further develop learning abouttechnology integration in teaching after the professional development program hadfinished. They were invited to use their TPACK knowledge in workshops organized by theMinistry of Education and Vocational Training…

Topic sentence

Supporting sentences



Manuscriptstructure



Topic sentence

Stress sentence




Manuscriptstructure



Topic sentence

Stress sentenceTopic sentence




Manuscriptstructure

idea ideaideaidea

Topic link

Information in the topic position can introduce the topic of the next sentence

(useful for definitions, descriptions, and narratives).


Manuscriptstructure

Lecturers were positive about the effectiveness of technology in teaching.They reported the effectiveness of technology on students’ learning, andon simplifying their teaching process. Most of the lecturers reported to becomfortable and satisfied with the outcomes of the technology-integratedlessons they had developed and taught during the professionaldevelopment program. One of the lecturers from College A said,…

idea ideaideaidea

Topic link


Information in the topic position can introduce the topic of the next sentence

(useful for definitions, descriptions, and narratives).


Manuscriptstructure

idea ideaideaidea

Topic link

Information in the stress position can introduce the topic of the next few sentences

(useful for lists and describing whole/parts).


Manuscriptstructure

Findings in this study are presented in four sections. The first section presents thecontinuation of technology use in teaching. The second section presents thefactors affecting the continuation of use of technology in teaching among lecturerswho participated in the study. The third section presents the college managementview on the impact of the professional development program and the institutionalchallenges on using technology in teaching. Finally, the enabling and hinderingfactors affecting the continuation of technology are summarized.

idea ideaideaidea

Topic link


Information in the stress position can introduce the topic of the next few sentences

(useful for lists and describing whole/parts).


Manuscriptstructure Improving structure 4

Logical connectors

Sequence

Cause-Effect

ContrastAlthough, Even though, Whereas, However, In contrast, Despite (+noun or verb -ing),…

Because (of), To (+verb), Owing to, So that, Therefore, Thus, Hence, Consequently,…

Until, After, Before, While, Since, When, Then, Next, First/Second/Third, Finally,…

ConditionIf, Even if, Unless, Whether (or not), Except, Provided that, Until, Without, Otherwise,…

AdditionFurthermore…, In addition…, Additionally…,

Moreover

Manuscriptstructure Writing your manuscript

How does your study contribute to your field?

What did you find?

What did you do?

Why did you do the study?Title/Abstract

Introduction

Methods (can be at end or

mostly online or in legends)

Results

Discussion(=IMRaD)

Manuscriptstructure Introduction

General introduction

Specific aimsAims

Current state of the field

Problem in the field

Background information

Specific aim/approachAim

Current state of the field

Problem/gap/next step & importance

为什么需要做这项研究？

Previous studies

Currentstudy

General

Specific

Why is your study needed?

Research question/Hypothesis

Worldwide relevance?Broad/specialized?

Manuscriptstructure

“Health workforce shortages may be felt most keenly bydeveloping nations, but are a concern for all. Developed nationsare particularly worried about the number of generalpractitioners (GPs) available to service their ageing populations…”

BMC Family Practice: Worldwide relevance

Dwan et al. BMC Fam Prac. 2014; 15: 154.

International journal –Writing the Introduction

Effect of ageing populations on healthcare workforce

Manuscriptstructure

“All citizens in Japan are covered by a national health insurancesystem in which there are no official “gatekeepers”. Patients canfreely choose between attending a local physician’s office (clinic)or a hospital and Japanese physicians can freely practice internalmedicine. But recently, Japan has faced the problems of a rapidlyaging population…”

Asia-Pacific Family Medicine: Regional focus

Tsukamoto et al. Asia Pac Fam Med. 2014; 13: 9.

Effect of ageing populations on healthcare workforce

Regional journal –Writing the Introduction

Manuscriptstructure

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important cause of morbidityand mortality in the developed world, and atherosclerosis is the centralunderlying pathology. Atherogenesis is a life-long process involving arange of mechanisms including lipid peroxidation and inflammationaffecting the vascular wall. The clinically most relevant results of thispathology are myocardial infarction and stroke. Evidence for acutecardiovascular effects of air pollution has substantially increased inrecent years…

PLOS ONE: ‘atherosclerosis and pollution’

Künzli et al. PLoS ONE 2010; 5: e9096.

Broad-focused journal –Writing the Introduction

Broad background information Important for context

Manuscriptstructure

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease that accounts for nearly 50%of deaths in western societies. Initiation of atherosclerotic plaqueformation is a complex process. It involves secretion of chemokinessuch as the Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein–1 (MCP-1) andexpression of adhesion molecules on the surface of monocytes andendothelial cells. Circulating monocytes are recruited to sites of injuredendothelial cells, adhere to them, and migrate into the subendothelialspace. Monocytes in the arterial wall differentiate into activatedmacrophages…

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders: ‘atherosclerosis and pollution’

Adar et al. BMC Cardiovas Disord. 2013; 10: e1001430..

Specialized journal –Writing the Introduction

Broad background information not necessary

Manuscriptstructure

However,…an alternative approach… …remains/represents a challenge…there is a need for clarification …a problem/weakness with……has not been dealt with… …remains unstudied…requires clarification/clarifying… …is not sufficiently (+ adjective)

…is ineffective/inaccurate/inadequate/inconclusive/incorrect------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Few studies have… There is an urgent need to…There is growing concern that… Little evidence is available on…It is necessary to… Little work has been done on…Several problems exist in/with… One challenge with…

“Problem” phrases

Match your aim to the problem/gap

Manuscriptstructure Methods

How the study was done

Who/what was studied

Data analysis

清楚地描述研究设计的各个方面

Describe all aspects of the design


“We used NMR spectroscopy to determine the structure of the polymers.”

Wename of

techniqueinvestigate

name of property.

study

measure

confirm

determine

used to

Method------------------------------Purpose

Method – Purpose


“To determine the structure of the polymers, we used NMR spectroscopy.”

wename of

technique.

used

Purpose-----------------------------Method

Purpose – Method

investigate

name of property,

study

measure

confirm

determine

To

Manuscriptstructure Results

真实、合理地介绍你的发现

Present results logically and factually

Logical presentation Factual description

Manuscriptstructure

Results: describe relationships

Treatment A reduced water lead levels by 32.7% andincreased pH by 12.3%. Treatment B reduced water leadlevels by 22.3% and increased pH by 15.6%. Treatment Creduced water lead levels by 38.1% and increased pH by6.9%.

Manuscriptstructure

Results: describe relationships

Treatment A reduced water lead levels by 32.7% andincreased pH by 12.3%. Treatment B reduced water leadlevels by 22.3% and increased pH by 15.6%. Treatment Creduced water lead levels by 38.1% and increased pH by6.9%.

Treatment C reduced water lead levels (38.1%) moreeffectively than treatments A (32.7%) and B (22.3%).However, treatment B increased pH levels (15.6%) moreeffectively than treatments A (12.3%) and C (6.9%).

Manuscriptstructure Discussion

Summary of findings

Relevance

Conclusion

Similarities/differencesUnexpected/negative resultsLimitations (validity, reliability)

你的研究如何推动该领域的发展？

Implications

Previous studies

Currentstudy

Future studies

Specific

General

How do you advance your field?

Manuscriptstructure

Discussion: beginning

The results of our study presented here indicate that theaggregation behavior of spittlebug nymphs is not a random, but ahighly regulated process. Our analysis revealed that this behavior isinduced and regulated by aggregation pheromones in the spittlemass. Previous reports… To our knowledge, this is the firstidentification of aggregation pheromones in spittle mass thatregulate aggregation behavior of spittlebug nymphs,…[offering]new options for control…of this pest by using pheromones.

Summary of findings &

comparison

Novelty

Modified from: Chen and Liang. Frontiers in Zoology. 2015;12:10.

Implications

Manuscriptstructure

Discussion: limitations

Important limitations of our study include an inadequate samplesize and duration to detect differences in the incidence of diabetescomplications, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, or death. Theprotocol specifies further follow-up at 5 years for all patients, whichshould allow additional assessment of even longer-term efficacyand safety.

Identify limitations

Modified from: Schauer et al. New Engl J Med. 2014; 370: 2002–2013.

Address limitations

Manuscriptstructure

Discussion: limitations

Important limitations of our study include an inadequate samplesize and duration to detect differences in the incidence of diabetescomplications, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, or death. Theprotocol specifies further follow-up at 5 years for all patients, whichshould allow additional assessment of even longer-term efficacyand safety. Despite these limitations, we conclude that bariatricsurgery represents a potentially useful strategy for themanagement of type 2 diabetes, allowing many patients to reachand maintain therapeutic targets of glycemic control thatotherwise would not be achievable with intensive medical therapyalone.

Identify limitations

Modified from: Schauer et al. New Engl J Med. 2014; 370: 2002–2013.

Address limitations

End positively: Good news last & in long, main clause!

Manuscriptstructure

为什么你的研究在本领域是重要的？

In this study, we found that C. versicolor nymphs of all instar stagesare attracted to both SSM and ASM, with a significant preferencefor the former. Together with the results from our behavioral assaysand biochemical analysis, this clearly demonstrates thataggregation behavior is induced and regulated by the spittle massitself, and that its volatile components play important roles in theaggregation process…. The C11, C12, C13, C14 and C16 acted asattractants to nymphs at all doses, and can thus be seen as primaryrecruitment agents that attract nymphs to join a spittle mass,resulting in aggregation….In conclusion, we describe here anexcellent example of biological self-regulation, whereby a limitednumber of simple chemical compounds exert their forces onto acomplex behavior, thus maximizing the survival chance ofindividual nymphs within a population of competing individuals.

Summary of findings &

importance

Key feature

Overall conclusion

Modified from: Chen and Liang. Frontiers in Zoology. 2015;12:10.

Why is your study important?

CONCLUSIONS

Discussion: end

Manuscriptstructure Link your ideas

将你的想法合理贯穿全文

General background

Aims

Methodology

Results and figures

Summary of findings

Final solution & Implications

Evaluation of findings

Problem in the field

Current state of the fieldIntroduction

Methods

Results

Discussion

YourSolution

Situation/Problem

Evaluation/Comment

Title & Abstract

End matterReferences, Acknowledgments, Funding, Conflicts of interest, Previous publication/presentation, Ethics/Data sharing

Manuscriptstructure

Story logic and consistency

Urban landscapes have extensive habitat fragmentation,…compacted soil, …and elevated pollution levels.

However, research on urban ecology has focused onvertebrates; arthropods have received less attention.

These findings identify urban soil compaction as apossible cause of cicada diversity loss, because itimpedes the passage of nymphs to underground nests.

Background

Conclusion

Discussion

Introduction

Modified from: Moriyama & Numata. Zoological Letters. 2015; 1: 19.

In the present study, we investigated the influence ofthe environment on cicada communities, focusing onurban soil compaction.

Aim

Urban soil compaction reduces cicada diversity

Problem

Be an effective communicator

Your goal should be not only to publish, but also to be widely read and highly cited

Prepare well



成为一个有效的沟通者

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谢谢！

Any questions?

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www.liwenbianji.cn

Dr Trevor Lane: [email protected]

Liwenbianji Author Academy

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