Scientific papers, getting published Scientific papers, getting published and reviewing the work of othersand reviewing the work of others
(or How to avoid getting kicked )(or How to avoid getting kicked )
Professor Michael Gelfand(1912 - 1985)
University of Zimbabwe
Overview and Goals Overview and Goals
• How to avoid kicks
–writing a decent paper
• How to respond when kicked
- responding to reviewers
Magic happensMagic happens
The magic of the pen lies in the concentration
of your thoughts upon one object.
Lewes, George Henry1817-1878 British Writer
Sweat Think Organize Practice
TITLETITLE
• Title - 3 routes
Describe the Battle • The effect of X on Y
Declare Victory• X increases Y
Declare you Won the War• X cures cancer
AUTHORS - Make friends or enemies?AUTHORS - Make friends or enemies?
• Authors ?– Does everyone qualify?– Have you left anyone out? – Order? – Seen it? – Never forge a signature
AbstractAbstract
– Only thing most people read – Structured abstract– Data
Introduction Introduction
• Introduction– Why did the study? Not a literature
review – Have to sell the idea (why should I
care?)– If haven’t hooked the reader you are
lost
METHODS and RESULTSMETHODS and RESULTS
• Methods– IRB and informed consent– How you did the study – How you analyzed the data
• Results – What you found. Tell a story – Emphasize the positive– Don’t repeat data
Discussion
– So What ? – Tell a story, avoid bias - you’ve seen the same
movie (the data) – Not a literature review (but think)– Avoid Industry style – The function of statistics is to tell you if findings
are statistically significant
CONCLUSION CONCLUSION
Conclusion – Based on your data – Brief – How much speculation can you get away with ?
• References – Primary source often but not always – Reasonable number, avoid narcissism, Refman – Do you cite the journal submitting to? Style?
• Tables – Self Standing. Careful with Abbreviations – Data in Tables and text must match– Reasonable number
• Figures – Reasonable number – Abbreviations– Quality – Measures of spread
DetailsDetails
• Which Journal ?– Aim high or low?– Appropriate? – Instructions
• Cover Letter – responsibilities of the author– Not a book
• Don’t bug the Editor too much Success = 1. new 2. interesting,
3. important and 4. valid
Kisses of Death Kisses of Death
• “We thus confirmed …”(New)
• No story (Interesting)
• Story and data do not match
Kisses of DeathKisses of Death
• Reader can’t understand what you did
• Fails the “So what test” (can’t understand
why you did it) (Important)
• Salami publication
• Invalid – Design, Analysis (Valid)
Kisses of Death Kisses of Death
• Make your paper as dense and intelligent (but
unintelligible) as possible.
• Use lots of abbreviations “In vivo high-resolution CEMRI is capable of quantitatively measuring the dimensions of the intact FC and LR-NC. These new parameters may be useful to evaluate plaque vulnerability and provide continuous variables for characterizing the intact FC and LR-NC in progression and regression studies.” Circulation 2005:112: 3437 -3444
Bad FormBad Form
Sloppy
Missing pages
Illegible pages
Wrong version
Typos
Comments visible
Poor English etc
Very Bad Form
• Submitting to 2 journals at once
• Blindsided authors• Salami publication
GOING TO JAIL FORM
• Duplicate
publication • Making up data
Telling a story Telling a story
• In the beginning ……
• So what?
• One sentence telegraphs the next
• One paragraph telegraphs the next
• Imaginary Headings
• Proffread
STOP
SUMMARY SUMMARY
• How to avoid kicks –writing a decent paper
SWEAT, THINK, ORGANIZE, PRACTICE
• How to respond when kicked - responding to reviewers
SWEAT, THINK, ORGANIZE, PRACTICE