Peer Review Publication:Why Not Me ?

42nd Annual TSICP Conference

Patti Grant, RN, BSN, MS, CIC, FAPIC

Methodist Hospital fur Surgery: Infection Preventionist / ISO Lead Audit

pgrant@methodistsurg.com

OBJECTIVES

• State Basic Questions & Premise Behind the Peer-Review Publication Process

• Describe Resources Available to Use (Generic Yet Mandatory Guide)

• Explain Basic Organizational Steps from Idea to Submission, Re-Write, and Final

… Not About Writing or Scientific Process …

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BASIC QUESTION

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BASIC ANSWER

Of Being an Author of a Peer-Review Publication

(Thank You Very Much)

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…. But Seriously … WHY?

• To Give Back

• Mentors who shared their time, experience, and expertise … expect nothing in return

• To help colleagues avoid “Reinventing that darn Wheel”

• Personal Glory … Do Not Expect It

• Yet your reputation is ‘On The Line’

• Your professional life is forever altered

• Feeling of “actualization” professionally

• Because You Can and It Is Awesome

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Aside From Textbooks …Types of “Scientific” Publications

• Newsletters

• Magazines

• Trade Journals

• Vanity Publications

• Peer-Review … Is THE Gold Standard

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Peer Review Publication

• Not Just Semantics• Peer Review = Editorial Review Board

• Magazine = Advisory Panels (or Nothing)

• Newsletters = Editorial Advisory Boards

• Abstract vs. Full-Length Article• Abstract not ‘scrutinized’ yet important … can be referenced

but does not hold as much weight

• Full length article ‘must pass muster’ • Can be referenced and holds much weight

• Published Does Not Equal Truth• Must learn ‘good vs. not so good research’

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Getting Started: Questions & Roadmap

• Who Is Your Audience? Query Editor?

• Do Your Homework• Go to library and review various journals

• Journal Style? Reference Type? Etc.

• Advance Schedule of Topics?

• Information for Authors on-line? Hard-Copy?

• Snail Mail vs. Electronic Submission?

• Each Publication is Unique to Itself• Doing Your Homework Pays Off

• Increases Chances of Publication

• Example: AJIC Author Information

http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ymic/authorinfo

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Author Information Gives “Nitty Gritty” Details

→Avoid Obvious Manuscript Rejection

-- Word Count

-- Check-Lists

-- # Tables

-- # References

-- Spacing Rules

-- Graphic Rules

-- Software

-- Article Type(s)

-- Key Words ?

-- Abstract Type

-- Max # Pages

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Rock Solid Truth: Easy

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Overall Peer-Review Concepts

• Solid Reference Material →Problems

•Defuse Defensiveness

•Rigorous Scientific Process

• Ethics Galore

• IT TAKES A VILLAGE

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Resources• Start At The Beginning: IRB Needed?

• Institutional Review Board (IRB)

• Any type of human research: approval

• Informed Consent needed? … Present Study

• Qualify for Expedited Review? Exempt?

• Informed Consent vs. Expedited Review

• Regardless: Must earn ‘certificate’ to participate in research: self-paced & on-line → NIH no longer “free” as of 9/26/18

• Primary Investigator and all co-investigator’s of research

http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php

• Must mention IRB approval/exemption unless “PI” pure

• https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/guidance/faq/quality-improvement-activities/index.html

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The Resource for Medical PR Journals

• ICMJE: International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

• Short History of ICMJE

• Originated in 1978 as “Vancouver Group” of biomedical journal editors to begin standardization requirements of publication

• By 1981 established ICMJE and published first uniform requirements … still called

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Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM) Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing & Editing for Biomedical Publication

• Look in Journal “Author Information” • Actual Journal or Publisher of Journal

• Are these requirements are referenced … if so, increases creditability of publication

• If not referenced? This is still your peer-review roadmap

• Wealth of Gold Standard Information• FAQ’s

• List of Journals that follow URM

http://www.icmje.org/

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Plan Ahead: Some Fine Points• Internal P&P for “Permission”

• Check for internal facility requirements

• Authorship• Follow The Guidelines of order & contribution

• Data collection & entry alone not enough

• Authorship vs. Acknowledgement

• Conflict of Interest• Author Information

• Using Copy Right Material

• Signed Statement (Disclosure)

• Ethics: For All Aspects of Publication• Publish Same Data Only Once

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Good Ethics … Avoid Pitfalls

• Ingelfinger Rule originated with NEJM co-editor in chief 1969

• Single journal submission or publication

• Posters/Abstracts ≠ Previous Publication

• Self-Plagiarism is duplicate publication without full disclosure

• Might actually violate copyright laws

• Clutter literature databases, waste time

• “Artificially” inflates topic importance

• Plagiarism is as obvious as always

• Salami Publications: Be able to defend

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Reference Database Software

• Compatible with journal publisher

specifications in “Authors Info” ?

• Various Programs Available: University of Toronto w/good chart https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/c.php?g=250610&p=1671260

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References Are Sticklers• Always Cite “First” Reference

• Go to the original article first referenced

• Cross Reference & Double-Check To Text

• Must be in order and style of journal

• APA (American Psychological Association) → alpha style

• Vancouver Style → number style

• ICMJE URM → Uniform Requirements Manuscripts

• Sample References → 44 Types

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html

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More Reference Sticklers

• How Do I Know “THE” Journal Abbreviation to Cite?

• American Journal of Infection Control … Am J Infect Control

• American Journal of Nursing … Am J Nurs

• Inexperienced Option

• Permission to Laugh … I did this the first time ☺

• Go to other articles

• Look for the journal in the reference section of their articles

• Until you see find what you are looking for

• Then copy it or write it down

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Experienced Option #1

• Go to the internet • Cumulated Index Medicus (simple alpha)

• Bibliographic list of references to biomedical journals worldwide

http://www2.bg.am.poznan.pl/czasopisma/medicus.php?lang=eng

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Experienced Option #2

• Go to the internet • NCBI: http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=journals

• NML Catalogue & use the drop-down menu to PubMed

• Type in the journal name and click SEARCH

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User-Friendly:Ethics & General Guide

Am J Infect Control 1999;27:35-46. P.G

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Basic Organizational Steps

• IRB Approval? • Full Monty?

• Expedited?

• Exempt?

• Process Improvement (not research)?

• Internal Organization P&P Required?

• Authorship Determined?

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Conduct Literature Search First:Painful But Necessary

• The “Reference Shuffle” (Home Grown)• Conduct your search & scan abstracts

• Get full articles of those that match your paper

• Read all thoroughly & highlight key items

• Alphabetize Articles by Author … Then• Write a symbol or color code each article based on main topic as

relates to your paper, then

• Create a personal informal reference list that is alphabetical and includes your ‘code system’

• Write 1-4 sentence summary for each article

• As You Use A Reference In Your Paper• In pencil write the number as it appears in text

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Start Writing (REALLY)

• A Title Isn’t Just a Title … Ever

• Make 100% Descriptive

• First “Glance” for literature searches

• Describes generic external generalizability

• Keep It Less Than 21 Words

• Will Change “Ump-Teen” Times

• Ask for opinions

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Keep Your Readers “In Mind”

• While writing anticipate other perceptions

• “Shadowbox” Your Readers *

• Are there any gaps?

• Any potential contradictions?

• DRAFT: Keep a notepad or add footnotes

• Write down gaps or contradictions

• Do not misplace these concepts

• DRAFT → Final Submission

* Am J Infect Control 1999;27:35-46.

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Abstract … Your Next Foot

• Needs to Stand Alone*

• Make Every Word Meaningful – Limited

• Follow ‘Author Info’ for format required

• Scientific Format (B →M → R → C)

• Summary Format (Review, Educational, etc.)

• Write First vs. Write Last

• Critical to be succinct and informative

• Must follow exactly progression of paper

• Launching Pad: Presentations …

* Am J Infect Control 1999;27:35-46

* Nyla J, Norman VL. Writing an effective abstract. Appl Nurs Res 1989;2:189-91

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Keep Sections Pure: Isolated Yet Connected

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion

• Conclusion

P.Grant TSICP 2019 / Austin TX

INTRODUCTION

• Get To The Point Quickly: Uniqueness

• Remember “SO WHAT” (Rationale)

• Capture Interest … Originality• What Your Paper Is, or,

• What Your Paper is not

• Logical Progression of Ideas → Focus

• Sparse ROL (Minimal References)

• Sets Track for Progression of Paper

• Cross-Check Once Paper Finalized

• Keep Asking Yourself:• Does This Belong Here?

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METHODS:Publication Recipe• Tells “How” of The Situation at Hand

• Can Someone Duplicate Your Study?• Setting? Subjects? Study Design? IRB?

• Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

• Step by Step Process Involved

• Statistical Analysis

• Questionnaires/Tools Used?

• Validation? Inter-rater Reliability? Prior Reference?

• Multiple Sub-Sections Common

• Do these details support research findings?

• Keep Asking Yourself:• Does This Belong Here?

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RESULTS: Just The Facts Jack

• Facts Only: Absolutely No Discussion

• Logical Order: Mirror Previous Sections

• Accurate … Cross … Perfection

• Include All Finds (Not Just “Wanted”)

• Tables, Graphs, and Figures

• Do not repeat in narrative

• Emphasize only key findings

• Statistics in these match narrative?

• Keep Asking Yourself:

• Does This Belong Here?

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DISCUSSION:No Hallucinogens Please

• Logical Order: Mirror Previous Sections

• Dr. Elaine Larson, Editor of AJIC:• “Leap of Faith -- Cautious Latitude of Findings”

• Can Speculate on Results w/out Repeating

• Get Creative with References• Intertwine with your findings: Implications

• Similarities? Differences? Unexpected Findings?

• Can be reference heavy as appropriate (if adds to paper)

• Address Limitations in Detail: Proactive

• Future Research Suggestions Based on Findings?

• Keep Asking Yourself:• Does This Belong Here?

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CONCLUSION

• Don’t PROVE Anything → Correlate

• Key Findings = Abstract … Sort Of

• As hinted at in INTRODUCITON?

• As stated in RESULTS section?

• Words Count: “Can” vs. “May” vs. “Could”

• Application of Findings

• Contribution to Knowledge Base?

• Caution: Findings of This Population Only

• Keep Asking Yourself:

• Does This Belong Here?

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Known Pearls: Stating The Obvious

• 1st Time: Abbreviations & Acronyms

• Tables: Stand Alone? Accurate?

• Titles are extremely important

• Abbreviations, Acronyms, Key

• Identical to Anything Quoted in Text?

• Columns & Rows labeled correctly?

• No Discrepancies to any part of manuscript?

• Do these match order referenced in text?

• References

• Spelled Correctly? Format? Correct Order?

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Now it is time …

•Submit The Manuscript

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Submission Process

• Not “Really Done” … Your Final Draft

• Do Not Get Rejected for Carelessness

• Follow All Author Information

• Word-processing

• Tables, Graphs, Figures

• Journal & Reference Style/Requirements

• Check-List (Use it)

• Wait For The Outcome

• Rejected?

• Accepted with minor or major revisions

• Accepted without revisions (rare)

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Review Process

• Blind vs. Open Review Process

• Must Address All Questions/Concerns

• Logical Approach

• Order of Reviewers Comments

• Respond … Must not accept all suggestions

• Yes

• No – Rationale Must Be Provided

• N/A

• Table Format is Best

• Might Be Last Shot Before Rejection

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The End?Rejection & Acceptance

• REJECTION

• You are smarter on topic at hand ☺

• Worth it to look for another PR journal?

• Lessons Learned?

• Study Reviewers Comments in Detail

• Take paper to newsletter? Magazine? Etc.

• ACCEPTANCE

• Don’t drink too much at the party

• Don’t quit your day job

• Review Galley Proofs very carefully

• Often “Corrected Proof” published 1st on-line

• May take several attempts

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Patti Grant, RN, BSN, MS, CIC, FAPIC

Methodist Hospital fur Surgery: Infection Preventionist / ISO Lead Audit

pgrant@methodistsurg.com

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