powerpoint tom lang · how to report statistics in medicine: annotated guidelines for authors,...
TRANSCRIPT
Topics
• Three major types of writing
• Five areas of medical writing
• Four types of medical writers and
editors
• The problem with medical writing
• Medical writing in the US
Types of Writing
Literary writing
Writing concerned with the exploration
and richness of human experience as
expressed in novels, essays, poems,
short stories, and so on
Types of Writing
Journalistic writing
Writing concerned with investigating,
reporting, and broadcasting human
events and issues (news) to a broad
audience
Types of Writing
Technical writing
Functional writing concerned with
enabling readers to understand,
develop, and use scientific research
and technology
Technology: anything that increases
the likelihood of a desired outcome
Types of Writing
Technical writing is writing
about technology
Technology: anything that increases
the likelihood of a desired outcome
Technical Writing
“Technical writers are the bridge
between those who create ideas and
those who use them”
Society for Technical Communication
Unique Characteristics of
Technical Writing
• Technical writing must be
“unambiguous”: it can have only one
meaning
• Technical writing is functional
writing: its purpose is to help readers
act
What Each Type of Writing Provides
Literary
Writing
Technical
Writing
Journalistic
Writing
• Experiential
information
• Objective data • Subjective
interpretation
• Insights into
the human
condition
• Enjoyment
• Reasons and
choices for
action in the
development
and use of
technology
• Awareness,
analysis, and
opinions on
current events
Topic
• Differences among 3 major types of
writing
• 5 areas of medical writing in the US
• Four types of medical writers and
editors
• The problem with medical writing
• Medical writing in the US
Types of Medical Writing
and their audiences
Journalistic
Writing
Medical
Writing
Regulatory
writing
Scientific
Publications
Science
Writing;
Public
Relations
Patient
Education
Physician
Education;
Marketing
Technical
Writing
Literary
Writing
Regulatory Healthcare Scientific Patients Public
agencies professionals community
Topic
• Differences among 3 major types of
writing
• 5 areas of medical writing in the US
• Four types of medical writers and
editors
• The problem with medical writing
• Medical writing in the US
Medical Writing in the US
Medical writers
Scientists who write: experts in a topic
(most have PhDs) who can write
documents as authors
Trained medical writers: skilled writers
who write documents with information
provided by authors
Medical Writing in the US
Medical Editors
Author’s editors usually work for
authors and edit manuscripts before
submittal to publishers
Manuscript editors usually work for
publishers and edit manuscripts after
acceptance for publication
Author’s Editors: Levels of
Manuscript Review
1. Editing for Basic English: language-
based review
2. Copyediting: rule-based review
3. Substantive Editing: logic-based review
4. Analytical Editing: documentation-based
review (e.g., CONSORT)
5. Peer Review: validity-based review
Levels of Manuscript Review
1. Basic English Editing Common levels
of editing2. Copyediting
3. Substantive EditingLess common
levels of editing4. Analytical Editing
5. Peer Review
Medical Writing in the US
Author’s Editors
•Common in North America
• Less common in other continents.
Authors are usually expected to write
their own manuscripts
Topic
• Differences among 3 major types of
writing
• 5 areas of medical writing in the US
• What US authors think of medical
writing
• The problem with medical writing
• Medical writing in the US
The Problem with
Medical Writing
The writing taught
in school
is not the writing needed
in science
The Problem with
Medical Writing
In school
Writing is judged by studying the text
for correctness or “quality of thought”
In science
Writing is judged by studying readers
to determine how well it helps them do
what they need to do
The Problem with
Medical Writing
In school
Writing (literature) has “intrinsic”
value: words and “style” are important
In science
Writing has “instrumental” value:
information, not style, is important
The Problem with
Medical Writing
In school
Writing is often taught as personal
expression (writer-based texts) to help
students learn to think
In science
Writing must meet readers’ needs for
information (reader-based texts) to
make scientific activities possible
The Problem with
Medical Writing
In school,
We learn how to communicate
with words
In science,
We also need to communicate with
illustrations, tables, photographs,
graphs, diagrams, and images
23
The Problem with
Medical Writing
In school, we learn to write for:
• a single reader (the instructor)
• who knows more than we do about
the topic
• who does not need to use the
information we provide
24
The Problem with
Medical Writing
In science, we must write for:
• a few to a few thousand
readers
• who don’t know what we
know about the topic
• who may have to use the
information we provide25
The Problem with
Writing Taught in School
�The flow of information is backwards!
�The focus is on writers, not readers!
�Necessary scientific communication
skills are not taught!
The Cause of the Problem with
Medical Writing
The writing in school is based on the
tradition of writing in the Humanities
(literary writing), not on the tradition of
writing in the sciences
Writing in the Humanities
The Humanities
Languages, philosophy, literature,
religion, fine and performing arts
Writing in the Humanities
•Content is created by thought
processes, and thoughts must be
expressed by the person who has
them
•Content and expression (writing)
cannot be separated; they must come
from the same person
Writing in the Sciences
The Sciences
Physical sciences, mathematics,
life sciences, and social sciences
Writing in the Sciences
•Content is created by measurement
and experimentation—external
activities that can be described by
people who do not conduct them
•Content and expression (writing) can
be separated
The Problem
• In the Humanities, authors must do
their own writing
• Most scientists are trained to write in
the tradition of the Humanities
• Therefore, they are not always open
to having help with their publications
The Problem
• “Authorship” is understood to mean
that researchers actually write their
own manuscripts
• Anyone not involved in the research
who writes a manuscript from data
provided by researchers must
therefore be a “ghost writer”
The Problem
• However, a medical writer can write a
draft of an article faster, better, and
less expensively than an author can
• Medical writers usually know more
about writing, data displays, and
regulatory and publication
requirements than do most authors
The Problem
•As a result, medical writing and
editing are desirable and even
necessary to advance science
• If scientists had to do all of their own
writing, no drug would ever be
approved!
Topic
• Differences among 3 major types of
writing
• 5 areas of medical writing in the US
• What US authors think of medical
writing
• The problem with medical writing
• Medical writing in the US
Medical Writing in Japan
Highest educational degree:
US, % Japan, %
Degree Men Women (n = 33)
Bachelor’s 21 27 27
Master’s 26 28 55
Doctorate 49 29 12
Other 4 16 6
Highest educational degree
Field US, %
Japan, %
(n=33)
Life science 44 15
Liberal arts 11 0
Journalism 5 0
Pharmacy 5 52
Medicine 4 9
Communications 4 0
Public Health 3 0
Technical writing 3 3
Medical Writing 2 0
Other 2 21
Type of job
Job
US, %
(n=lots)
Japan, %
(n=33)
Supervision/Administration 6 0
Writing/Editing/supervision 21 12
Mostly medical writing 19 39
50% writing; 50% editing 23 18
Research and writing 6 3
Teaching (&research/writing) 1 0
Mostly medical editing 20 6
Other 4 21
Type of employer
Job US, %
(n=lots)
Japan, %
(n=33)
Pharmaceutical company 22 85
Medical com/advertising 10 0
Medical education company 7 0
Biotechnology company 11 0
Healthcare organization 10 0
Clinical research org. 11 12
University medical school 7 0
Medical device company 5 3
Research/educational org. 5 0
Professional society 5 0
Other 5 0
Hiring Demand in the
Pharmaceutical Industry
http://www.wantedanalytics.com
2008 2009 2010 2011
Survey of Japanese Writer/editors
How long ago did you learn about
medical Writing?
21 Within past 2 years
7 2 to 5 years ago
2 5 to 7 years ago
0 7 to 10 years ago
3 More than 10 years ago
Survey of Japanese Writer/editors
How did you learn about medical
Writing?
6 By accident
21 Someone told you
4 You knew a medical writer
2 Other
Medical Writing in the US
•Underdeveloped:
�People can enter the profession
without much training and leave it
without giving up much
�“Scientists who write” are often more
interested in the science than in
medical writing
Medical Writing in the US
•Underdeveloped:
�Medical writing, English (literary
writing) and journalism are seen as
the same
�Few training programs; study
materials mostly for preparing
scientific articles
Medical Writing in the US
•Underdeveloped:
�Most medical writers are unaware of
the research into technical
communication
Medical Writing in the US
•Biologists study biology
• Engineers study engineering
• Pharmacists study pharmacology
• Lawyers study law
•Medical writers study ________
Tom Lang, MA
Tom Lang Communications
and Training International
425-636-8500
www.tomlangcommunications.com
How to Write, Publish, and Present
in the Health Sciences:
Guidelines for Clinicians and
Laboratory Workers
Japanese translation available
Tom Lang and Michelle Secic
Foreword by Stan Lemeshow, PhD, MSPH
American College of Physicians, 2006
51
How To Report Statistics in
Medicine: Annotated Guidelines
for Authors, Editors, and
Reviewers, 2nd Edition
Japanese translation available
Thomas A. Lang and Michelle SecicForeword by Ed Huth, MD, MACP
American College of Physicians, 2006