How to publish articles.. esp in an endodontic perspective..

1. Publishing Articles in Journals
Why and How!!

2. Should I write a manuscript?
“Scientists are rated by what they
finish, not by what they attempt”
 Science must be communicated to
exist

◦ Published articles are the medium
◦ Results do not become scientific evidence
without being published

3. Do I have a story to tell?
Have you done something new and
interesting – original and innovative??
 Is there anything challenging in your
work??
 Is the work directly related to a current
hot topic??
 Have you provided solutions to any
difficult problems – based on
sufficient, robust data??


4. Do I have an Audience?
More original and innovative, more
people interested
 Local or international audience?


5. Choosing the Right Journal
Does it fit the AIMS & SCOPE of the
Journal?
 Is the Journal invitation only?
 Evaluate the quality of the journal and
probability of acceptance
 Readership
 Current hot topics (go through recent
abstracts)
 Submit to only one journal at a time!!


6. Process of Publication
Author
Editor
Reviewer
START
Submit a
paper
Basic requirements met?
[Yes]
Assign
reviewers
[No]
REJECT
Revise the
paper
Collect reviewers’
recommendations
[Reject]
Make a
decision
[Revision required]
[Accept]
ACCEPT
Review and give
recommendation

7. Organisation of Manuscripts
Title
Reflects content, entices reader
Author
Ensures recognition of the researcher
Abstract
Summarises research & conclusions
Keywords
Ensures correct identification of the article in
abstracting & indexing services
Body Text
Introduction
Puts the work into context
Methods
Explains how the data was collected
Results
Describes what was discovered
Discussions &
Conclusions
Explores implications of the findings
Acknowledgements
Ensures who helped with the research are
recognised
References
Ensures previously published work is
recognised
Supplementary Material
Provides online additions, such as raw data,

8. Title
Describe the major emphasis of the
paper
 Reflect articles content clearly &
precisely
 As short as possible – simple, catchy
& specific
 Main advertisement for the article
 Omit abbreviations, jargon and
unnecessary words


9. Unnecessary Title Phrases

A Study of… A Study to Determine Results of…

An Innovative Method…

Contributions to (of)…

Investigations on (concerning, about)…

Observations on…

A Trial Comparing…

10. Authors
Intellectual contribution to research
 Take responsibility for data &
conclusions
 Approved the final version of
manuscript


11. Keyword List
List of important words that reflect the
research
 Used by abstracting and indexing
services


12. Abstract
Summarise the study objective, the
method, the results, the conclusions
 Describe the new contribution made
by this study
 250 word limit
 Written last by many authors – Use
past tense
 Omit references, figures or tables


13. Introduction





Brief – Provide context & background
State clearly the problem being
investigated, the background that puts
the problem into context, the reason for
conducting research
Introduces and defines terms and
abbreviations
Explain any findings of others that you
are challenging or extending
Lead the reader to your hypothesis, if
relevant – briefly!

14. Method
Material & Methods Experimental
Methods
 Provides readers with enough details
that they can replicate your research
 How you studied the problem, identify
the procedures followed


15. Method
If methods are new, explain them in
detail
 If published before, name and cite
previous work
 If modified, refer original work and
include your amendments
 Identify equipment, describe
materials, specify source, if variation
in quality of materials


16. Method
Frequency of observations, types of
data recorded
 Precisely describe measurements
 Name statistical tests used to validate
numerical results
 Use past tense, avoid first person


17. Method
If human participants involved, include
ethics statement – patient‟s informed
consent, permission to publish
 Outline criteria used to select
participants, the relevance of criteria


18. Results
Present findings objectively
 Set them in logical sequence based
on tables and figures that best present
the findings
 Raw data is rarely included
 Data is analysed & presented in form
of tables, figures, graphs & description
of observations


19. Results
Include legend for figures
 Do not interpret results – Discussion &
conclusion


20. Discussion & Conclusion
What results mean, specifically in
context of what was already known
about the subject
 Link back to introduction, refer to the
question or hypothesis
 Indicate how results relate to the
expectation and the literature cited
 Results contradict or support previous
theories?


21. Discussion & Conclusion
Explain how this research has moved
scientific body forward
 Conclusions should be directly
supported by results, avoid undue
speculations
 Suggest practical applications and
outline next steps in your research


22. Make sure:
Results directly support your
conclusions
 Use specific descriptions and
quantitative expressions
 Use already established terms
 Base all interpretations and
speculations in fact


23. Acknowledgements
Include names of individuals who
helped you with research:
contributors, suppliers
 Disclose any financial or other conflict
of interest


24. References
Any information not from your
experiment, and not „common
knowledge‟ should be acknowledged
 Any quoted text should be within
quotations, and should include a
reference


25. Supplementary Material
Additional content like raw data or
video footage, if useful for the reader
may be included online
 Raw data tables, audio or video
footage, photographs, complex 3D
models
 Maybe included as Appendices


26. Presentation
Report findings and conclusions
clearly and concisely as possible
 Each journal has specific style: write in
it to increase chances of getting
accepted
 Keep it simple – avoid unnecessary
words and phrases


27. Grammar tips
Use active voice when possible
 Present tense – for known facts and
hypotheses
 Past tense – for experiments and
results that you conducted


28. Language Quality
Correct grammar, spelling and
punctuation – smooth review process
 Enables focus on academic merit


29. Cover Letter
What and why you are submitting to
the journal
 Name the corresponding author and
contact address
 Information to support your
submission – original
data, relevance, etc
 Relevant details of work with
humans, animals or other biohazard
method


30. Peer Review
Act as filter – ensure only good
research is published
 Determine validity, significance and
originality
 Improve quality of the research
submitted
 Consider your methodology and
ethical approach
 Recommend the editor to
accept, accept with revisions or reject


31. What gets accepted?
Attention to details
 Check and double check your work
 Consider the reviews
 English must be as good as possible
 Presentation is important
 Take your time with revision
 Acknowledge those who have helped
you
 New, original and previously unpublished
 Critically evaluate your own manuscript
 Ethical rules must be obeyed


32. Responding to reviewers


Complete additional experiments if needed
Address all comments in a point-by-point
fashion
◦ Resist the temptation to prepare an impassioned
response to points with which you disagree
◦ Stand firm (diplomatically) if that is truly the right
thing to do

Sincerely thank the editor and reviewers for
helping you to improve your work
◦ They have invested a lot of time, mostly on a
voluntary basis

Ask a neutral colleague to review your
response

33. Ethical responsibilities
Intellectual honesty
 Accurate assignment of credit
 Fairness in peer review
 Transparency in conflicts of interest
 Protection of human and animal
subjects


34. Redundant publication

Definition
◦ Using text or data
from another
paper/prior
publication (usually
your own) in a new
paper
◦ Also called auto- or
self-plagiarism

How to avoid
◦ Do not include
material from a
previous study in a
new one, even for
statistical analysis
◦ Repeat control
groups as needed

35. Human and animal welfare
issues

Definition
◦ Treatment of
experimental
subjects that does
not conform with
accepted standards
and journal policy

How to avoid
◦ Obtain prospective
IRB/IACUC approval
for the study
protocol
◦ Do not deviate from
the protocol
◦ Obtain approval for
amendments as
needed before
altering the protocol

36. Authorship disputes

Definition
◦ Disputes arising
from the
addition, deletion, or
change in the order
of authors

How to avoid
◦ Agree on authors
and their order
before starting the
study
◦ Ensure all authors
meet criteria for
authorship
◦ Sign publishers‟
authorship forms

37. Duplicate publication

Definition

How to avoid
◦ Submission of or
◦
publication of the
same paper or
substantial parts of a ◦
paper in more than
one place
Do not submit a paper
to more than one
journal at a time
Wait until your paper is
rejected before
submitting elsewhere
◦ Withdraw a paper if you
decide not to re-submit
after being invited to do
so

38. Data fabrication/falsification

Definition
◦ Changing or making
up data in a
manuscript
◦ Intended to
“improve” the results
◦ Includes digital
manipulation of
images
(blots, micrographs,
etc.)

How to avoid
◦ Present the exact
results obtained
◦ Do not withhold data
that don‟t fit your
hypothesis
◦ Don‟t try to beautify
images with Photoshop
- any manipulations
must apply to the whole
image

39. Unacceptable figure
manipulation
Improper editing
 Improper grouping
 Improper adjustment

◦ Authors should not





Move
Remove
Introduce
Obscure
Enhance
any specific feature within a image. Images should
appear as captured in the lab

40. Plagiarism

Definition
◦ Taking the work of
another
◦ Copying a
figure, table, or even
wording from a
published or
unpublished paper
without attribution

How to avoid
◦ Provide citation to
the work of others
◦ Obtain copyright
permission if needed
◦ Do not copy exact
wording from
another
source, even if
referenced, unless in
quotes

41. Conflicts of interest

Definition
◦ Real or perceived
conflict due to
employment,
consulting, or
investment in
entities with an
interest in the
outcome of the
research

How to avoid
◦ Disclose all potential
conflicts to the Editor
and within the
manuscript

42. Advice to Authors
Read the instructions and format your paper
exactly to standards.
 Don‟t be careless
 Good English works
 Brevity is beautiful Brevity usually delivers
the message more clearly, gives the journal
more pages for other authors, impresses
reviewers.


43. Prepare Your Manuscript
Carefully


Incorrect style irritates reviewers and editors, and
the wrong style suggests that another journal
previously rejected the paper
Edit carefully
◦ Eliminate spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors
◦ Good writing requires rewriting

Check accuracy of references with original sources
◦ Incorrect citations inconvenience the publisher and are a
disservice to the reader

Double-check numerical data
◦ Numbers in abstract, text, tables, figures, legends, and text
must be consistent and correct

44. “There is no way to get experience
except through experience.”