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“Down to Earth” Academic Workshop
Writing for Publication
Laura Roberts, M.D., M.A.Editor-in-Chief, Academic Psychiatry
Professor & ChairmanCharles E. Kubly Professor
of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine
Professor of BioethicsMedical College of Wisconsin
Introduction
Coming up with an idea
Choosing your format, venue
Anatomy of a manuscript for publication
Editorial & publication process
Understanding peer review
Strategies for success
Ethical considerations
Special issues for case reporting
Coming up with an idea…
Identifying a “good” topic:• Salient
• Significant
• Well-defined, and
• Has received insufficient attention, or
• Is incompletely understood, or
• Requires replication, or
• New milestone/information sheds new light, or
• New technique permits new understanding, or
• Distinct perspective produces valuable meaning
Coming up with an idea….
What is interesting to write about? What is important to write about? What are you able to write about? What, with help, are you able to write
about? What are you motivated to write about? What must you write about?
Choosing your format…
Case reports Brief reports Review articles Empirical reports Commentaries Annotated bibliographies Letters to the editor Other: policy statements, guidelines…
Choosing your venue…
Target audience Ideal & “fall back” journals Resources
• The web
• The literature
• Mentors & colleagues
• Editors & editorial board members
Anatomy of a manuscript…
Empirical report structure• Abstract
• Introduction with literature review
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Tables
• References
Anatomy of a manuscript…
Case report elements• Abstract
• Introduction with literature review
• Case study
• Analysis & discussion
• Conclusion
• References
Anatomy of a manuscript…
Title & abstract• Capturing the interest of the learner
• Accurate reflection of the work to be presented
• Asserting value of the work
Introduction• Creating meaning & context for the work
• Demonstrating a gap & providing a rationale
• Anticipating the significance of the work
Anatomy of a manuscript…
“Data”
• Methods: • careful description of methodological process, including
design, procedures, safeguards, analyses
• Results: • systematic, clear, accessible, compelling presentation of
the main findings of a scholarly endeavor
Anatomy of a manuscript…
Case• Systematic description of unfolding story
• Sufficient information of value for understanding the important “teaching points”
• Clarity of writing
• Appropriate disguising of material
• Appropriate documentation of safeguards
• Broad range of style permissible
Anatomy of a manuscript…
Discussion
• Explication
• Interpretation
• Implications
• Strengths & limitations References Tables, other resources
Anatomy of a manuscript… Diverse formats, but same logic & flow Multiple goals, multiple values at play Think carefully about:
• What the aims of your paper are & what you believe it can contribute
• Which format to undertake• Who your target audience is, what your target
journal should be• What other goals are accomplished through the
work• Who can help you do your best work
Some exercise…
Which best describes your view of writing?
A. “If the doctor told me I had only six minutes to
live, I’d type a little faster.”
B. “Writing is a lot like pulling off a band-aid.”
A – Isaac Asimov; B – unknown.
Some more exercise…
What was your most positive writing experience, personal or professional, ever? Why?
What was your worst? Why?
Editorial & publication process…
The “flow” of manuscripts through the process
Evaluative criteria for manuscripts
Collegial & role issues
The Editorial & Publication Process Manuscript preparation & pre-submission process
Submission of manuscript & accompanying materials
Triage/initial editorial review
Peer review Rejection
Editorial review & decision
Acceptance Revision Rejection
Resubmission & Editorial Re-Review
Acceptance Peer Re-ReviewRejectionPublicationpreparation Editorial Re-Review
Acceptance Rejection
Editorial & publication process…
Evaluative criteria for manuscripts:• Significance
• Relevance
• Contribution
• Clarity
• Integrity
Collegial & role issues
Peer review…
People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.
Book review by Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
Peer review…
Three goals• Assess the value of the work
• Assure the scholarly rigor of the work
• Assist authors & editors advance optimal work
Patterns in reviews• Do improve quality of work
• Checklists assist reviewers
• Negative comments dominate, even in “positive” reviews
• Recommendations based on global impressions
Some more exercise…
Which picture best shows an author’s hope for the peer reviewer?
A. B.
Some more exercise…
Which picture best shows the actual peer reviewer?
A. B.
Some more exercise…
Which picture best shows your style as a peer reviewer?
A. B. C.
Strategies for success…
Collaborating Coauthoring
• intersection of accountability, intellectual contribution, & “little red hen” principles
Persevering Resilience Finding meaning, finding joy
Respectful, sensitive use of language
Appropriate inclusion of stakeholders, “participants”
Confidentiality
Minimizing bias in interpretation
Appropriate authorship
Documentation of safeguards in human, animal studies
Redundant publication
Misconduct: plagiarism, fraudulent, inhumane
Ethical considerations…
Safeguarding privacy, sensitive material 1. disguising case material
changing basic informationconsidering consequences of changesavoiding true, unnecessary specifics
2. when appropriate, seeking consent3. arranging for “external checks”4. avoiding “over-disguising”5. indicating the safeguard steps in a cover letter
Special issues for case reporting…
Some unsolicited advice…
The only thing I can’t stand is discomfort. Gloria Steinem, 1977
I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, I said I don’t know.
Mark Twain
Questions & answers…
