I. How to Select a Relevant Journal

Gary J. Kelloff, MD

March 25, 2011

Step-by-Step Process of Selecting the Right Journal for Publication

• Consult peers, check online listings, professional associations

• Journal recognition factor (impact and citation record)

• Scope of journal, types of articles, largest audience, editorial policies

• Journal requirements, accessibility and reach of article

• Peer-review process, rejection rates

• Time and cost of publication, future viability in case of new journals

• Select journal, optimize quality, reach, urgency, and acceptance probability

The Decision Making Process

• Know the Options— Obtain comprehensive knowledge of available journals— Consult peers, online listings, professional associations

• Determine the Impact— Recognition factors: impact factor, journal rank, article influence— Citation rate of articles published, numbers of articles

• Journal Scope and Policies— Subject areas covered, types of articles— Suitable target audience— Editorial policies and practices— Submission and peer-review process

The Decision Making Process (cont)

• Journal Requirements and Distribution— Style requirements, editorial policies, and maintenance of consistency — Mode of distribution, number of subscribers

• Peer-review Factors— Peer-review process— Reviewer stature, objectivity, timelines, variety of sources

• Urgency of Publication and Cost— Time lag between submission and publication: editorial process, peer review, period of publication— Publishing costs— Future viability of selected journal

II. Writing a Clear and Concise Scientific Paper

General Information

Writing an effective scientific paper is not easy. A good rule of thumb is to write as if your paper will be read by a person who knows about the field in general but does not already know what you did. Before you write a scientific paper, read some scientific papers that have been written in the format that you plan to use. In addition to the science, pay attention to the writing style and format.

Abstract

An abstract is a succinct (one paragraph) summary. It should describe the question posed, the methods used, the results obtained, and the conclusions.

It should be possible to determine the major points of a paper by reading the abstract.

Although located at the beginning, it is easiest to write the abstract after the paper is completed.

Introduction

The Introduction should• Describe the hypothesis/question tested by the experiments

in the paper,

• Explain why this is an interesting or important question,

• Describe the approach used in sufficient detail so that a reader unfamiliar with the technique understands what was done and why, and

• Very briefly, mention the conclusion of the paper.

Materials and Methods

This section should succinctly describe what was actually done. A description of the techniques is included to figure out what experiment(s) were actually done. The details of a published protocol do not need to be reproduced, but an appropriate reference should be cited, e.g., were done as described by Hughes et al. (4). Changes from the published protocol should be described.

ResultsBegin with an opening sentence describing what question is being tested in the experiments. Write this in bold font. Critical results with multiple data points needed to evaluate the experiment should be shown in tables or figures. Results should be summarized in the accompanying text.

Tables and FiguresAll tables and figures should be put into a contextual framework in the corresponding text. A figure showing a biosynthetic pathway should be described in the Discussion section. A good rule of thumb is that it should be possible to figure out the meaning of a Table or Figure without referring to the text. Tables and figures should summarize results, which should provide a way of evaluating the reproducibility or statistical significance of any numbers presented.

DiscussionDo not simply restate the results — explain your conclusions and interpretations of the Results section. How did your results compare with the expected results? What further predictions can be gleaned from the results?

CitationsIt is essential to credit published papers for work mentioned in your manuscript. There are a variety of ways to cite a reference in the text. The style depends on the journal’s policy. In the text, citations should refer to a reference list. Do not rewrite the title of references in the text.

Format: Scientific Writing Rules

• Flow— Readers interpret prose when it flows smoothly, from background to

rational to conclusion. Clearly state the rationale. Explicitly state the logic behind transitions.

• Abbreviations— Use standard abbreviations (e.g., hr, min). Define all other abbreviations at first use, then

continue to use abbreviation if it is used at least three times in the manuscript.

• Past, Present, Future Tense— Results are described in the past tense. These experiments are not yet accepted as fact. Results

from published papers are in present tense. Future experiments are in future tense.

Format: Scientific Writing Rules (cont)• Third vs. First Person

— It is OK to use the first person in scientific writing. Use it sparingly. Use it to emphasize things that you uniquely did. Most text should be written in the third person to avoid the autobiographical angle

• Empty Phrases— Avoid using phrases that do not contribute to understanding. In short, don’t use more words than you need to make your

point

• Parentheses— Avoid double parentheses, e.g., “Three gene products catalyze reactions

in the pathway for proline biosynthesis (Figure1) (3).” could be rewordedas, “Figure 1 shows the three reactions of the pathway for proline biosynthesis (3)”

• Proofreading— Always spell check and carefully proofread your paper before submission. Also read your paper to yourself aloud to ensure

that the wording and sentence construction is not clumsy

III. Developing Principles for Authorship and Data Sharing in a

Multi-site Trial

Significance of Data and Resource Sharing

• Data sharing and publication of research data is recognized and encouraged in science research policies worldwide

• Allows the translation of research results into knowledge, products, procedures, and measurable outcomes

• Provides the opportunity to contribute to cancer research and science

Benefits of a Data Sharing and Publication Committee for Multi-site Clinical Trials

• Establishes general principles for publication, and sharing data and unique resources for the study

• Develops fundamental principles for authorship for the study

• Reviews both internal and external requests for resources and data from the study

• Provides protection of the intellectual and material property rights of investigators

Responsibilities of a DSPCReviews and makes recommendations for any manuscript, other presentation, or research use of study data and resources for example:

• Requests for publication plans for manuscripts and presentations

• Requests for clinical information for publication or presentation of laboratory data

• Requests for clinical information for data analyses including retrospective and meta-analyses not specified in the protocol

• Requests for access to interim results. • Requests for biospecimens to carry out research

complementary to study

Composition of the DSPC

• Membership: Typically consists of study investigators with specialized expertise representative of the science of the study

• Relevant expertise: statistics, medical oncology, epidemiology, pathology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, basic research and applied technology, intellectual and material property rights

Conflicts of Interest

DSPC members typically sign confidentiality agreements annually to state that they are free from significant conflicts of interest. The types of activity may be categorized as follows:

• Professional conflict of interest

• Financial or proprietary conflict of interest

• Perceived conflict of interest

Establishing General Principles forPublications, Data and Study Resource Sharing

• Publication policies regarding authorship, primary study publications, journal selections, presentations at national and international meetings are included

• Data sharing policies will govern appropriate selection and prioritization of requests from within the study team and from outside investigators

• Resource sharing policies will govern the appropriate use of resources based on several factors including scientific merit and that will provide adequate protection of the intellectual and material property rights of investigators