Preparing Manuscripts for Publicationmeded.tokyo-med.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/rb...1....
Transcript of Preparing Manuscripts for Publicationmeded.tokyo-med.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/rb...1....
Raoul Breugelmans
Preparing Manuscripts for Publication
How to Increase Your Chances of Acceptance
Department of Medical Education
Tokyo Medical University
Correct, clear, concise
Style conventions
General requirements
Cover letter and submission
Photo from iStockphoto.com (#1261482)
Plain English
approximately _____________________
provided that _____________________
in order to _____________________
prior to _____________________
subsequent to _____________________
by means of _____________________
at present _____________________
about
if
to
before
after
by
now
Simple words?
Subject-verb agreement
A subject and its verb must agree in number.
BUT...
The number of the subject is not always clear!
Subject-verb agreement
Administration and scoring are described.
subject + “and” + subject plural verb
“is” or “are”?
Subject-verb agreement
Saline or the test compounds were injected into
the rat's tail vein.
subject + “or” + subject number of the closer subject
“was” or “were”?
Subject-verb agreement
The test compounds or saline was injected into
the rat's tail vein.
subject + “or” + subject number of the closer subject
“was” or “were”?
Dangling modifiers
a. Using immunohistochemistry, CUP tumors
overexpressed EGFR in 66% of cases.
b. Using immunohistochemistry, we showed that
CUP tumors overexpressed EGFR in 66% of
cases.
c. Using immunohistochemistry, 66% of cases
showed overexpression of EGFR in CUP tumors.
d. Using immunohistochemistry, 66% of CUP
tumors showed overexpression of EGFR.
Which is correct?
Dangling modifiers
a. Using immunohistochemistry, CUP tumors
overexpressed EGFR in 66% of cases.
b. Using immunohistochemistry, we showed that
CUP tumors overexpressed EGFR in 66% of
cases.
c. Using immunohistochemistry, 66% of cases
showed overexpression of EGFR in CUP tumors.
d. Using immunohistochemistry, 66% of CUP
tumors showed overexpression of EGFR.
A modifier in front of the subject must modify that subject!
Which is correct?
Parallelisms and comparisons
The lymphocytes of treated patients were larger
than untreated patients.
Correct?
Lymphocyte of
treated patient Untreated patient
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Parallelisms and comparisons
The lymphocytes of treated patients were larger
than untreated patients.
The lymphocytes of treated patients were larger
than those of untreated patients.
The lymphocytes were larger in treated patients
than in untreated patients.
Comparisons must be made between likes!
Correct?
A was larger than B
A of X was larger than that of Y
A was larger in X than in Y
Parallelisms and comparisons
Correct, clear, concise
Style conventions
General requirements
Cover letter and submission
Units of measure
Correct?
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So what?
有意差わ認められなかった。
Units of measure
SPACING!
number + unit 25 cm
125 V/s
5 years
Exceptions: % C
45%
23C
Units of measure
Correct?
Units of measure
number + unit of measure:
all numbers numeral 5 cm
34 cm
number + regular noun:
0-9 spell out seven hospitals
10 and above numeral 24 hospitals
Spell out or numeral?
Units of measure
Correct!
Correct?
Units of measure
Abbreviations of units of measure
Always abbreviate:
e.g.
centimeter cm
liter L
deciliter dL
kilogram kg
Abbreviate only in a virgule
construction (e.g. 2 mm/h)
and in tables and figures:
e.g.
second s
minute min
hour h
day d
week wk
year y
Commonly misused words and phrases
result known “outcome”
result unknown but expected “prognosis”
Correct?
Commonly misused words and phrases
Correct?
0-1 month neonate, newborn
1-12 months infant
1-12 years child
boy, girl
13-17 years adolescent, teenager
adolescent boy, adolescent girl
18 years and older adult
man, woman
study group with mixed age groups “males” “females”
Commonly misused words and phrases
“case” = instance of a disease
“patient” = person
Commonly misused words and phrases
Correct?
Nominalizations
weak verb + noun strong verb
Correct?
Nominalizations
a. A biopsy of the mass was performed.
b. The mass was biopsied.
c. None of the above.
Which is correct?
Nominalizations
American Medical Association (AMA)
Manual of Style 9th Edition
Nominalizations
BUT
10th Edition:
9th Edition:
Nominalizations
Abbreviations
All patients underwent a CT (computed tomography) scan.
All patients underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan.
Correct?
Basic rules
Avoid non-standard abbreviations
Abbreviate only if the term appears several times
Avoid abbreviations in titles or headings
Define abbreviations at first appearance
Define both in the abstract and in the main text
Once defined, use only the abbreviation
Study the target journal!!
Abbreviations
1. calcitonin カルシトニン
2. cardiac tamponade 心タンポナーデ
3. cardiothoracic (ratio) 心胸〔郭〕比(係数)
4. Cardiovascular Technologist 心血管〔臨床〕技師
5. carotid tracing 頸動脈トレーシング
6. carpal tunnel 手根管
7. cationic trypsinogen 陽イオントリプシノーゲン
8. cell (cellular) therapy 細胞療法
9. center thickness 中心厚
10. cerebral thrombosis 脳血栓症
11. cerebral tumor 脳腫瘍
12. cervical traction 頸部牽引
13. chemotaxis 化学走性,走化性
14. chemotherapy 化学療法
15. chest tube 胸腔留置管
16. chloramine T クロラミンT
17. chlorothiazide クロロチアジド,クロロサイアザイド
18. cholera toxin コレラ毒素
19. chordae tendineae 腱索
20. chronic thyroiditis 慢性甲状腺炎
21. chymotrypsin キモトリプシン
22. circulation time 循環時間
23. classic technique 古典的技術
24. closed thoracotomy 閉鎖式開胸術
25. clotting time 〔血液〕凝固時間
26. coagulation time 凝固時間
27. coated tablet 被覆加工錠,コーティング錠
28. cobra toxin コブラ毒素
29. cognitive therapy 認知療法
30. coil test コイルテスト
31. collecting tubule 集合管
32. combined tumor 混合型腫瘍
33. compressed tablet 圧縮錠〔剤〕 34. computed tomography コンピュータ断層撮影〔法〕 35. connective tissue 結合組織,組合〔組〕織
36. continue treatment 治療を継続せよ
37. continuous-flow tub 持続流槽
38. contraction time 収縮時間
39. controlled temperature 調整温度
40. Coombs test クームス試験(テスト)
41. corneal thickness 角膜厚
42. corneal transplant 角膜移植〔片〕 43. coronary thrombosis 冠〔状〕動脈血栓症
44. corrected transposition 修正転位〔症〕 45. corrective therapy 矯正治療
46. cortical thickness 皮質厚
47. cough threshold 咳の閾値
48. cover test 遮へい試験
49. crutch training 松葉杖訓練
50. cystine-tellurite シスチン-亜テルル酸塩
51. cytarabine, 6-thioguanine シタラビンと6-チオグアニン
52. cytotechnologist 細胞検査技師
53. cytotoxic therapy 細胞毒性治療
What does “CT” stand for?
Abbreviations
New England Journal of Medicine
Correct, clear, concise
Style conventions
General requirements
Cover letter and submission
“Vancouver Style”
Use the “IMRAD” structure
for original research articles
(unless your target journal
gives other instructions)
IMRAD Introduction, Methods,
Results and Discussion
Subheadings may be needed
for long manuscripts
Double space the entire
manuscript
(including the title page,
references, and tables!)
Double spacing is needed
even for online submissions
Leave sufficient margins
(at least 2.5 cm)
Number all pages starting
with the title page
Concise title
Authors’ names and affiliations
Corresponding author
Sources of support
Running head (short title)
Word counts
Number of figures and tables
Title page
State: ・ Background and purpose
・ Basic procedures
・ Main findings
・ Main conclusions
Emphasize new and important
aspects
Abstract
Background
Purpose and hypothesis
Only pertinent references
No results or conclusions
Introduction
Only information that was known
in the planning stage
Detailed description of methods
and equipment
Others should be able to
reproduce the results
Methods
Effective use of text, tables, and
figures
Emphasize only the most
important results
Results
Emphasize the new and
important points
Avoid duplication with other
sections
State limitations of the study
Give implications for future
research or clinical practice
Only conclusions that are
supported by the data
Discussion
Correct, clear, concise
Style conventions
General requirements
Cover letter and submission
Statement about any potential redundant publication
Conflict of interest (COI) statement
Statement that all authors have approved the paper,
… that all authors qualify for authorship,
… and that the manuscript represents honest work
Contact information of the corresponding author
+ e-mail!
www.ronbun.jp
Submit
Review
Revision needed Reject Accept
Revise, reply
Re-submit
Accept Reject Revise
Proofread
From submission to publication
Proofread
Published
Published
Journal
Author
Submit to other journal
Re-review needed
Correct, clear, concise
Style conventions
General requirements
Cover letter and submission