课件：发表英文医学论文技巧.ppt

Making An English Biomedical Paper: Why, What, and How,发表英文医学论文技巧 Ruiwen Zhang, MD, PhD, DABT 张瑞稳博士 Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology Director, Cancer Pharmacology Laboratory Sr. Scientist, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Clinical Nutrition Research Center, Chemoprevention Center, Gene Therapy Center, Center for Aging, & Center for AIDS Research University of Alabama School of Medicne Birmingham, AL 35294, USA Editor-in-Chief 美捷登主编,Accomplish technically competent, thorough, and ethical research Employ objective scientific judgment and seek appropriate advice. Publish honest reports in a timely fashion.,Obligations of a Scientist,Session 1,Benefits of Writing,To think more clearly. To fulfill the responsibility to report and share information with the scientific community. To produce a final product of a successful research project. To achieve personal gain, establish oneself as an expert, and receive grants and promotions. Publications are the currency of the world of science.,Session 1,Not peer-reviewed,Peer-reviewed,Original research papers Reviews Meeting abstracts Conference reports,Grant Applications Fellowship proposals,Books, chapters Book reviews Teaching materials Theses/dissertations Editorial comments Letters to the editor Research reports (sometimes) Web pages,Correspondence Confidential reports,Public,Not public,Types of Scientific Writing,Session 1,Definition Compare-contrast Enumeration/Illustration Cause-effect,Major Techniques in Scientific Writing,Session 1,English: the universal language of science - Eugene Garfield, 1987 Reader-oriented - Sharing information Three Things to Avoid Laboratory jargon Invented words Non-standard abbreviations Purposeful - Convey information, ideas, concepts Precise - Choose words meant to be said Accurate - Conformity, actual (true) state,Characteristics of Scientific Writing (1),Session 1,Clear Reaches the audience with the same meaning it had Should NOT be interpreted in more than one way - Avoid When something is said for the first time, clarity is essential. Concise Expresses, covers much in few words The best English is that which gives the sense in the fewest short words. Instructions to Authors, Journal of Bacteriology. Simple - Easy to understand, not elaborate or artificial, not ornate, not complicated Illustrated - “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Make use of good figures and tables,Characteristics of Scientific Writing (2),Session 1,Sins of Language,excess,malice,ignorance,dishonesty,omission,Misunderstanding Misleading Harm,Session 1,First report of the data (original paper) Original research results (not me-too) Allow peers to repeat the reported experiments (not necessarily the results) Publish in a journal or other public source document Available to the scientific community Be received and understood,Characteristics of a Valid Manuscript (1),Session 1,Characteristic format - IMRAD (Introduction, Methods (& Materials), Results, and Discussion) Introduction: What question was studied? Methods: How was it studied? Results: What were the findings? Discussion: What do the findings mean? This logic helps the author organize and write the manuscript. Traditional format Cancer Research PNAS USA Alternative format: Introduction, Results, Discussion, and Methods (& Materials) EMBO J Oncogene Letter format Nature Science,Characteristics of a Valid Manuscript (2),Session 1,Hypothesis,Overview: The Research Process,Session 1,Overview: The Publication Process,Session 1,Is there a story to tell? What was the rationale for the project? Did I perform a thorough literature review? What is the historical context of the work? Did I have a clear hypothesis? Did the experiments test that hypothesis? Is the experimental design defendable? Can I justify what I did? Did I use appropriate controls? How do my findings relate to the existing knowledge?,Ten (10) Key Questions,Session 1,Scientists - building a career (not just publish a paper) Intense competition for space in journals High cost of publication ( $300 per page) Rejection rates vary, e.g., JBC = 75%; NEJM, Science, Nature = 90%) Perform laboratory work with a manuscript in mind (Design a paper) Scientific writing involves work,Why and How to Publish (1),Session 1,The first publication on a specific topic has priority. The findings should be expressed as simply as possible. Succinct, concise, “crisp,” and terse, i.e., brief and to the point. You are NOT writing a novel. Sentences should be stripped to their “bare bones.” Writing requires: Perseverance Self discipline Orderly thinking Writing is best accomplished in a quiet place, in a straight-backed chair, and in good lighting. (Once again, writing involves WORK; you need an excellent writing environment.),Why and How to Publish (2),Session 1,Present substantial, fresh, relevant information (A manuscript is worthless if the authors have nothing worth reporting) Write what you know Good writing comes from good thinking Word power comes from intelligent reading,Why and How to Publish (3),Session 1,Reading,Thinking,Writing,Write too much and then make deletions. Be brief. “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Shakespeare. Do not publish several articles when one will suffice Do not publish similar articles with minor changes. Allow trainees to develop their own style, while maintaining quality control. To learn what works: Read more Write more Review more Your reputation can be affected by a poor publication. If you have a reputation for scientific honesty and careful writing, editors and readers may give you the benefit of the doubt.,Session 1,Why and How to Publish (4),Steps in Writing a Manuscript (1),Session 1,Q: Professional Writing Service?,Reading,Thinking,Writing Revising,Steps in Writing a Manuscript (2),Search and Review the Literature: Use MEDLINE + other sources Search using all appropriate keywords Summarize relevant points of related articles Prepare an Outline Preparation forces you to think and organize. All points should be supported by appropriate data. Gives a logical, step-by-step order in which the manuscript will be presented. Gaps can be filled in, and extraneous material can be eliminated. Writing can be done with less interruption.,Session 1,Ensure that you are up-to-date on the literature in the field Confirm that the results are “real”- i.e., they cannot be explained by experimental error and have been repeated Complete the initial statistical analyses Select a target journal Look over the “Instructions for authors” Decide on the authors, and decide who will be the corresponding author Verify the current institution and address for each of the authors Decide who will be responsible for the various parts of the manuscript: Introduction:_Methods/Materials:_ Results:_Discussion:_ Figures:_Tables:_ References:_Overall formatting:_ Discuss who will be responsible for other parts of the submission process Cover letter:_Online/mail submission:_ Revisions:_Letter for revision/rebuttal:_ Determine who should be included in the acknowledgements Select a targeted date for submission Select major references to be cited Make a list of the procedures and instruments used, along with the conditions for each experiment Verify the details of the experiments (cell culture conditions, age of animals, duration of treatments, doses of agents used, etc.) Prepare the figures and tables for the major data that you will present Prioritize the data (The most important? Supporting Data? Supplemental data (if applicable for the selected journal)?),Session 1,Checklist for Preparing an Outline,Sample Outline,Introduction Epidemiological studies show a correlation between isoflavone consumption and cancer. Evidence supports the idea that genistein is the most important isoflavone in the diet. Genistein has an anticancer effect in animal models. Main Point: Epidemiological studies show that diet, which can vary substantially from one country to another, is one of the major factors in cancer etiology and may account for up to 35% of the differences in cancer rates among different countries. Thesis Statement: Genistein, a dietary component, has a novel mechanism of action, whereby it specifically down-regulates MDM2 at both transcriptional and post-translational levels. Materials and Methods: Plasmids and reagents Cell lines and cell cultures Reverse transcription-PCR Assays for apoptosis, cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and clonogenicity Xenograft models Results: Genistein inhibits MDM2 expression in human cancer and primary cell lines, regardless of p53 status. (Figures 1 and 2) MDM2 transcription is repressed by genistein. (Figure 3) Genistein promotes degradation of the MDM2 protein, independent of p53. (Figure 4) Inhibitory effects of genistein on tyrosine kinases are not required for the down-regulation of MDM2. (Figure 5) Genistein has antitumor effects on apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, and cell proliferation, regardless of cellular p53 status. (Figure 6) In vitro antitumor activities of genistein are associated with its capacity to down-regulate MDM2. (Figure 7) In vivo MDM2 inhibition by genistein shows dose-dependent antitumor activity and chemosensitization, independent of p53. (Figure 7) Discussion: Reason for interest in genistein. Purpose of study and summary of results. Transcriptional activation of MDM2. NFAT, a specific transcription factor. Post-translational regulation of the MDM2 protein. Lack of effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Importance of MDM2 expression in cancer. The antitumor effect of genistein and its effect on MDM2. Conclusion: Importance of results in relation to cancer prevention and therapy.,Session 1,Steps in Writing a Manuscript (3),General Approach to generating first draft: Tables and Figures Results Methods Introduction Discussion Abstract Title References Other parts,Session 1,General Approach to Revising first draft: Read the First Draft (From the beginning to the end Read it again Read literature again Revise Introduction, Results and Discussion Methods Abstract Title Abstract Title and other parts,Actual Writing (Turtle or Rabbit Writer?):,Steps in Writing a Manuscript (4),General Approach to Revising 2nd and nth drafts: 2nd Complete Draft Send to all authors Nth Draft Semi-final version Send to Outside reader/consultant/editing service Final version Send to all authors,Session 1,General Approach to preparing the final version: Reading, reading, reading Checking, checking, checking Submission package Cover letter Suggested reviewers, if needed Submission Approve submission Waiting for the news,Actual Writing (Turtle or Rabbit Writer?):,Have a journal in mind as you design and perform your experiments. Basis for selection of a target journal: Who is the target audience? General Multidisciplinary Specific How important is the contribution? If it is “earth-shaking” and of interest in several scientific fields or if it is a major advance in a particular discipline, submit the manuscript to Nature, Science, Cell, or PNAS.,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (1),Target Journal,Not Sure? Ask a trusted colleague!,What is the impact factor of the journal? Calculation for journal impact factor: Example: Nature 2007 Impact Factor Cites in 2007 to articles published in: 2006 =25635 2005 =32644 Sum: 58279 Number of articles published in: 2006 =962 2005 =1065 Sum: 2027 Calculation: 58279 /2027=28.751,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (2),SCI and Impact Factor,Myths of Impact Factors (IFs): IFs do not reflect the quality of individual papers. Review journals generally have higher IFs. IFs are biased against specialty, clinical research or new fields of research. Not all journals are included in the index. IFs can be manipulated by editors/publishers. IFs fluctuate year to year for a given journal. Journals originated from Non-English country generally have lower IFs IFs cannot be used to compare publications in different fields (subject category) Simple math does not work here: IF 10 = IF1 X10? IF 5+ IF5 =IF10? IF 10X 6= IF60? IF 5.614 is better than IF 5.613?,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (3),SCI and Impact Factor,Is it recognized by one or more of the major secondary services (Chemical Abstracts, Biological Abstracts, MEDLINE/PubMed)? MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) is an international literature database of life sciences and biomedical information. It covers the fields of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and health care and much of the literature in biology and biochemistry. (5000 serials) PubMed is a free search engine offering access to the MEDLINE database of citations and abstracts of biomedical research articles. It also provides access to many pre-1966 publications. CA (Chemical Abstracts Service), a division of the American Chemical Society, produces Chemical Abstracts, an index of the scientific literature in chemistry and related fields. (9500 serials) Biological Abstracts directs users to information on life science topics, ranging from botany to microbiology to pharmacology. (3700 serials),Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (4),Major Secondary Services,What is the prestige of the journal? Is it a primary journal? Is it an open journal? What is the circulation of the journal? What is the review time for the journal? What is the publication time for the journal?,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (5),More than IF,Most Journals publish the dates of submission, review, and acceptance. You need to check the publishing date: Epub ahead of print; In press MS; Open access; online only; PubMED submission; etc.,Who will be interested in reading the paper basic scientists, clinicians, or both? Whom do you want to read the paper members of the funding committee, the promotion committee, or the competitors? Is the paper within the “Scope” of the journal (in the “Instructions for Authors” ). Be familiar with the journal, especially papers published in the last 6-12 months,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (6),More than IF,Still not sure: Ask a trusted peer, and, if possible, be acquainted with the editor.,Check recent articles in various journals; examine their format and content. Examine several articles in potential journals. How many figures and tables do they have? Read the “Table of Contents” of recent issues of potential journals. Consider: Am I qualified to write an article for this journal? Consider: Where were the papers you will cite as references published-were they published in a similar quality journal? Read the “Instructions for Authors” and examples of publications in these journals.,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (7),Knew What You Wish For,Keep in Mind: Topic, Contents, Format, and Style.,If you submit to a wrong journal: Your manuscript may be returned to you without review. It may be reviewed inadequately. Its publication may be unnecessarily delayed. Your work may remain unknown because it is not read after publication.,Session 1,Select an Appropriate Journal (8),Wrong Journal or Wrong Paper?,Still not sure: Ask the Editor of the potential journal. Do not overly depend on Professional Editing Service”,Data Preparation and Evaluation (1),Checklist for finalizing data for a manuscript Make sure your results have been repeated/confirmed Select results that are representative of your repeats (for Western blots, photographs, spectra, etc) or prepare averages and standard deviations for your data (clinical parameters, animal studies, etc.) Ensure that your data are statistically significant, and that you indicate this in the text and figures. Prepare an appropriate number of figures and/or tables (many journals have a limit of 6 figures) Confirm that your figures and tables are supported by raw data Make sure that the raw data is retrievable (in laboratory records) Organize data by importance (key data, supporting evidence, and/or supplemental data) Determine they type of illustration that will best showcase the data (Figure? Table? Photograph?) Generate figures of sufficient quality for your selected journal (journals frequently require figure quality of 600 dpi) Format your illustrations according to the instructions for authors (font style and size) and, if possible, use a consistent size and style for each figure and table Avoid redundancy between tables, figures and the text The corresponding author needs to check the quality and accuracy of the data, and that the data is supported by raw data The figures and tables should indicate statistical significance (if applicable) Prepare supplemental illustrations (if applicable for your journal) Write figure and table legends (the legends should describe the figure and methods in sufficient detail so that the reader knows what the data indicate and how they were obtained) Check all the materials and methods and/or key references,Session 1,Data Preparation and Evaluation (2),Q: Do I need All the data before beginning the writing No But You need All Key data Most supporting data Some supplemental data You need ALL the data before the completion of the first draft You still can add data before final submission,Session 1,You should evaluate your data periodically and prepare your outline and key data as soon as possible.,Data Preparation and Evaluation (3),Q: Who should evaluate and check the data? All the authors Key persons Primary authors Corresponding author(s) Technical staff Collaborators You may ask trusted colleagues to evaluate the data,Session 1,Hot topic: Can you trust the internet to send your unpublished data?,Data Preparation and Evaluation (4),Q: Does the format of th