发表英文医学论文技巧

1、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 LaboratorySr. Scientist, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Clinical Nutrition Research Center, Chemoprevention Center, Gene Therapy Cente

2、r, Center for Aging, 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. S

3、uccinct, 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

4、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 thi

5、nking 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 Do not publish several articles when one will suffice Do not publish similar articles with minor

6、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 th

7、e 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 key

8、words 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 b

9、e 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

10、 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:_ Result

11、s:_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 dat

12、e 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 figur

13、es 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 is

14、oflavone 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 ma

15、jor 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 lev

16、els. 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, regardles

17、s 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 ha

18、s 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 ant

19、itumor 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 o

20、f 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: Tab

21、les 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

22、 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 al

23、l 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 m

24、ind 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

25、 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 art

26、icles 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.

27、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 cou

28、ntry 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

29、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 medicin

30、e, 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 m

31、any 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, rangin

32、g 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? Wha

33、t 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 wi

34、ll 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 jou

35、rnal, 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 article

36、s 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 simila

37、r 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

38、 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 ove

39、rly 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

40、 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 yo

41、ur 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?) G

42、enerate 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 redundan

43、cy 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

44、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

45、 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

46、 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

47、 trust the internet to send your unpublished data?,Data Preparation and Evaluation (4),Q: Does the format of the data presentation matter? Yes You can present your data in various manners Table Simple Complex Number of the tables Figure Color? Number of the figures Number of panels in a figure Text

48、The best way is to use all the above, but not redundant,Session 1,Hot Topic: The art of scientific data presentation,Data Preparation and Evaluation (5),Q: Why is statistical analysis so important? The following statements are frequently based on statistical analysis: Significant Effective Correlati

49、on/relation Causal relation Safe Better or Worse Confirm or rule out a hypothesis Prediction/Extrapolation Other You Almost Always need help from a statistician, from planning to design to analysis to reporting It is almost too late if the reviewer/editor requests statistical analysis for your paper

50、.,Session 1,Hot topic: You should know the difference between “statistical significance” and “biological significance”.,Session 1 Summary,Publish or Perish Publish or Not Publish SCI and beyond Personal vs Public Individual vs Team Quality vs Quantity Reading, Reading, Reading Thinking, Thinking, Th

51、inking Writing, Revising, Revising Know yourself: Turtle or Rabbit Key to Success: Seeking Advice,Making An English Biomedical Paper:Why, What, and How,发表英文医学论文技巧 Session 2 Writing Tips for Major Sections,Selecting and Finalizing Data Results Materials and Methods Introduction Discussion Title Refer

52、ences Abstract Other sections,General Order of Writing (1st Draft),Session 2,Every Paper needs an Introduction section Original Article Review Article Case Report Technical/Method Report Letter Editorials Other This section is a critical showcase. May be written late in the process, e.g., after you

53、complete Results and Methods section.,Introduction/Background (1),Session 2,The first sentence should stimulate the interest of the reader. Example 1: Poor: The purpose of this article is to show that case management can be a cost-effective approach in patient care. (unnecessary words) Improved: Cas

54、e management can be a cost-effective approach in patient care.,Introduction/Background (2),Session 2,The first sentence should stimulate the interest of the reader. Example 2: Poor: From the beginning of time, strokes have been a major health problem. (trite, negative) Improved: Advanced treatments

55、for stroke patients are giving them new hope.,Introduction/Background (3),Session 2,Three Important components in this section. The topic to be covered and why it is important (The rationale) The purpose of the studies. The hypothesis that led to the investigation.,Introduction/Background (4),Sessio

56、n 2,Try to state: Whats new? Whats special? Whats significant? How to do it? Provide a brief review of the literature and cite findings that led to the present studies. Example: Good: In inner-city adolescents, the increased incidence of illnesses related to sexuality demonstrates a lack of understa

57、nding of these problems. Through counseling and referrals, nurse practitioners in our hospital developed a procedure to reach this population and reduce the occurrence of these diseases.,Introduction/Background (5),Session 2,This section should be short 500 words or less. How to do it? Discuss any u

58、nknowns and controversies that exist , with respect to the rationale for the studies. The information should be fresh/novel, interesting, and specific. Much of the Introduction should be written in the present tense, when you mention the published data/hypothesis. This section is best written in the

59、 active voice. The active voice gives writing a sense of strength, energy, and direction. (It is also 20-30% shorter than the passive voice.),Introduction/Background (6),Session 2,You need a clearly stated HYPOTHESIS and Approaches. How to do it? State the hypothesis directly. Set up the problem and show how it w