How to Write and Publish SCI Cited Papers? An Overview 朱兴全 教授、博导 (教育部“长江学者”) 华南农业大学兽医学院

朱兴全教授出版、发表论著情况 过去11年在国际上参编英文专著3部，发表SCI收录论文120多篇 在国内出版主编、参编专著、教材、译著12部，发表论文120多篇 过去11年在国际上参编英文专著3部，发表SCI收录论文120多篇 2008年发表23篇SCI论文 2009年已发表24篇SCI论文，4篇己online, 3篇己accepted，另14篇已投稿or revised

40 papers with IF higher than 3.0 3 in Lancet Infectious Disease (IF 13.1) 2 in Emerg Infect Dis (IF6.4) 4 in Trends in Parasitology (IF 4.7) 1 in Nature Protoc (IF4.1) 1 in PLoS-NTD (IF4.1) 1 in BMC Genomics (IF 3.9) 1 in Mol Phylogenet Evol (IF 3.9) 9 in Int J Parasitol (IF 3.7) 14 in Electrophoresis (IF 3.5) 3 in Vaccine (IF 3.3); …

Total IFs more than 310, and cited more than 1000 times by hundreds of other authors and more than 20 magazines

Categories of SCI-cited journals based on Impact Factors (2004) IF>1: ~ 3000/6000 journals IF>2: ~ 1400/6000 journals IF>3: ~ 800/6000 journals IF>5: ~ 280/6000 journals IF>10: ~ 100/6000 journals

国际著名SCI期刊Trends in Parasitology (IF4.7) 编委 国际期刊Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances (IF?) 编委 12份国际SCI期刊审稿专家

Preview of the Presentation What is SCI? Why do we have to publish SCI cited papers? How to write and publish SCI cited papers?

Web version: ISI Web of Knowledge What is SCI? SCI: stands for Science Citation Index Published by the Institute for Scientific Information (Thomson Reuters) Web version: ISI Web of Knowledge (web of science)

e.g., Peking Uni, Zhejiang Uni, Zhongshan Uni, CAS Why SCI Papers? A prerequisite for graduation in well-regarded universities & research institutions e.g., Peking Uni, Zhejiang Uni, Zhongshan Uni, CAS A pre-requisite for being selected as one of the 100 best PhD theses (百篇优秀博士论文)

e.g., Peking Uni, Zhejiang Uni, Zhongshan (Sun-Yat-Sen Uni, CAS A prerequisite for promotion in well-regarded universities & research institutions e.g., Peking Uni, Zhejiang Uni, Zhongshan (Sun-Yat-Sen Uni, CAS Key requirement for applying for some grant programs eg., China National Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists (国家杰出青年基金)

中国科学院院士 For making money! Key requirement for applying for some specially-engaged positions e.g., “长江学者”特聘教授、“珠江学者”特聘教授、国家“新世纪百千万人才工程”国家级人选 中国科学院院士 For international academic exchanges For making money!

SCI Source Magazines 6598 core scientific journals covering mathematics, physics, chemistry, agriculture, veterinary sciences (~120), forestry, Medicine, Life sciences, astronomy, geology and geography, environmental science, material sciences, engineering and technology, etc

即通过以前发表的论文被其它论文的引用情况，来说明论文之间的相关性及影响力。 Unique Features of SCI Can obtain details of published papers such as whether they are included in the SCI database and cited by others, using the Citation Index 即通过以前发表的论文被其它论文的引用情况，来说明论文之间的相关性及影响力。

Hence, SCI不仅作为一部文献检索工具使用，而且成为评价科研成就、学术水平的权威依据之一。

JCR and IF JCR Stands for Journal Citation Reports (期刊引用报告） IF stands for Impact Factor (影响因子) JCR对SCI所收录的期刊所发表的论文之间的引用和被引用数据进行统计、运算，给出每种期刊的影响因子

Examples of IF CA Cancer J. Clin.: 74.57 New England J. Medicine: 50.01 Annual Review of Immunology: 41.05 Nature: 31.43; Cell: 31.25; Science: 28.10 Lancet: 28.40; Cancer Cell: 24.96 Immunity: 20.57 Lancet Infect. Dis.: 13.16; PNAS: 9.38

Mol Cell Proteomics: 8.83 Cancer Res: 7.51 J. Immunol.: 6.00 J. Biol. Chem. 5.52 J. Virol. 5.30 Trends Parasitol. 4.69 BMC Genomics 3.92

Mol Phylogenet Evol: IF 3.87 Vet. Res: 3.06 Int. J. Parasitol: 3.75 J. Bacteriol: 3.63 Virology: 3.53 Electrophoresis: 3.50 Vaccine: 3.29, etc

Significance of IF Can help decide subscriptions to journals/magazines Can use IF to judge the quality of journals/magazines Can guide our submission of manuscripts to journals/magazines Can help decide subscriptions to journals/magazines

How to Write and Publish SCI Cited Papers? 前瞻选题 精巧设计 精心实验 妙手写作

Cell, Nature, Science, JEM, NJM, JBC, Lancet, PNAS, Mol Cell, etc. Classification of Research Projects Projects aimed at making breakthrough in theories, methods or techniques Results may be published in the best-ranking magazines Cell, Nature, Science, JEM, NJM, JBC, Lancet, PNAS, Mol Cell, etc.

B. Projects utilising available theory, methods or techniques to solve problems or to fill gaps of knowledge in the chosen discipline Results may be published in well-regarded international journals

Postdoctoral and PhD projects should be within this category! The majority of projects are within this category Postdoctoral and PhD projects should be within this category!

C. Projects aimed at solving particular problems in a country or working on specimens from a country, cases, etc. Results are publishable internationally and nationally. The majority of research projects in China are within this category Master projects should be within this category!

Results are publishable internationally or nationally D. Projects aimed at solving particular problems at state (provincial) or local level or working on local specimens, cases, etc. Results are publishable internationally or nationally Honours or undergraduate projects should be within this category!

How to conduct research projects efficiently? (The Research Stage) The key step for publishing SCI-cited papers NO plagiarism (严禁抄袭、做假) !!! You are out forever if you plagiarize!!!

Apply for grants, ie., get money to do research, very important!!! The choice of an appropriate project: central to the successful completion of courses (degrees), also the prerequisite for publishing SCI papers Design your project carefully with supervision from your supervisor(s)

研究项目的立项、试验设计过程中，要着重考虑项目的高起点、创新性、先进性；试验设计要周密合理。 项目实施过程中要严格操作，获取发表论文所需的各种数据、图表资料。

只有在论文设计、科研阶段就开始考虑发表SCI论文所需的各种数据、图表资料，才不致于等到论文写成后发现数据、图表资料不全而需补做试验的情况。

Be prepared to work the hardest and also smartly Seek adequate supervision and help from your supervisor(s) Be prepared to work the hardest and also smartly Learn to be co-operative with staff and your colleagues, learn to work as a member of a team (ie., have team spirit)

Be prepared and learn to conduct experiments economically: save money for your “boss” Gets your results published as soon as possible internationally and nationally, and publish as many good SCI papers as you can

How to Write Manuscript in English? (The Writing-up Stage) The crucial step for publishing good SCI-cited papers NO plagiarism (严禁抄袭、做假) !!! You are out forever if you plagiarize!!!

Writing and publishing SCI cited papers is not that difficult! My own experience My mates’ experience The experience of my former and present students

How? Be prepared to spend at least three more fold times (ie., sleep less, “talk less love”, etc) Improve your English (general and professional) proficiency

Be familiar with the general requirements and format of English articles Decide which magazine to submit your MS to, get “Instruction/guide to authors” and a few sample articles from the latest issues

Which magazine to submit to? “Sell” your MS to the best possible magazine! Submit to interdisciplinary journals! Draft your manuscript following the journal requirements strictly

Practice makes perfect! Revise and “polish” your draft MS with input from all co-authors Get figures and tables ready Get the format and references correct Any short-cuts? No! Practice makes perfect!

Key Points That Require Special Attention 1. Title of the article: precise, concise and attractive: Three ways of writing: Nouns plus adjectives and prepositions: e.g., Differences in the 5.8S rDNA sequences among ascarid nematodes

A full sentence without the period:

A question:

e.g., Neil B. Chilton; Robin B. Gasser; Xing-Quan Zhu 2. Proper Presentation of Authors’ name Rule: Given name followed by Surname e.g., Neil B. Chilton; Robin B. Gasser; Xing-Quan Zhu Abbreviations: N.B. Chilton; R.B. Gasser; X.Q. Zhu

Responsible for communicating with the magazine 3. Corresponding author? Corresponding author usually is the “boss” and his/her contribution is considered equal to or even higher than that of the senior author Responsible for communicating with the magazine 4. Contribute equally???

5. The most important grammatical features: frequent use of the past tense and passive voice of verbs e.g., Adult worms of Ascaris were obtained from human patients after treatment with anthelmintics, or from pigs at necropsy.

6. Introduction section: The reasons of why do the project, what are the rationales and what are the research aims, etc Need to discuss whether the aims have been fulfilled in the “Discussion” section, in particular for those ones with hypotheses

First paragraph: significance of the problem (question)

Second paragraph: current status of knowledge (progress and problems in board sense)

Third paragraph: more specific progress and problems

Fourth paragraph: new approaches or alternatives for solving the problems

Last paragraph: Objectives of the study: at least two ways of writing 1. To clearly specify the objectives of the study

2. To present the objectives of the study with brief conclusion

7. In the “results” section, describe the results without any interpretation and discussion if the results are presented separately from discussions

8. “Results and Discussion” can be combined if the article is short.

Interpret and explain your results/findings, and their implications! 9. “Discussion” Section: the most difficult part to write! Interpret and explain your results/findings, and their implications! At least two ways of writing discussion:

The first way: Reiterate the problem and how your study has solved the problem, then explain and interpret

The second way: reiterate the research objectives and whether they have been achieved, then explain and interpret

10. Conclusion: Usually the last paragraph of the “Discussion” section: summarize your findings and their implications, as well as proposals for further studies.

Some journals may have a subheading: Concluding remarks, eg Some journals may have a subheading: Concluding remarks, eg. Electrophoresis (IF3.5)

A lesson we had with a journal! 11. Format and references have to be perfect! If not, don’t submit your manuscripts! A lesson we had with a journal!

Submission and Revision of Manuscript (The Submission and Publishing Stage) Remember: submit to only one journal!!!

Submission Ways of submission: Post to the chief editor Post to the editorial office Send as email attachment On-line submission

Remember!!! You may be able to: Recommend referees (reviewers)! Exclude (排除) particular referees (reviewers)! Recommend referees (reviewers)!

Reviewing Process of Manuscripts 2-5 referees to review (evaluate) the MS and provide comments and suggestions Reviewing process: May take 3 days to 7 months Worried? Be patient! Don’t write to the editor within two months of submission

A manuscript was accepted without revision 5 days after submission!

Another manuscript was accepted without revision within 10 days after submission

Another manuscript was accepted with minor revision within 40 days after submission

Revision of Manuscript 1. Outcomes of reviewing process: MS accepted without revision (accepted as it was submitted)! Accepted subject to minor revision Accepted subject to moderate revision Accepted subject to considerable revision MS Rejected (bad luck!)

2. Revise the MS according to the referees’ and the editor’s comments, suggestions and corrections strictly and send back the revised MS in time 3. Prepare a “Cover Letter” detailing your disposition of the referees’ and the editor’s comments, suggestions and corrections (ie. Point-by point responses to reviewers’ comments and suggestions)!

Attention!!! Some journals require that you save “Point-by point responses to reviewers’ comments and suggestions” as a separate file (responses to review)! Use nice words such as: We thank Reviewer one for constructive comments and questions… We are very grateful to the Reviewer for his/her valuable comments and suggestions on our MS…

A lesson we had with a journal!!! 4. Be very careful and diplomatic in justifying why you don’t accept the referees’ and editor’s suggestions and corrections A lesson we had with a journal!!! 5. The majority of revised MS will be accepted for publication with or without further evaluation 6. Sign the “Transfer of Copyright Agreement form” on-line or off-line

How to Review and Correct the Proofs of Your Article? Principles: Change/correct carefully if the mistakes/errors are significant; Do not change/collect if not necessary, or change as little as possible if not significant.

Two ways of correcting the proofs: Correct directly on the electronic proofs, and email back or submit on-line; you need to install Adobe Acrobat Professional Print out the proofs and then correct and mark the proofs, scan/photograph, then email back; or fax back. Answers to Queries and/or Remarks?

Do We Have to Pay for Publication? The majority of Chinese magazines do charge publication fees or page charges The majority of SCI source magazines don’t charge a fee for publication Some SCI source magazines (eg., Open Access ones) do charge a fee

You may have to pay for extra pages for papers which are longer than “normal” You may be requested to pay for colour reproduction of figures You may be able to track your article on-line any time! You will receive a PDF file, sample magazines and/or offprints after publication

Conclusion Publishing SCI cited papers has become a must for you guys Writing and publishing SCI cited papers is not that difficult! Choosing and designing projects are crucial No short-cuts, Practice makes perfect!

Finally, I wish you will publish as many good SCI-cited papers as possible!

英国威豪基金（The Waltham Foundation） Acknowledgements 国际科学基金（IFS） 英国威豪基金（The Waltham Foundation） 国家杰出青年科学基金 国家“973”计划 国家“973”计划前期研究专项 国家农业公益性行业科研专项经费项目 教育部“长江学者和创新团队发展计划” 国家自然科学基金 人事部“留学人员科技活动择优资助项目” 广东省自然科学基金 广东省科技攻关计划 ……

My lovely students and assistants Acknowledgements: My lovely students and assistants

Thank you very much! Contact: Email: xingquanzh@scau.edu.cn Mobile: 13380055552