Publishing Papers Cari McCarty, Ph.D. Center for Child Health Behavior and Development Seattle Children’s Hospital

Reasons to Publish your Research (1) It is a crucial step in the scientific process (2) It is the coin of the realm in academia (3) You’ve already done the hard work…now all you need to do is tell people about it. (4) When you finally see your paper published, it is extremely satisfying

Selecting a Journal #1- WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE? Scan current contents of journals matching the paper content Examine the References section of your paper Consider prestige, time to publish, past performance (impact factor?) Ask your mentors JANE – Journal/Author Name Estimator

Medical vs. Social Science Journals Medical Journals Shorter, more succinct articles Abstracts are structured Clear interpretation of findings and take-home message is important Audience is often practitioners… Goal is to change practice

Medical vs. Social Science Journals Social Science Journals Longer articles, particularly the intro and discussion Often refer to other studies by the authors’ name In-depth discussion of theory and other research, alternate explanations Focus on validated measures Audience is often other researchers

Format of a Research Paper

Getting Started If you’re stuck, start by writing the method section Then, the results (often the shortest section) Use outlines for Intro & Discussion Follow a good recent paper as a guide Step away from your manuscript, then read it critically when fresh

Drafting an Outline Write out ideas and talking points Divide out into logical units and move them around to create a good flow of information Write out rough topic sentences for each paragraph Flesh out ideas and turn your outline into a manuscript

Writing a Discussion Section Restate main question, findings & what’s to follow What happened? How does it relate to other work? Why do you think results were as they are? What were the particulars of your study (strengths & limitations)? Future directions – brief & realistic

What you Say Literature review should be focused, reasonably complete, and balanced Always explain what your results mean Consider alternative interpretations of data End strongly and state a clear take-home message

How you say it Emphasize logical flow and organization An article tells a story (be interesting)! Write for a slightly broader & technically less skilled audience

What to Do with What You Say Proofread Check for fit with journal guidelines and subject matter Use appropriate formatting (APA/AMA) Read your paper while imagining yourself to be a critical reviewer

What to Do with What Others Say Comments made by the editor or repeated by >1 reviewer should be addressed Sometimes you need to educate the reviewer Reviewers criticize work, not people Perseverance pays (can take 2-3 revisions)

Revise & Resubmit Check the time limit given for re-submission. Wait at least a few days before revising. Write a cover letter to the editor addressing ALL reviewers' comments. Don't attack the reviewer. Don't be intimidated by the reviewer. Address criticisms and refute them if you think you are right. Be polite and indicate that you are doing everything possible and more.