1. How to Write a Research Paper ? By Dr.Shaik Shaffi Ahamed Associate Professor Dept. of Family & Community Medicine

2. Why to Write?  To advance knowledge  Improvement in understanding of subject  To advance your institution  Academic accomplishment, prestige, funding  To advance yourself  Enhances clear thinking & scholarship ability  Promotion, career development, reputation  To get A+ Benefits often greater to author than reader

3. Writing a Paper: Getting Started  No single best way  Varies from paper to paper  Background reading--Literature search!  Decide on authorship “The only way to learn to write is to write” --Peggy Teeters

4. Writing a Paper  Fix realistic schedule (Adherence)  Need stretch of protected hours or days  Ideas come while writing  When time is short: prepare, revise  Location (nothing to distract)  Maintain momentum  Academicians rated by what they finish, not by what they attempt

5. Title Abstract Introduction Methods Results Discussion References Parts of a Manuscript--Structure “Writing is a lot easier if you have something to say” --Sholem Asch

6. Methods I For readers this is the most important section  Past tense  Study design(prospective or retrospective)  Explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria  Selection of study subjects WHAT DID YOU DO?

7. Methods II  Ethical approval (IRB)  Statistical methods(sampling technique, sample size, & statistical tests)  Data collection tool ( its validity & reliability)  Detailed enough so results can be repeated by others WHAT DID YOU DO?

8. Results I  Just the facts, in a logical sequence  Past tense  Check, recheck data/numbers-must add up  Give numbers and percentages: 1 (10%) of 10…  P- values and confidence intervals  Avoid discussion of results in this section WHAT DID YOU FIND?

9. Results II WHAT DID YOU FIND?  Tables & figures-straightforward, concise, not duplicative, should stand alone  Table(s) short & specific title at top  Figure(s) - concise legends, avoid distracters

10. Discussion I  Always focus on your results  Outline 3 to 5 main points that come from results  Build a paragraph for each point  Finally permitted latitude to elaborate and speculate WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

11. Discussion II  First answer to the research question posed in the Introduction  Summarize previous work-compare your results  Explain what is new without exaggerating and its implications  What does your results mean?  Strengths and weaknesses in relation to other studies, particularly any differences in results WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

12. Introduction  Short (3 paragraphs)  First paragraph Brief background-establish context, relevance, nature of the problem/question/purpose  Second paragraph Importance of the problem and unresolved issues  Last paragraph Rationale: state hypothesis/main objective/purpose WHAT IS THE QUESTION/OBJECTIVE? What we know? What we don’t know? Why we did this study?

13. Abstract  Critical part of paper  Determines further reading of paper  Structured format  Avoid abbreviations  Write and rewrite until flawless  Clear and concise

14. Writing Style Accuracy & Clarity  Proper words in proper places make the true definition of style. --Jonathan Swift  Have something to say and say it as clearly as you can… the essence of style. --Matthew Arnold  If writing is unclear, readers and reviewers won’t understand  Avoid vague language  Multiple mistakes in spelling and syntax, suggests similar sloppiness in the project  Check and double check data

15. Writing Style Accuracy & Clarity  Use active voice whenever possible Active voice: the subject is performing the verb Passive voice: the subject receives the action expressed in the verb Passive (more wordy) Active (more concise) For eg.,  There are treatment guidelines for carcinoma that were reported by Khalid, et al.  Correction: Treatment guidelines for carcinoma were reported by Khalid, et al.  Better: Khalid, et al. reported treatment guidelines for carcinoma. (Active voice)

16. Writing Style Accuracy & Clarity  All first drafts have too many words  Next drafts: prune vigorously, avoid repetition, wordiness, long sentences, excessive adverbs/adjectives  Strip every sentence  Writing improves in proportion to deletion of unnecessary words  When you have the choice of two words, use the simpler one  The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. --Thomas Jefferson

17. Simplify  a majority of = most  a considerable amount of = much  a number of = several/some  on account of = because  referred to as = called  has the capacity to = can  it is clear that = clearly  at the present time = now  give rise to = cause  is defined as = is  subsequent to = after “Those who have the most to say usually say it with the fewest words”

18. Revise, Revise and Revise  You may not be a very good writer, but be an excellent rewriter  Always look from a distance--see your paper as a reviewer  Polish the writing style  Double check spelling  Double check references

19. Submission  Identify the appropriate journal  Read “Instructions for Authors” thoroughly  Conform to “Instructions” precisely  Avoid careless mistakes

20. What Editors Like About Papers  Originality  Interesting to readers, important messages  Clear questions, correct methods  Clear presentation (style)  Good grammar Editors and reviewers spend hours reading manuscripts, and greatly appreciate receiving papers that are easy to read and edit!

21. What Happens Next?  Acceptance  Revision  Rejection The Review Process