How to Publish in Biomedical Journals Tips of the Trade from an

How to Publish
in Biomedical Journals
Tips of the Trade from an
Itinerant Scientist and Journal Editor
Steven J. Fliesler, PhD
Professor, Depts. of Ophthalmology and
Pharmacological & Physiological Science,
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Section Editor, Experimental Eye Research
Editorial Board,
Board, the Journal of Lipid Research
Academic Research Capstone
(updated March 2007)
Useful Resources
* How to Publish in Biomedical Journals
(Liz Wager http://www.emwa.org/Articles/PubinBJs.html )
Wager E, Jefferson T & Godlee F (2002). Peer Review: A Survival
Guide for Healthcare Professionals, BMJ Books, London
* Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to
Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for
Biomedical Publication
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
http://www.icmje.org
http://www.icmje.org//
• Markovitz B. Electronic journals: time for a new
paradigm in biomedical communication.
J Intensive Care Med 1998;13:158-167.
First Things First
Choose the right journal
*Consider the implications of your research, your
intended audience and the message you want to
communicate.
Ask colleagues which journals they read and
respect; where are most papers in your field
published?
Browse back-issues to understand the journal's
scope. (“who and what”-- “Impact Factor”)
Check that the format you have chosen is
acceptable (e.g., don't send a review to a journal
that only publishes original research).
Instructions to Authors
When all else fails….READ THE
DIRECTIONS!
Usually in inside back cover (print version)
or on website for journal
Points of journal style (manuscript text
layout, subheadings, length, etc.; literature
citations; illustration format/restrictions)
Specific directions for submitting
manuscript (print vs. electronic submission)
READ THE DIRECTIONS AGAIN!
The Journal of the American Medical Association--To Promote the Science and Art of Medicine and the
Betterment of the Public Health
Instructions for Authors
MANUSCRIPT CRITERIA AND INFORMATION
http://jama.ama-assn.org/ifora_current.dtl
JAMA is an international, peer-reviewed, general medical journal that is distributed
to readers in more than 140 countries and is published in multiple international
editions and languages.
Manuscript Submission. We encourage authors to submit manuscripts via e-mail.
Send manuscripts to the Editor, JAMA, at jamams@jama-archives.org. Include a
cover letter and complete contact information for the corresponding author: address,
telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. Tables, figures, and text should be
included in the same file if possible.
Manuscripts submitted by e-mail should not also be submitted by mail or fax.
See Manuscript Checklist and details in these instructions for additional
requirements. Editorial office contact information: JAMA, 515 N State St, Chicago,
IL 60610, USA; telephone: (312) 464-2402; fax: (312) 464-5824; e-mail:
jamams@jama-archives.org.
Categories of Articles
Original full-length articles (previously
unpublished material)
Short communications / case reports
Letters to the Editor / commentary
Review articles
Special communications (alerts, etc.)
Each journal has its own scope and types of articles accepted for publication,
Restrictions to form and style for each, etc.
Criteria for Manuscripts
(What the Editors look for)
Material is original and high-quality
Writing is clear and grammatically correct; style
conforms to journal guidelines
Study methods are appropriate
Data are valid (reproducible; statistical signif.)
Conclusions are supported by the data
Information is important (impact on field)
Topic has general biomedical interest (or
specific interest to the journal’s audience)
*Note: some journals have exceedingly stringent acceptance criteria, and only
publish a small percentage of articles submitted (e.g., Science, Nature, Cell, etc.)
Choosing the Correct Journal
for Your Manuscript Submission
“Aim high…but within reason (chances of success)”
“JIR targets hypocrisy, arrogance, and ostentatious
sesquipedalian circumlocution.
We're a friendly escape from the harsh and the hassle.
JIR makes you feel good!”
Norm Sperling
Editor
http://www.jir.com/home.html
spoofs
parodies
whimsies
burlesques
lampoons
satires
Sections/Components
of Manuscript
Abstract (typically 250-300 words; some may
have subheadings: Purpose; Methods;
Outcome Measures; Results; Conclusions)
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion / Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Literature cited
Tables; Figure Legends/Figures
Face Page
Title of article
Author list / Institutional affiliations
Designated “corresponding author” contact
information (incl. email, phone/fax)
Running (short) title
Keywords (*may be separate page)
Abbreviations (*may be separate page)
Note: some journals discourage headers/footers with
author ID info on subsequent ms pages (“blind” review)
Figures
Graphs and other line art / illustrations;
images (photos / photomicrographs)
Publication quality?
Conform to journal specifications?
Number (too many? too few?)
B&W vs. color (necessary? $$$)
Labels?
*Journal usually specifies to annotate each figure (on back) with fig. no.,
last name of corresponding author, and indication of preferred orientation
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Submitted figures (electronic format) may
be subject to extraordinary scrutiny,
looking for signs of “manipulation”
See editorial by Nicholas Wade (New York
Times, Jan. 24, 2006): “It May Look
Authentic; Here's How to Tell It Isn't”
Many leading journals are now instituting
this practice
The New York Times (January 24, 2006)
It May Look Authentic; Here's How to Tell It Isn't
By NICHOLAS WADE
Among the many temptations of the digital age, photo-manipulation has
proved particularly troublesome for science, and scientific journals are
beginning to respond.
Some journal editors are considering adopting a test, in use at The
Journal of Cell Biology, that could have caught the concocted images
of the human embryonic stem cells made by Dr. Hwang Woo Suk.
At The Journal of Cell Biology, the test has revealed extensive
manipulation of photos. Since 2002, when the test was put in place,
25 percent of all accepted manuscripts have had one or more
illustrations that were manipulated in ways that violate the journal's
guidelines, said Michael Rossner of Rockefeller University, the
executive editor. The editor of the journal, Ira Mellman of Yale, said that
most cases were resolved when the authors provided originals. "In 1
percent of the cases we find authors have engaged in fraud," he
said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/science/24frau.html?ex=1140411600&en=4658d23018bca48a&ei=5070
Forms, Forms, Forms
Checklist (items specified by journal)
Copyright transfer agreement (all authors sign?
corresponding author signs on behalf of all
coauthors?) In addition to “ownership”:
*manuscript is original, and not under consideration for
publication elsewhere
*all coauthors have reviewed and approved the final
version of the manuscript being submitted
Other authorizations (e.g., to reproduce material from
another copyrighted source)
Assurances (formal statement regarding ethical
treatment of animals and/or human subjects used in
research)
Cover Letter: Be Professional
Use official letterhead (verifies where you work).
Get the editor's name right! (misspelling editor’s
name or sending a letter addressed to previous
editor does not inspire confidence).
Describe SUCCINCTLY what you found and why
this will interest the readers of the journal; what is
key message / implications of your findings?
WHY are you submitting to THIS particular journal?
Show an understanding of the journal's readership
and/or previous related publications.
Consult the Instructions to Authors for necessary
wording (e.g., that the paper is not being
considered for publication by other journals; etc.)
Can recommend/exclude referees!
Now that it’s submitted….
Journals usually acknowledge receipt of
submissions (typically by email)
Usually assign a reference number for all further
correspondence.
Once you have received this acknowledgement,
ALL YOU CAN DO IS WAIT!
Some journals (notably the pay journals and
electronic ones) aim to make a decision in a
couple of weeks. For the rest, decision-making
usually takes from 2 to 6 months.
The Big Clock (1948)
Stages of the Process*
Editorial office receives manuscript
Editor (or Section Editor) assigns it to an
Editorial Board Member (EBM)
EBM sends it to referees for review
(usually with time limit, e.g,. 2 wks)
Referees file review report; EBM makes
recommendation to Editor/Section Editor
Editor/Section Editor informs authors of
decision
* Different journals may vary in the exact stages and means used
for handling manuscripts
Possible Outcomes
Outright rejection (gee, that was quick!)
Rejection with an invitation to make major
changes and resubmit (usually re-reviewed by
same referees as original)
Conditional acceptance (pending minor revisions
in response to referees’ comments)
Acceptance (unconditional; no revisions)
“Yeah, baby, YEAH!”
Manuscript rejected?
DON’T JUMP OFF A BRIDGE! Read the
referees' or Editor's comments carefully after the
initial disappointment has worn off.
Put away the reviews for a couple of days, then
read them again and decide, with your coauthors, whether or not to change the paper.
Re-submitting to the same journal is not usually
worthwhile. However, if you feel the critiques are
completely flawed, or you are able to answer the
major criticisms, it may be worth appealing the
decision to the Editor. (In most cases, though, it
is better to submit elsewhere.)
“Conditional” Acceptance?
Conditional on the authors responding suitably to
the referees' comments.
NOTE: Usually, you DO NOT have to make ALL
the changes indicated by the referees (unless
explicitly told to do so by the Editor), but you do
have to adequately address all their concerns.
If you are unwilling to change something, you can
REBUT the criticisms, but must give compelling
arguments.
Prepare a detailed letter of response describing
EXACTLY what changes have been made to the
original manuscript. If reviewers number their
comments, use their numbering system for your
response.
“Conditional” Acceptance?
If you find errors overlooked by the referees or
you feel inspired to make changes not suggested
by the reviewers, you should identify these in the
cover letter. (In most cases, Editors are happy to
accept these, since it is easier to make changes
at this stage than after typesetting. )
Some journals return revised papers to the
original referees; alternatively, the Editor may
decide directly whether to accept the revised
manuscript. Editors also may send your paper to
another reviewer, e.g., a statistician. Regardless,
you will get a response to your revised paper.
In some cases, the Editor will request that you
make further changes. The same rules apply.
Once the paper is accepted:
You will receive formal notification of
acceptance (email; letter).
RETAIN THIS NOTIFICATION as proof of
acceptance. (e.g., In case you want to cite your
work elsewhere before it is published, you may
need to provide evidence that your manuscript is
"in press“).
Some journals now immediately posting the
manuscript version to their web sites (“EPublished ahead of print”) Another good reason
to make sure everything is 100% correct in the
final version submitted to the journal.
After the dust settles….
You will receive “page proofs” of your manuscript
from the publisher.
Before it is typeset, it will undergo technical editing.
(sub-editors are experts in preparing papers for
printing, good at picking up errors/inconsistencies,
and putting paper into that journal’s style.
Journals usually expect a rapid response to proofs
(24-48 hours, faxed, emailed, or both). Make sure
Editor is informed, re: changes to corresponding
author's contact info.
Normally, ALL CHANGES are marked directly on
the proofs; it also is a good idea to provide a cover
letter, reiterating the corrections.
Sit back, relax…. or start your next paper!
Electronic (Web-Based) Journals
http://www.health.library.mcgill.ca/ejournal/intro.htm#ejournals Electronic Biomedical Publishing
BioMed Central (BMC) - the new barrier-free NIH
repository for peer-reviewed primary research reports in
the life sciences. Through a series of newly created BMC
journals, now indexed in PubMed, the site publishes
research articles in all areas of biomedical research with
full peer review.
PubMed Central - developed by the National Center for
Biotechnology Information (NCBI), PubMed Central is an
open access archive of journal literature for all of the life
sciences.
NetPrints: Clinical Medicine and Health Research - a
collaboration between the BMJ Publishing Group and
Stanford University Library's HighWire Press, NetPrints is
another web-based repository for "preprints". The
philosophy underlying the site is set out in an article in the
December 11, 1999 issue of the British Medical Journal.
Electronic Publishing Resources
Bibliography of Canadian Medical Periodicals - compiled by David
Crawford
Biomedical Journal Title Search, converts abbreviated journal titles
into full titles or vice versa. Ohio State University
Biomedical Publishers, provides an alphabetical listing of biomedical
publishers. Vanderbilt University
Citation Style Guides for Internet and Electronic Sources. Provides
examples of how to cite different electronic resources in
bibliographies. University of Alberta Libraries.
Citing Datafiles & Internet Sources - McIntyre Library, University of
Wisconsin Eau-Claire
Electronic Reference Formats - American Psychological Association
Instructions to Authors in the Health Sciences - provides instructions
for over 2,000 journals in the health sciences. Medical College of
Ohio
National Library of Medicine Recommended Formats for
Bibliographic Citation. Supplement: Internet Formats. July 2001
One day you wake up, and you realize….
…you’re one of the few, the proud, the PUBLISHED!