Anatomy of a Manuscript How to write a manuscript in 19 sentences

1. Anatomy of a ManuscriptHow to write a manuscript in 19 sentences David Bangsberg, MD, MPH Director Massachusetts General Center for Global Health Harvard Medical School Harvard Initiative for Global Health

2. Types of Manuscripts • Full research report • 3000 words • 3-4 main/supporting points • 3-4 tables figures • Brief report • 1800 words • 1-2 main/supporting points • 1-2 table/figure • Research letter • 800 words • 1 point • 0-1 table/figures

3. Types of Manuscripts • Review Article • Editorial • Case report

4. Anatomy of a Manuscript • Title page • Abstract • Introduction • Methods • Results • Tables/Figures • Discussion • Acknowledgements

5. Which to write first? • Title page • Abstract • Introduction • Methods • Results • Tables/Figures • Discussion • Acknowledgements

6. Writing Order • Introduction (brief literature review) • Ghost Tables/Figures (analytic plan) • Methods • Tables/Figures • Results • Discussion • Abstract • Title page • Acknowledgements

7. Introduction • Nature of problem and significance • Context within prior knowledge • Specific research objectives and preplanned analyses, including subgroup analyses

8. Introduction3 paragraphs • Paragraph #1: What we know • Limit to only pertinent references • Paragraph #2: What we don’t know. • Paragraph #3: What we did to find out • Primary and secondary research objectives • Preplanned subgroup analyses

9. Figures/Table • Aim for 3-4 total • Table 1: Patient characteristics • Table 2-4: one each research objective

10. Tables • Purpose • Concise display of info • Provide several levels of detail • Reduces length of text • Restrict table/figures to explain argument and assess report

11. Tables • Double space on single page • Number consecutively in order of first citation in text • Title should summarize data • Do not use horizontal lines • Give each column a brief/abbreviated heading • Footnote explanatory matter • Identify statistical measures of variation • Double space legend on separate page

12. Figures • Number consecutively according to order cited • High resolution images • Letters numbers and symbols need to be clear and sufficient size • Include titles and detailed explanations in legend rather than figure • Double space legend on separate page

13. Methods • Study design • Subject selection • Source population • Inclusion criteria • Exclusion criteria • Rationale for inclusion/exclusion criteria

14. Methods • Technical information • Variable definition and measurement • Reference well known procedures • Briefly describe and reference less known procedures • Describe in detail new procedures • Provide rationale for procedure selection • Apparatus: manufacturer name and city in parentheses

15. Methods • Statistical/Analytic methods • Provide enough detail for a knowledgeable reader with access to original data to verify results • Specific analytic methods • Software • Approach to bias/confounding • Human subjects approval

16. Methods3-5 paragraphs • Paragraph #1: participant selection • Paragraph #2-4: variables and procedures for each primary and secondary objective • Last paragraph: analytic methods

17. Results • Narrative should be same logical sequence as tables/figures • Summarize rather than repeat all data from tables in text • Include absolute numbers with percentages

18. Results3-4 paragraphs • Paragraph #1 • Patient recruitment • Accept/decline • Patient characteristics • Paragraph #2 • Evidence for first objective • Paragraph #3 • Evidence for second objective • Paragraph #4 • Evidence for third objective

19. Discussion • Summarize new and important findings • Conclusions should follow objectives • Suggest mechanism • Suggest clinical implications • Discuss limitations

20. Discussion5 paragraphs • Paragraph 1 • Summarize main finding • Paragraph 2 • Summarize supporting findings • Paragraph 3 • What are the implications • How does it change practice? • Paragraph 4 • Limitations • Paragraph 5 • Summary/conclusion

21. References • Cite primary work over review articles • Avoid abstracts when possible • “in press” articles require permission • Avoid personal communication unless it provides essential information not available from a public source – include person and date • Check accuracy and formatting

22. Title Page • Concise title that includes important info • Study design • Research question/finding • Makes electronic retrieval sensitive and specific • Authors names and institutional affiliations • Corresponding author: name, mailing address, fax, email • Sources of grant support • Running head (<40 characters) • Word count for text only • Number of figures/tables

23. Abstract • Content or background • Study purpose • Basic procedures • Selection of subjects • Key variables • Analytic methods • Main findings including effect sizes/statistical significance • Principal conclusions

24. Key Words • 3-10 works that capture main topics for indexing

25. Abbreviations • Only standard abbreviations • ARV or ART • Use full term, then abbreviation in parentheses after first use

26. Acknowledgement • Individuals who made essential contributions • Funding source

27. Cover letter • Format of article • Brief summary of finding • Statement of non-redundancy of submission of publication • Conflict of interest • Read and approved by all authors • Contact info for corresponding author

28. Authorship Criteria • Substantial contribution to • Conception and design, or • Acquisition of data, or • Analysis and interpretation • Drafting and critical revision of manuscript for intellectual content • Final approval of submitted version

29. Authorship Order • First author • Design/conceive the study • Writes first draft • Partners with last author for subsequent drafts • Last author • Usually experienced investigator who partners with first author in interpretation, analysis, and writing • Second author • Major contribution • Third author • Important contributions • Middle authors • Everyone else who qualifies for authorship

30. Corresponding Author • Usually first or senior author • Submits manuscript • Corresponds with publisher/editor • Revision • Gallies • Receives subsequent correspondence from outside investigators

31. Conflict of Interest • Financial or personal relationship that inappropriately influences author, reviewer or editor • Employment consultancies, stock ownership, expert testimony • Same institution, relative, mentor, student, academic adversary • All potentially perceived rather than just actual conflicts should be disclosed

32. Redundant Publication • Substantial overlap with another manuscript in print or electronic media • Preliminary reporting to media, government agencies or manufactures violates editorial policy of many journals • Related work should be referred to and referenced • Consider including copies of related material • Does not apply to presentations at scientific conferences

33. Embargo • Defined date of release of published information • Determined by publisher • Creates level playing field amongst news agencies • Minimizes chaos of economically charged findings

34. Submission Process6-15 months • Approval of co-authors of final manuscript • Submission of manuscript and cover letter • Editorial review (2-3 weeks) • Reject • Send out for review • 1st review (6-12 weeks) • Reject • Reject and revise • Conditionally accept • Accept • 2nd Review (2-8 weeks) • Gallies (2-6 months) • Publication (1-3 months)

35. Strategies For Success • 2 uninterrupted hours per day • Write intro/methods while collecting data • Consider opinion/review paper while collecting data • Prepare ghost tables to guide analysis • Write topic sentence for each paragraph

36. Simple as 19 SentencesOne topic sentence per paragraph • Introduction • #1: What we know • #2: What we don’t know. • #3: What we did to find out • Methods • #4: participant selection • #5-9: variables and procedures for each primary and secondary objective • #10: analytic methods • Results • #11 Patient recruitment and characteristics • #12 Evidence for first objective • #13 Evidence for second objective • #14 Evidence for third objective • Discussion • #15 Summarize main finding • #16 Summarize supporting findings • #17 What are the implications/how does it change practice? • #18 Limitations • #19 Summary/conclusion