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Top 7 Research Publication Tips for Medical Doctors

Top 7 research publication tips for medical doctors from Dr. Zoya Marinova, freelance medical writer on Kolabtree.

Top 7 Research Publication Tips for Medical Doctors: Publishing research results in scientific journals may be both a rewarding and challenging task. Scientific publications are the most widely accepted way to share your research results and to receive credit for your work.

Often, scientific publications are also a necessary prerequisite for career advancement and for the acquisition of future research funding. However, busy medical doctors may find it difficult to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the complex process of manuscript writing and publication. What steps can help medical doctors to accelerate the research publication process?

  1. Select an important research question 

Arguably, the most important step you can take to publish your research is to select an important and novel research question. Medical researchers have the unique opportunity to translate unmet clinical needs they have faced in their practice into research projects. Meanwhile, they can also apply novel research findings into the clinical practice. This interplay between research and clinical work can benefit both fields greatly.

An example is the description of clinical cases with unusual presentations that may be published as case reports and may help educate other physicians. Even discoveries with huge impact may begin with clinical observations made by medical doctors.

  1. Create a technically sound experimental plan

To publish your research and to do so in a timely manner, you need realistic plan for your project. In clinical studies, the study design, inclusion and exclusion criteria, diagnostic criteria, endpoints, treatments, and research instruments should be clearly and carefully defined. In basic and translational studies, the application of an appropriate study design and the use of approaches that provide mechanistic insight strengthen the study.

In many cases, ethical research aspects should be considered. You can find project-specific information through the institution you conduct your research at. General information on the ethical research aspect can be found through publicly available publications and guidelines. Freelance clinical trial experts can help with statistical analysis and optimizing study design.

  1. Conduct a well-designed statistical analysis

Conducting a well-designed statistical analysis is a necessary step to reach valid study conclusions. A power analysis will help you determine your sample size, so that you can detect a certain effect with a certain degree of confidence. Another major step is the selection of appropriate tests and thresholds for statistical significance. When multiple statistical tests are conducted, a correction for multiple testing should be considered. Information and advice on the selection and performance of statistical analyses for biomedical studies is available through a number of published or online resources such as here and here. UCLA offers a guide to choosing an appropriate statistical test.

Different statistical software programs can be used; whereas some require a subscription, others including the R environment are publicly available. Working with a freelance statistician can help you save time and energy.

  1. Select an appropriate journal 

Selecting an appropriate journal for the submission of a manuscript will accelerate the publication process and allow the study results to reach the target audience. Reviewing the aims and scope of the journal of interest will provide an initial impression of its suitability. Searching the journal for publications on a similar topic may provide further insight on whether the manuscript is likely to be of interest to the editors. The impact factor is a widely used measure that may aid the selection of an appropriate journal for your manuscript.

  1. Tell an engaging story 

Telling your readers an engaging and well-structured story will increase the chances of its acceptance. Do your best to follow a clear and logical narrative. In all cases, it is important to highlight the novelty and significance of your study and to clarify the unmet clinical need or lack of knowledge, which necessitates it. Tailoring your language and presentation to the knowledge and interests of your target audience will ensure that readers find your manuscript both easy to understand and interesting.

  1. Structure your manuscript well 

Journals provide detailed author guidelines, which list the requirements for manuscript length, structure, and formatting. The use of clear and concise language and the visualization of the data with figures and tables are effective tools to improve the readability and clarity of your manuscript.

If you face difficulties during the writing process, you can find guidance in published articles (here and here) or enlist the help of freelance medical writers. There are various strategies to write effectively including scheduling writing time, preparing an outline first, preparing your figures and tables early on, and beginning with a section generally considered easier to write such as the Materials and Methods.

  1. Work constructively with the reviewers and editors 

A journal editor will conduct an initial assessment of your manuscript. If it is of interest, the editor will invite scientists with expertise in the field to review your manuscript. The review process gives you the opportunity to receive critical feedback on your work and to improve it. After receiving the reviewers’ comments, do your best to address them and to implement the requested changes. Respond to the reviewers’ comments in a constructive manner to convince them of the merit of your research and to explain the performed revisions.

The scientific publication process is complex and time-consuming, and following the above tips may help to navigate it and to reach your publication goal more quickly. However, the most important tip is to keep a positive outlook, even if the first manuscript submission is not successful. Following a well-thought out approach, you will be able to identify the most suitable journal for your manuscript and increase your chances of publication success.

Author bio: 

Dr. Zoya Marinova is a freelance medical writer on Kolabtree. She has experience in preparing scientific manuscripts, medical information letters, clinical documents, educational materials, and healthcare articles. Her research interests are in the fields of epigenetics and molecular neurobiology.  She has worked on basic, translational, and clinical research projects on the molecular mechanisms of CNS disorders.

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