Deciding what (or when) to publish

Deciding what (or when) to publish

• Deciding what (or when) to publish

• Identifying a target journal

• Following the journal’s instructions

• Submitting the paper

• Understanding the decision process

• Revising a paper

• Answering queries

• Reviewing proofs

Some factors to consider: quality of the work, extent of the work, interest to others

• Some factors to consider: quality of the work, extent of the work, interest to others

• Suggestions:

• Seek guidance in this regard from others in your field who are more experienced in publishing journal articles.
• Present your work orally first. Doing so can help in deciding whether the work is publishable and in shaping the paper.

Decide early (before drafting the paper). Do not write the paper and then look for a journal.

• Decide early (before drafting the paper). Do not write the paper and then look for a journal.

• Look for journals that have published work similar to yours.

• Consider journals that have published work that you will cite.

Audience

• Audience

• Prestige

• Access

• Impact

• Publication time

• Quality of reproduction

• Likelihood of acceptance

Usual locations: in the journal and on the journal’s Web site

• Usual locations: in the journal and on the journal’s Web site

• A collection of instructions from biomedical journals, including dental journals: http://mulford.meduohio.edu/instr/

• Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: http://www.icmje.org/

Read the instructions to authors before starting to prepare your paper.

• Read the instructions to authors before starting to prepare your paper.

• Consult the instructions while preparing your paper.

• Check the instructions again before submitting your paper.

What categories of article does the journal publish?

• What categories of article does the journal publish?

• What is the maximum length of articles?

• What is the maximum length of abstracts?

• Does the journal have a template for articles? If so, how can it be accessed?

• What sections should the article include? What are the guidelines for each?

What guidelines should be followed regarding writing style?

• What guidelines should be followed regarding writing style?

• How many figures and tables are allowed? What are the requirements for them?

• In what format should references appear? Is there a maximum number of references?

• In what electronic format should the paper be prepared?

Look at some recent issues of the journal. Doing so can help you gear your paper to the journal.

• Look at some recent issues of the journal. Doing so can help you gear your paper to the journal.

• Introduction: What was the question?

• Methods: How did you try to answer it?

• Results: What did you find?

• And

• Discussion: What does it mean?

(Title)

• (Title)

• (Authors)

• (Abstract)

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion

• (Acknowledgments)

• (References)

Introduction: starts by talking broadly about your topic and then narrows down to your own research

• Introduction: starts by talking broadly about your topic and then narrows down to your own research

• Methods: narrow—focuses on your research

• Results: narrow—focuses on your research

• Discussion: starts narrow (with your own research) and then broadens to discuss others’ research and then wider implications

Traditional submission (by mail)—now rare

• Traditional submission (by mail)—now rare

• Electronic submission

• Commonly via online submission system
• Sometimes as e-mail attachment

• Inclusion of a cover letter (conventional or electronic)

• Completion of required forms

Helpful to know because you might interact with each

• Helpful to know because you might interact with each

• Main categories:

• Editor-in-chief (and sometimes associate editors etc)—concerned mainly with content
• Managing editor(s)—concerned mainly with administration of the journal
• Manuscript editor(s)—improve the writing and maintain a consistent style

For appropriateness of subject matter

• For appropriateness of subject matter

• For compliance with instructions

• For overall quality (sometimes)

Evaluation by experts in the field

• Evaluation by experts in the field

• Purposes:

• To help the editor decide whether to publish the paper
• To help the authors improve the paper, whether or not the journal accepts it

Based on the peer reviewers’ advice, the editor’s own evaluation, the amount of space in the journal, other factors

• Based on the peer reviewers’ advice, the editor’s own evaluation, the amount of space in the journal, other factors

• Options:

• Accept as is (rare)
• Accept if suitably revised
• Reconsider if revised
• Reject

Revise and resubmit promptly.

• Revise and resubmit promptly.

• Indicate what revisions were made.

• Include a letter saying what revisions were made. If you received a list of requested revisions, address each in the letter.
• If requested, show revisions in Track Changes.

• If you disagree with a requested revision, explain why in your letter. Try to find a different way to solve the problem that the editor or reviewer noted.

Queries: questions from the manuscript editor

• Queries: questions from the manuscript editor

• Some topics of queries:

• Inconsistencies
• Missing information
• Ambiguities
• Other

• Advice: Respond promptly, politely, and completely yet concisely.

Proofs: typeset material to check

• Proofs: typeset material to check

• Review the proofs promptly.

• Some things to check:

• Completeness (presence of all components)
• Accuracy (absence of typographical errors in text and references)
• Placement of figures and tables
• Quality of reproduction of figures

• Note: This is not the time to rewrite the paper.

• Celebrate Publication of

• Your Paper!