Welcome to the THIRD (free!) ISMPP Asia-Pacific Webinar

How to develop an SCI manuscript: Tips from a journal editor and a medical writer

Wednesday June 11 (during your morning, afternoon, or evening!)

Moderator: Dr Serina STRETTON PhD ISMPP CMPPTM ProScribe – Envision Pharma Group

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1. Today’s webinar 2. Lost in translation (August) 3. Encore publications (October) 4. Good Publication Practice 3 update (November) How to develop an SCI manuscript: Tips from a journal editor and a medical writer

Speaker: Professor Hong REN, MD Speaker: Dr Julie NEWMAN, ELS, ISMPP CMPPTM Moderator: Dr Serina STRETTON PhD, ISMPP CMPPTM Learning objectives

By the end of this webinar, attendees should be able to: 1. Understand what SCI journals are and what editors look for in submitted manuscripts 2. Identify the key features of a well-written, well- constructed manuscript 3. Apply practical tips on manuscript preparation, journal selection, and submission Faculty

• Professor Hong REN, MD • Editor-in-Chief, Chinese Journal of Hepatology • Highly respected leader in hepatology (more affiliations / key positions to be disclosed)

• Julie NEWMAN, ELS, ISMPP CMPPTM • Associate Director, Regional Strategic Medical Communications, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China, Intercon Asia-Pacific & Japan) • Chair, Asia-Pacific Education Taskforce and Member, Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee, ISMPP How to vote and ask a question

When the poll is shown here, I can vote – nobody will know how I voted

I can type my question here – only the facilitator and speakers can see it #1: Poll question to the audience

Which country are you from? • China • Japan • India • Korea • Taiwan • Thailand • Australia • Hong Kong/Singapore • Other #2: Poll question to the audience

What is your role? • Medical publication planner • Medical writer • Medical editor • Author • Medical investigator • Scientific advisor #3: Poll question to the audience

What is your preferred language in manuscripts? • English • Chinese • Japanese • Korean • Taiwanese How to develop an SCI Manuscript: Tips from a Journal Editor

Professor David Hong Ren Editor‐in‐Chief of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology Disclosures

• I am the chief executive officer of the second affiliated hospital and dean of the second clinical college, Chongqing Medical University (CMU) • I am the editor-in-chief of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology (CJH) • I am the vice chairman and head of hepatitis group of the Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association (CMA) • I am the director of the institute for viral hepatitis and the Chongqing Liver Diseases Center Presentation overview

• What does SCI stand for? • Why do we want to publish SCI-cited papers? • What is the best way to publish an SCI-cited paper? Chinese Journal of Hepatology

• Recognized as one of the top 100 Chinese academic journals (16 medical journals included in category) in 2013 • Winner of the “High-quality Science and Technology Journal Projects of China Association of Science and Technology” in 2013 • Rated No. 1 out of 19 journals by the Journal Evaluation Index of Disciplines • 9 papers rated among “China's most influential • excellent domestic academic papers” • Cited in Index Medicus, Medline and Pubmed

"The Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD)" core library journal Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology (JCTH)

• The JCTH is a peer-reviewed, open-access, specialist journal focusing on advances in clinical and basic research with direct application to the clinical management of liver diseases. • We invite you to submit original manuscripts and review articles. • Upon acceptance, articles are Full texts accessible at the JCTH often published within 3 months website (http://www.jcthnet.com) What is SCI?

• SCI stands for Science • The SCI is published by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI website: http://www.isinet.com) • Web version: Web of Knowledge Why are we so focused on in an SCI journal?

In China, publishing in an SCI journal is • A prerequisite for graduation, promotion and career development • A key requirement for grant applications • (eg, The Chinese National Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists) • Essential to apply for some specially engaged positions and international academic exchange programs Chinese papers in the SCI

The changing trend of Chinese papers in the SCI

Paper number Proportion of the world

190,100; 12.08%

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

The increasing rank of Chinese papers in the SCI Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Rank 8 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 2222

2013 Statistical Data of Chinese S&T Papers, the China Science and Technology Information Institute The SCI includes approximately 6200 core scientific journals

Sample Topics from over 1500 Topics in the SCI mathematics medicine physics life sciences chemistry astronomy agriculture geology veterinary sciences ( ≈ 120) geography forestry environmental science

engineering and material sciences technology Unique Features of SCI

• The Citation Index allows the user to obtain details about published papers: • Are they cited in the SCI database? • Has the paper been cited by other authors? • How often has the paper been cited? Understanding JCR and IF

• JCR stands for Journal Citation Reports

• IF stands for What is the SCI Index?

• “We live in a world that relies on citations”* • The SCI index is made available online through the database, a part of the Web of Knowledge collection of databases • This database allows a researcher to identify which later articles have cited any particular earlier , or cited the articles of any particular author, or determine which articles have been cited most frequently

*Garfield, E. Citation indexes for sciences. Science 122:108-11, 1955. Understanding Impact Factor

• A journal impact factor is the average number of times that articles published in a specific journal in the two previous years (eg 1998-99) were cited in a particular year (ie 2000)*

* Tree, v. 14, no. 10, Oct. 1999, p 382. Journal Partition of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

According to the journal’s IF, scientific merit, selectivity and influence, the Chinese Academy of Sciences allocates journals into 4 tiers: •The first tier comprises the top 5% of journals in the field •The second tier comprises the top 6%-20% of journals •The third tier comprises the top 21%-50% of journals •The fourth tier comprises the lower 50% of journals GASTROENTEROLOGY INFECTIOUS & HEPATOLOGY DISEASES Examples of Journal Impact Factors

Journal IF New England Journal of Medicine 51.658 Annual Review of Immunology 47.2 Science 30.03 Cell 29.19 Nature 26.68 The Lancet 25.8 The Journal of Experimental Medicine 14.48 The Lancet Infectious Diseases 11.81 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 9.64 Journal of Immunology 6.29 Journal of Biological Chemistry 5.81 Journal of Virology 5.34 Significance of IF

Impact Factor is important because it can: • Be used to judge the quality of journals/ magazines • Guide the submission of manuscripts to journals/magazines • Influence our decisions about whether to subscribe to particular journals/magazines Journal Publishing is a Very Competitive Business

Journals want: • New and exciting data to provide impactful content to their subscribers! • To publish high-quality articles that will get cited and improve their IF! • Your submissions to fill up the pages in their journals! Some Basic Truths About Publishing

• Poor research is almost always rejected • Sensational research is usually accepted − even if poorly written • However, most papers are neither; most are somewhere in the middle • Preparing a good, clean manuscript is essential if you want a chance of publishing it! What Do Journal Editors Want?

• Editors want to publish relevant, newsworthy material that will be cited in future articles • Information that has the potential to educate readers and improve patient care • Clear, concise and interesting writing • Good data and accurate analysis of data • Publishing is a big business, editors want cutting-edge data that sets them apart from their competitors • They want to sell journal subscriptions and provide impactful information Treatment Studies

• Randomized controlled trial • Double-blind randomized trial • Single-blind randomized trial • Non-blind trial • Adaptive clinical trial • Nonrandomised trial (quasi-experiments) • Interrupted time series design (samples from the same population are obtained several times before and after a manipulated event or a naturally occurring event) – considered a type of quasi-experiment Observational studies

• Cohort study • Prospective cohort • Retrospective cohort • Time-series study • Case-control study • Nested case-control study • Cross-sectional study • Ecological study How can I improve chances of getting published?

• Be prepared to spend at least three times longer preparing your manuscript than you think you will need

• Strive to improve your English proficiency (both general and professional) How?

• Become familiar with the general requirements and format of English articles • Select an appropriate journal for submission of your manuscript • Carefully follow the instructions for authors • Read a few sample articles from the latest issues What’s next?

• “Sell” your manuscript to the most appropriate journal • Get them interested in publishing it • Draft your manuscript strictly following the journal’s requirements Any short-cuts? No! Practice makes perfect!

• Revise and “polish” your draft manuscript with input from all co-authors • Prepare your figures and tables in a professional manner • Again, format your submission according to journal specifications • Be sure to cite and style all references correctly and in accordance with the journal’s preferred style Some Ideas for First Publications

• It can be hard for a young physician to get published for the first time • Some journals like the BMJ are keen to help and will accept non-clinical papers • Letters to the Editor • Case studies • Review articles • Minerva images (high-resolution images with a short educational message) My paper was rejected! Now what?

• Don’t give up! • Some Nobel prize winners have had their papers rejected too! • Take the reviewers comments constructively. • Revise you paper accordingly and resubmit if possible, if not, • Revise and submit to another journal. Learn and Follow Industry Good Publications Practices (GPP)

Learn and respect internationally recognized good publications practices: • Become familiar with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals http://www.icmje.org/urm_main.html • Review the GPP2 guidelines: Good publication practice for communicating company sponsored medical research http://www.bmj.com/content/339/bmj.b4330.full ICMJE Disclosure Statement

• This document is also available in Chinese and Japanese. • Please contact ICMJE for a copy. In Conclusion

• Publishing an SCI-cited manuscript may become a goal for you • Writing and publishing an SCI-cited manuscript is achievable if you work hard and follow good publication practice guidelines. • Taking your time to construct a high-quality manuscript is essential Good luck!

We wish you much success and hope that you will publish as many SCI-cited papers as possible! How to develop an SCI manuscript: Tips from a journal editor and a medical writer

Julie Newman, ELS, ISMPP CMPPTM • Chair, Asia-Pacific Educational Taskforce, APAC Committee, ISMPP • Associate Director, Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Disclosures

• I am a full-time employee of Bristol-Myers Squibb focusing on publications and medical education across Asia-Pacific, China and Japan. • I am a certified Editor of the Life Sciences (ELS). • I am a certified medical publications professional (CMPP) by the International Society of Medical Publications Professionals (ISMPP). • I am a member of the APAC Committee for ISMPP and Chair of the Asia-Pacific Educational Taskforce • The views expressed in this presentation are my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer. The Basic Elements of a Scientific Manuscript

• Title • • Introduction or Background • Methods • Results • Discussion • Conclusion • References • Acknowledgements Abstract & Title

• Your abstract and title are essential • They may be all that is read • Be sure to structure your abstract, if required, according to journal specifications • Let your abstract tell the whole story and be sure to tell it very well • A well-written and persuasive abstract will encourage the editor to read your paper. • Choose your article title carefully (not too clever, too promotional, too vague or too long!) Introduction/Background

Begin with a broad opening statement – make it catchy

Keep your intro short and sweet

Get to the point Follow a funnel approach to End with a sharp structure your hypothesis or introduction question The Methods Section

• Describe your methods in enough detail to permit replication or to allow reviewers/readers to assess the validity of the data • Explain the exact processes/methods followed in detail: • [e.g., “In this prospective, multicenter, open-label study in China, patients aged 23-77 years were enrolled 1∶1:1 according to weight range and baseline BMI: normal weight (BMI 18.5-23.9 kg/m2; n = 125); overweight (BMI 24.0-27.9 kg/m2; n = 122) or obese (BMI ≥28 kg/m2; n = 124…)] Describing the Results

• Tell the story succinctly (“We found that…”) • Use figures sparingly when needed to supplement the text – not to repeat it • Figures should be able to stand on their own, but always include a figure caption and reference figures consecutively in the text • Learn the right time to use the right graphic (eg, a pie chart, bar chart, graph, etc.) • Consider using photos, if appropriate, and de-identify patients to protect their privacy Always Double Check Your Math

• Because the journal editors sure will • Make sure you have checked and rechecked your facts and figures! No matter how simple it seems • Incorrect math will get your paper rejected quickly • Always use a qualified statistician to analyze your results Conclusion

• Restate main findings (key results) and move quickly to a broad conclusion • Place results in perspective – compare and contrast with other studies • Avoid excess repetition • Describe the limitations of study, analysis or data • Restrict interpretation to these results only • Discuss implications for practice or future research • Avoid the cliché conclusion, “more research is needed” References

• Always credit other people's work properly • Plagiarism occurs when the original author is not credited for their work • Follow the reference style specified by the journal • Always cite the original reference and make sure that you are citing it correctly • Referencing is exacting work, but you wouldn’t want someone using your work without acknowledging it! So be diligent when citing references in text, figures, and tables Before Submitting: Put on Your Thinking Cap and Double Check It All! • Pass your article around for review • Get comments from co- authors • Ask for feedback and criticism from your colleagues • Get a mentor’s opinion • Put it away for awhile and then re-read your article, while following these tips! Basic Elements of Style*

• Try a thesaurus to find a new word or expression • Spell check your work to avoid misspellings • Use your computer’s grammar checker to double check your writing • Avoid clichés and metaphors • Keep your sentence structure simple • Eliminate run-on ideas and sentences • Use subheads to break up your text and improve readability • Don’t repeat yourself over and over again. Basic Elements of Style*

*Check out this classic English style manual: The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by Strunk & White. Published by Longman; 4th edition, 1999 Other Respected Writing Resources

• “MPIP: The Authors’ Submission Toolkit: A practical guide to getting your research published” by Chipperfield, et al. Current Medical Research & Opinion Vol. 26, No. 8, 2010, 1967–1982. http://www.mpip- initiative.org/uploads/pdf/authorstoolkitPDF.pdf • American Medical Association Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, 12th edition. Oxford University Press; (March 15, 2007) • How to Write a Paper, 5th edition by Hall. Publisher: BMJ , Wiley- Blackwell (December 2012) • How to Write and Publish in the Medical Sciences, 2nd edition by Huth. Publisher: Williams & Wilkins; (January 1990) • “How to read a paper” series by Greenhalgh, et al. British Medical Journal, http://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/resources-readers/publications/how-read- paper • Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Truss. Publisher: Gotham; (April 2006) Write Simply and Directly

• Keep it simple and be direct • Write in the present! • For example, “you can gain unique experience” instead of “unique experience is gained” • Keep sentences and paragraphs short • Use subheads to break up the text • Don’t try to say everything all at once • Make sure your abstract is a “mini version” of your entire manuscript. They need to match. Keep it Interesting

• Have something worth writing about • Make it engaging • Always spell out abbreviations the first time you use them • Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) • Be specific about what country/area you are talking about • For example, when citing demographic data, say “Hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing” -- don’t say “Hospitals in first-tier cities” – be specific Spelling and Grammar

• Watch out for typos! • Read and re-read your paper and then read it again • Always double check spelling and grammar before submission • If you are a non-native English speaker, always grammar check your document (in American English if US or British English if UK) before submitting it • Poorly written articles may be rejected immediately • Poor grammar can make your paper hard to understand and detract from the data Punctuation Counts

• Punctuation is very important. • It enhances meaning and improves readability • It gives your writing style; punctuation saves space • Avoid hyperbole/don’t exaggerate • Learn when to use: comma, colon, semi-colon and dash • Read your paper out loud – listen to the way it sounds – better yet have someone read it to you so you can hear the way it sounds to someone else Review Your Work Again

• Review your manuscript and evaluate it for the ABCs of good : • Accuracy: spelling, double check your math • Brevity: keep it short – be concise in your language • Clarity: clear and straightforward writing and meaning; basic grammar • Style: choice of words; vary sentence structure, avoid repetition Avoid These Article- Killer Pitfalls

• Duplicate publication, without proper citation • Slicing and dicing of data to create additional publications without adding any new data (these are considered duplicate publications in some cases) • Public release of findings prior to publication • Online publication prior to publication You’ve Submitted Your Paper…

Be Prepared • For rejection • Journals rarely accept articles without revisions • To respond to comments promptly and in detail • Do not take the editors comments personally, they are meant to improve the paper What Happens After Your Article Has Been Submitted?

• Your article will be read by one of the journal editors • If the initial reviewer thinks your article is promising it may be: • Sent to another editor for a second opinion or • Immediately sent out for external depending on the article type • This means that other clinicians will be asked how suitable they think the article it is for publication • In general, comments from the reviewers and editors should be constructive Understanding the Review Process at the NEJM

All submissions to the NEJM are reviewed by journal editors and assigned to 1 of 4 categories: 1. Major Revision: The journal is interested, but the manuscript is not acceptable in its current form and needs to be revised to be considered for publication 2. Minor Revision: The manuscript requires some revisions before it can be accepted 3. Willing Rejection: The manuscript is not suitable for publication unless the authors conduct further research or collect additional data 4. Rejection: Publication is declined and the reviewers’ comments are provided to the authors Congratulations, Your Article Looks Promising!

Almost every paper requires some kind of revision • If a paper is provisionally accepted, the editor prepares a detailed letter for the author(s) outlining revisions required to meet publication standards. • Authors prepare a revised manuscript and provide a cover letter detailing the changes. Journal Acceptance Rates*

• The Lancet: 5% • British Medical Journal: 7% • NEJM: 8% to 10% ( 4000 submissions/yr) • JAMA: 9% (6000 submissions/yr) • Nature: 9% • Journal of Clinical Oncology: 18% • Diabetes Care: 19% • Journal of Hepatology: 30%

*The acceptance rate compares how many manuscripts are accepted relative to the total number of manuscripts submitted. It can be used to measure journal selectivity. Learning to Handle Rejection

• Remember that journal acceptance rates vary between 5%-30% • Rejection (70%-95%) is more common than acceptance! • Papers are rejected at three stages: • without review (50%) • after review (45%) • after revision (5%) Reasons for Rejection: General

• Issue is not important • Topic is not original • Content is not appropriate for journal • Data is old & now irrelevant • Practical difficulties causing doubtful results • Conflict of interest • Ethical issues Reasons for Rejection: Scientific

• Unclear hypothesis • Poor or weak study design • Sample size is biased or too small • Statistics are inappropriate or misapplied • Conclusions are unjustified • References are old and outdated Reasons for Rejection: Presentation/Style

• Poorly organized • Badly written (poor sentence structure/bad grammar) • Careless errors (typos) • Terrible tables • Needless figures • Outdated or improperly cited references Summary

• A well prepared manuscript has the best chance of acceptance • Identify appropriate journals for your research • Send a cover letter to the journal editor to see if they are potentially interested in your paper • Follow the journal’s instructions for authors exactly! • Double check your spelling, grammar and math • Keep your manuscript simple, direct and to the point • Be open to criticism, and • If at first you don’t succeed, “Try, try again.” THANK YOU & GOOD LUCK!

Please feel free to email me with any questions: [email protected] Reminder… how to ask a question

I can type my question here – only the facilitator and speakers can see it

76 Questions? Credit: Duke-NUS 2007 Credit:

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