PRESENTING AND PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE

PRESENTING AND PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE

There is no point in conducting a research or audit project and then leaving the results unreported. Even when results are negative, they are worth distributing; no project if properly conducted is worthless. Under-reporting of negative outcomes causes a systematic bias in the literature in favour of positive trials. Most studies do not provide dramatic results, and few surgeons publish seminal articles. The key to both presentation and publication is to decide on the message and then aim for an appropriate forum. Big important randomised studies or national audits merit presen tation at national or international meetings and publication in international journals . Small observational studies and audits Alejandro R Jadad Bechara , b.1963, Canadian–Colombian physician, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. - - are more often accepted for presentation at regional meetings and for publication in smaller specialist journals. Help and - advice from clinicians familiar with presentation and publica - tion are invaluable at this stage. The most important piece of advice is to follow accurately the instructions for journal sub - mission. Most international meetings will accept presentations eagerly (especially by poster) as this increases the attendance at a conference . Most surgeons publish research in peer-reviewed journals . The work that is submitted is checked anonymously by other surgeons before publication. If in doubt about whether to sub - mit to a journal, many editors will give advice about the suit - ability of an article for submission to their journal. It is usually free to publish in surgical journals since the cost of refereeing and editing is borne by the journal subscriber. A second model of publication is becoming mor e prevalent: open access, in which the author pays. This ensures that all research is visible to anyone, by pushing the costs of the editorial process onto the - study budget. It may well become standard in future. Convention dictates that articles are submitted in IMRAD form: introduction, methods, results and discussion. Increas -

(CONSORT) checklist for authors. Heading Subheading Descriptor Title Identify as randomised trial Abstract Structured format Introduction Prospectively de /f_i ned hypotheses, clinical objective Protocol Methods Study population Intervention, timing Primary and secondary outcome Statistical rationale Stopping rules Assignment Unit of randomisation Method: allocation schedule Masking (blinding) Results Participant /f_l ow Trial pro /f_i le, /f_l ow diagram and follow-up Analysis Estimated effect of intervention Summary data with appropriate inferential statistics Protocol deviation Comment Speci /f_i c interpretation of study Sources of bias External validity General interpretation From the CONSORT statement: Journal of the American Medical Association 1996; 276: 637–9.

face of scientific publication and, in the next decade, these restrictions on style may disappear. For now , the IMRAD for mat remains inviolable. The length of an article is important: a paper should be as long as the size of the message. Readers of large randomised multicentre trials need to kno w as much detail about the study as possible; reports on small and simple trials should be brief. /uni25CF Introduction . This should always be short. A brief background of the study should be presented and then the aims of the trial or audit outlined. /uni25CF Methods . The methodology and study design should be given in detail. It is important to identify potential biases. New techniques or investigations should be detailed in full; if they are common practice or have been described else where, this should be referenced instead of described. /uni25CF Results . Results are almost always best shown diagram matically using tables and figures. Results shown in the form of a diagram need not then be duplicated in the text. /uni25CF Discussion . It is important not to repeat the introduc tion or reiterate the results in this section. The study should be interpreted intelligently and any suggestions for future studies or changes in management should be made. It is prudent not to indulge in flights of fantasy or wild imagi nation about future possibilities; most journal editors will delete these. Recently , a standard format for the discussion section has been promoted, and journals such as the are keen that authors use it. /uni25CF References . This section should include all relevant papers recording previous studies on the subject in ques tion. The reference section does not usually have to be exhaustive, but should include up-to-date articles. Remem ber to present the references in the style of the journal of submission. PRESENTING AND PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE

There is no point in conducting a research or audit project and then leaving the results unreported. Even when results are negative, they are worth distributing; no project if properly conducted is worthless. Under-reporting of negative outcomes causes a systematic bias in the literature in favour of positive trials. Most studies do not provide dramatic results, and few surgeons publish seminal articles. The key to both presentation and publication is to decide on the message and then aim for an appropriate forum. Big important randomised studies or national audits merit presen tation at national or international meetings and publication in international journals . Small observational studies and audits Alejandro R Jadad Bechara , b.1963, Canadian–Colombian physician, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. - - are more often accepted for presentation at regional meetings and for publication in smaller specialist journals. Help and - advice from clinicians familiar with presentation and publica - tion are invaluable at this stage. The most important piece of advice is to follow accurately the instructions for journal sub - mission. Most international meetings will accept presentations eagerly (especially by poster) as this increases the attendance at a conference . Most surgeons publish research in peer-reviewed journals . The work that is submitted is checked anonymously by other surgeons before publication. If in doubt about whether to sub - mit to a journal, many editors will give advice about the suit - ability of an article for submission to their journal. It is usually free to publish in surgical journals since the cost of refereeing and editing is borne by the journal subscriber. A second model of publication is becoming mor e prevalent: open access, in which the author pays. This ensures that all research is visible to anyone, by pushing the costs of the editorial process onto the - study budget. It may well become standard in future. Convention dictates that articles are submitted in IMRAD form: introduction, methods, results and discussion. Increas -

(CONSORT) checklist for authors. Heading Subheading Descriptor Title Identify as randomised trial Abstract Structured format Introduction Prospectively de /f_i ned hypotheses, clinical objective Protocol Methods Study population Intervention, timing Primary and secondary outcome Statistical rationale Stopping rules Assignment Unit of randomisation Method: allocation schedule Masking (blinding) Results Participant /f_l ow Trial pro /f_i le, /f_l ow diagram and follow-up Analysis Estimated effect of intervention Summary data with appropriate inferential statistics Protocol deviation Comment Speci /f_i c interpretation of study Sources of bias External validity General interpretation From the CONSORT statement: Journal of the American Medical Association 1996; 276: 637–9.

face of scientific publication and, in the next decade, these restrictions on style may disappear. For now , the IMRAD for mat remains inviolable. The length of an article is important: a paper should be as long as the size of the message. Readers of large randomised multicentre trials need to kno w as much detail about the study as possible; reports on small and simple trials should be brief. /uni25CF Introduction . This should always be short. A brief background of the study should be presented and then the aims of the trial or audit outlined. /uni25CF Methods . The methodology and study design should be given in detail. It is important to identify potential biases. New techniques or investigations should be detailed in full; if they are common practice or have been described else where, this should be referenced instead of described. /uni25CF Results . Results are almost always best shown diagram matically using tables and figures. Results shown in the form of a diagram need not then be duplicated in the text. /uni25CF Discussion . It is important not to repeat the introduc tion or reiterate the results in this section. The study should be interpreted intelligently and any suggestions for future studies or changes in management should be made. It is prudent not to indulge in flights of fantasy or wild imagi nation about future possibilities; most journal editors will delete these. Recently , a standard format for the discussion section has been promoted, and journals such as the are keen that authors use it. /uni25CF References . This section should include all relevant papers recording previous studies on the subject in ques tion. The reference section does not usually have to be exhaustive, but should include up-to-date articles. Remem ber to present the references in the style of the journal of submission. PRESENTING AND PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE

There is no point in conducting a research or audit project and then leaving the results unreported. Even when results are negative, they are worth distributing; no project if properly conducted is worthless. Under-reporting of negative outcomes causes a systematic bias in the literature in favour of positive trials. Most studies do not provide dramatic results, and few surgeons publish seminal articles. The key to both presentation and publication is to decide on the message and then aim for an appropriate forum. Big important randomised studies or national audits merit presen tation at national or international meetings and publication in international journals . Small observational studies and audits Alejandro R Jadad Bechara , b.1963, Canadian–Colombian physician, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. - - are more often accepted for presentation at regional meetings and for publication in smaller specialist journals. Help and - advice from clinicians familiar with presentation and publica - tion are invaluable at this stage. The most important piece of advice is to follow accurately the instructions for journal sub - mission. Most international meetings will accept presentations eagerly (especially by poster) as this increases the attendance at a conference . Most surgeons publish research in peer-reviewed journals . The work that is submitted is checked anonymously by other surgeons before publication. If in doubt about whether to sub - mit to a journal, many editors will give advice about the suit - ability of an article for submission to their journal. It is usually free to publish in surgical journals since the cost of refereeing and editing is borne by the journal subscriber. A second model of publication is becoming mor e prevalent: open access, in which the author pays. This ensures that all research is visible to anyone, by pushing the costs of the editorial process onto the - study budget. It may well become standard in future. Convention dictates that articles are submitted in IMRAD form: introduction, methods, results and discussion. Increas -

(CONSORT) checklist for authors. Heading Subheading Descriptor Title Identify as randomised trial Abstract Structured format Introduction Prospectively de /f_i ned hypotheses, clinical objective Protocol Methods Study population Intervention, timing Primary and secondary outcome Statistical rationale Stopping rules Assignment Unit of randomisation Method: allocation schedule Masking (blinding) Results Participant /f_l ow Trial pro /f_i le, /f_l ow diagram and follow-up Analysis Estimated effect of intervention Summary data with appropriate inferential statistics Protocol deviation Comment Speci /f_i c interpretation of study Sources of bias External validity General interpretation From the CONSORT statement: Journal of the American Medical Association 1996; 276: 637–9.

face of scientific publication and, in the next decade, these restrictions on style may disappear. For now , the IMRAD for mat remains inviolable. The length of an article is important: a paper should be as long as the size of the message. Readers of large randomised multicentre trials need to kno w as much detail about the study as possible; reports on small and simple trials should be brief. /uni25CF Introduction . This should always be short. A brief background of the study should be presented and then the aims of the trial or audit outlined. /uni25CF Methods . The methodology and study design should be given in detail. It is important to identify potential biases. New techniques or investigations should be detailed in full; if they are common practice or have been described else where, this should be referenced instead of described. /uni25CF Results . Results are almost always best shown diagram matically using tables and figures. Results shown in the form of a diagram need not then be duplicated in the text. /uni25CF Discussion . It is important not to repeat the introduc tion or reiterate the results in this section. The study should be interpreted intelligently and any suggestions for future studies or changes in management should be made. It is prudent not to indulge in flights of fantasy or wild imagi nation about future possibilities; most journal editors will delete these. Recently , a standard format for the discussion section has been promoted, and journals such as the are keen that authors use it. /uni25CF References . This section should include all relevant papers recording previous studies on the subject in ques tion. The reference section does not usually have to be exhaustive, but should include up-to-date articles. Remem ber to present the references in the style of the journal of submission.