Submitting your Research Paper
Categories Scientific Communication

Dos and Don’ts when Submitting your Research Paper

Do you think journal publication is an easy process?

You write a research paper, submit it to the journal office and Voila! The editors will publish your paper.

If you think so, you are mistaken. Submitting your paper for publication in your desired journal can be tedious as many things need to be taken care of.

Therefore, we are here to make your journal publication easy and successful through our publication support services experts. By keeping in mind a checklist of do’s and don’ts when submitting your paper, you can register as a good author in the eyes of the journal editors.

Do’s

  • Examine the scope of the journal and the description of its contents. The Homepage of the journal gives you an idea of its scope. Still, you must scroll through the articles published in the journal and see whether they match yours. If in doubt, send the title and the abstract of your paper to the journal office for their quick opinion.
  • Read the “Instructions for Authors” section carefully.
  • Evaluate the format of your paper. Do not keep the formatting for the last stage. Give regards to the appropriate format as per the journal guidelines right from the beginning to reduce your burden.
  • Clarify with your journal about the expenses on paper submission, coloured photos, or reprint charges.
  • Write an appropriate cover letter. A cover letter is not only for saying you are submitting a paper, but it should also contain a summary of your novel findings and why you consider your work as appropriate for the journal. Do not forget to cross-check that you address the editor of that journal only where you are submitting your paper.
  • Make sure you submit all the required items with your paper at the journal office.
  • Enlist the name of your English-speaking colleague if you take his help in preparing your manuscript.
  • Proofread your manuscript several times before you submit.
  • Include the names of all the authors with their comments on the manuscript before submitting. Set a deadline for all the co-authors to give their comments on the manuscript.

Don’ts

  • Assume things and sit back after submitting. After submitting your paper, wait for few days. If you don’t get an acknowledgement about the reception of your paper, email the journal office. Similarly, if you get no status update on your paper in 6 weeks to two months, contact the journal office.
  • Take the reviewer’s comments personally. Peer reviewers are not your critic but help to give your research paper a finishing touch. Usually, they don’t use personal language to comment on your paper but sometimes it slips through. So, don’t take their comments to heart.
  • Delay the revision of your paper. Most journals follow a two-month rule where they require you to submit your revised paper. Take the reviewer’s comments seriously and make the necessary changes as early as possible.
  • Confuse the editors and the reviewers with your revisions. Thank them for their suggestions and respond to each point in a clear and logical way so that they don’t have to fish about whether or not you adequately addressed the issues.
  • Include the data that has been published previously except when citing their reference.
  • Rely heavily on the grammar and plagiarism checking tools. Use a human eye for the second opinion.
What do Journal Editors Hate about the Research Papers
Categories Scientific Communication

What do Journal Editors Hate about the Research Papers?

You have written a good research manuscript; also proofread and edited it to present an error-free paper in front of the medical journal editors.

However, few mistakes are still lurking in your paper which may irritate the journal editors?

Know what these mistakes are?

If no, then it’s time to read further:

1) The opening line

Isaac Newton discovered gravity after an apple fell on his head in 1664.  This is a known fact and doesn’t interest the editors to read further. So, always begin your paper with a sentence that provokes the editor to take an interest in your work.

2) Claims of originality

Sentences in the manuscript like “We were the first to…” puts off the journal editors. They expect you to write what you did and what were your findings. The results of your research will depict the originality of your work, you need not claim it.

3) Disregard for the word count

Every journal mentions its acceptable word limit in the “Instructions for Authors”. Read them carefully and stick to the recommended word limit when you write the different sections of the manuscript; abstract, methods, results, etc. Prioritize what is important for the readers to know and omit the unnecessary information.

4) Unnecessary digits

Do not confuse the journal editors with large numbers like 25. 4,532,785%. Limit the digits to whole numbers for percentages greater than 10.

5) Comparatives without a comparison

If you compare your work with some previous work in the same domain, write it clearly and precisely how your technique is better and with whom you compare.

6) Use of the wrong terms

“This technique is workable…..

“This technique is absolutely accurate….

If you use such statements in your manuscript, the journal editors do not like it. They look for clear terminology such as “sensitivity” and “specificity”.

7) Figure and table legends are incomplete

When you include any figure and table in your research manuscript, make sure to write their legends. Legends must provide complete information about their source and significance. If the editor has to flip through the pages to search for the desired information, he will put aside your manuscript.

8) Citing figures and tables in the discussion

Do not mention specific figures or tables in the Discussion section. It does not require referencing other sections of the paper in the Discussion.

9) Abbreviations without definitions

Do not assume that the medical journal editors will understand the meaning of the abbreviations or acronyms you use in the paper. Therefore, you should define when you mention them in the paper, both for the first time and also in the Abstract, Introduction, and Figures/Tables.

10) Excessive use of acronyms

Though you define the acronyms used in your paper, it doesn’t permit you to use them in excess.  Use acronyms judiciously so that the editors can enjoy your writing and focus on the main message of your research.

Take care of these common mistakes during your medical manuscript editing and impress the journal editors with your well-written document.

Medical Thesis Writing
Categories Scientific Communication

Medical Thesis Writing: The Challenges PhD Students Face

Writing a medical thesis is necessary; not only to obtain your PhD degree but also to learn how to research, how to write, and finally, contribute to the scientific community with your research.

The PhD thesis is the single biggest piece of the work written by you. However, writing your thesis is not devoid of challenges. Academic pressure, people with different opinions and feedback, and the deadlines to publish make anyone feel overwhelmed.

But, cheer up! Here, we offer you some tips on how to handle the common challenges you face while writing your PhD thesis.

1) Avoid procrastination

Everyone procrastinates. Whether you’re watching your favourite show, checking out your to-do list or sitting idle, procrastination is an easy trap to fall into. However, this will add to the pressure of submitting your thesis on time. Moreover, the last minute preparation of your thesis might affect its quality.

So, start early and avoid procrastination.

2) Schedule your writing

Track your energy levels for a week and choose the best time for you to write. Choose the time when you feel most energetic and motivated to write. You don’t have to write pages at one time; it will exhaust you. A good thesis can’t be written with an exhausted mind. Schedule your writing, other things, and sleeping time.

3) Overcome your language barriers

Though English is the primary language of Science, it may not be your native language. In such a case, writing a PhD thesis is even more daunting. Look for the support available at your institution such as a writing centre or a training centre in academic writing, or you can search for a mentor.

If you’re still not confident, take help from the professional medical thesis writing services.

4) Get the right feedback at the right time

It’s good if you collaborate with your seniors or peers and take their suggestions to write your thesis. Their input can help you transform your work into something great. However, decide in advance on whom you want to get feedback from. Choose only those people who take a sincere interest in your work and are reliable.

Give them deadlines. This will save you from unnecessary feedback’s and you won’t worry about when you will hear from them.

5) Edit and proofread your writing

You have spent months reading and writing the same text. Now, editing and proofreading the same can be painful and tiring. However, you can’t undermine their importance in medical thesis writing.

So, give your thesis a break for a few days. After this break, you will be able to view your own writing from a fresh perspective and pick out many errors. Otherwise, you can also take help from the professional medical editing services.

Remember, you are not alone in facing these challenges in writing a PhD thesis. Everyone does. But, a strong willpower and these tips can help you write your thesis like a pro and come out with flying colours.

Why should I Proofread my Research Paper
Categories Scientific Communication

Why should I Proofread my Research Paper?

Many authors, especially those who are good at writing often ask, “What is wrong with my scientific writing?” In other words, they intend to ask “Why should I proofread my paper?”

That means they are still not convinced over the significance of proofreading their medical paper. For them, medical proofreading is for the novice authors who make many mistakes while writing their research papers.

This is obvious to them because they are good writers and see no flaws in their writing. However, whether novice or experienced, authors often write sentences with missing articles (a, an, the) or use long sentences in their document. Though these are not mistakes by themselves but may cause the journal editor to misunderstand your document, get frustrated, and reject it.

Also, the word counts are very important to the publication process. So, if you proofread your paper, you can eliminate many “speed bumps” of the English language, simplify your document and present your best.

Here is the four-step process to proofread your paper effectively:

1) First step

Spell check – it is a quick and thorough read on your paper to detect and correct any spelling mistakes, any missing article, delete extra spaces or add where there are no space between words, correct punctuation mistakes, etc.

2) Second step

  • Check whether you have followed the desired word limit recommended by your target journal. Reduce the word count wherever possible. Replace long phrases with a single word. Split the long sentences into shorter sentences. For example, “On the other hand…” can be replaced with a single word, “however”.
  • Ensure you have defined all the abbreviations and acronyms used in the paper. Remove all the unnecessary abbreviations.
  • Verify all the figures and tables, their titles, and references
  • Check for the words used whether they can be replaced by a better synonym. For example, you can replace the word “amount” by “number” to convey the meaning of the text in a better way.
  • Check the tense of each sentence in the document whether it’s consistent

3) Third step

Read the document word-by-word and check the flow of the information whether it’s in a logical order.

4) Fourth step

Verify that all the references are present and all the presented facts are accurate. Remove any false data you may have written by mistake.

Therefore, mistakes while writing can slip through even you are good at writing. Devote as much time to proofread your medical paper as you devoted to write it. Your aim should be to reduce all those things in the paper which might cause the reviewer to misunderstand or ignore your document. Don’t let your relevant and important research study get lost on account of these amendable “speed bumps.”

For accurate and faster medical proofreading services, Ping us!

Wish you a good luck!