Transcript How to draft a paper or a study

From “Zero” to “Hero”
Dr Theodoros Kofidis
Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery
NUH/NUS
How to avoid Annoying a Reviewer
• Show a good methodology and experimental design.
• Use simple, easy-to-read tables and figures.
• Follow the rules of stantard English usage (check spelling and
grammar).
• Be clear, brief and interesting - eliminate redudancy.
• Include appropriate statistical analysis, and show that you understand it.
• Be sure that the conclusions are completely supported by Results and
Methods.
• Follow the journal‘s instructions for authors.
Some Tips and Hints of Good Style
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Substraction: Be brief!
Be simple!
Be consistent!
Use active voice, not passive
Use verbs
Let someone proof read
Let´s make an example…
• Title: "Administration of Stem Cells into the Area
of Injury Following LAD-Ligation Results in
Improved Parameters of Heart Function“
• Beginning the discussion:
Despite encouraging results of heart
transplantation, the shortage of donor organs
stimulates scientists to search for alternate
techniques of heart failure therapy.
Pejorative terms to avoid
Pejorative Term
Preferred Term
Wheelchair-bound people
Persons who use wheelchairs
The elderly
Older people
In 43 patients used as controls
For 43 patients who served as controls
Epileptics
People with Epilepsy
Diplomatic terms to use
Problematic Term
Preferred Term
45 males
45 male patients, 45 men
Managing patients
Treating patients
Patients who developed X
Patients in whom X developed
Had surgery
Underwent surgery
Had a complication
Experienced a complication
Examples of Colloquialisms, Clichés,
Euphemisms, and Slang
• Landed a patient in the ICU
• State of the art
• Kept in mind
• On top of his
• Nonsurvivors
• The rat was sacrificed
• Lab
• Temp
Sentence Beginnings to Avoid
• As a matter of fact
• Based on the fact that (try “because”)
• Here
• Hopefully
• In order to (Try “To”)
• Note well that
• That is to say
• It has been shown
• Yet
• They
How to draft a paper or a study
• Title:
• Message:
• Length:
• Market:
• Authors:
The Zero Draft and the Arboretum Diagram
Methods
Results
What?
Why?
How?
So what?
The Two Columns of Academic Production
(Clinical, Basic)
Short term
Long term
Low-risk
High-risk
The Collaboration and Multiplication Effect
A
B
C
Project 1
Project 3
Project 5
Project 2
Project 4
Project 6
2
2
3X2
2
You see
You hear
You read
You make
You sing
You write!
Make reading to your habit!
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CTS-Net: Literature review of the month
"Elements of Style "
Webster – Thesaurus
Why not say it clearly? (Lester S. King)
Your own „expressions“ list
Hemingway
Departmental strategy:
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Monthly research meetings
Literature reviews
Organize databases
Set goals: Assess our citation index and
beat it next year
• Work in teams / share
• Involve in a clinical/basic research project
• Set time lines: 1 week, 1 month, 1 year