But you need to see a copy

Develop your outline
Introduction Methods Results Discussion

Introduction
What is the issue? What is already known about it? Set up a question in the reader’s mind Explain why your study is needed

But is it publishable?
Is it interesting? Could it affect practice or policy? Is it generalisable?


Almost everything is publishable
somewhere
Don’t start writing yet!
Writing for Publication
James Munro University of Sheffield
Why write?
Fame and fortune Bolster the CV Pressure from above … dissemination

So what’s the problem?

Methods
What did you do? How did you do it? Have a logical order Don’t report results here by mistake!

Results
Follow the order of the methods Who? When? What?
No ideas Ideas but no writing Writing but nothing sent off Writing sent off but not accepted

The other problem
Time Writing is a lot of work Even academics don’t have time

Where were other papers on this topic published?
Journalology
Refereed or not? Listed in bibliographic databases? Impact factor?

Write for a journal

The need to know

Providing a context and a question creates the reader’s “need to know”
What’s the story?
If this was a news report, what would the headline be? What is the central idea?

Discussion

Outline your story: 2

Results

…and she ran home. …never go into the woods alone.

Conclusions

Don’t start writing yet!
Who is the story for?
Who’d like to know? Who needs to know?

BMJ approach
What is already known on this topic? What does this study add?

Outline your story: 1

Context

Once upon a time… …there were 3 bears…

Methods
Select one of the journals which might be interested in your story Write for that journal

Writing for that journal

Instructions for authors

Usually on the web Headings, weighting, referencing, interests

What we’ll talk about
Writing an academic paper 10 ways to be rejected Magazines and books are a bit different

Any ideas?
Experience Everyday working Problems Costly activities

Reasons for rejection
So find the right journal
Get to know the journals in your area What are their interests? What are their styles?

So find the right journal
Don’t write yet!
What’s the context? What’s the story?

The context

Everybody needs a context
Context for a research paper
What’s already known? What’s unknห้องสมุดไป่ตู้wn? What’s controversial?

More ideas
Questions from clinicians …especially those you can’t answer Things that go wrong Things you disagree with

You already have something