Removing frustration from the publication

processMilka Kostic, Ph.D., Editor

Structure and Cell Chemical Biologymkostic@cell.com

@Structure_CP, @CellChemBiol, @MilkaKostic

3 KEY INGREDIENTS OF A GREAT PAPER

- BIG IDEAS

- HIGH QUALITY DATA

- AUTHORS WITH INTEGRITY

2 MUST-HAVE PERSONAL GOALS

NETWORKING&

MENTORING

- Be mindful of the audience- Craft the title and abstract- Tell a story - Put the Cover Letter to work- Keep it simple

5 Tips for publishing scientific research

Be mindful of the audience

• Choose the journal to submit your work not only based on the IF but more strategically in terms of the audience you want to target

• Treat Editors, Reviewers, and Readers with respect and empathy: put yourself in their shoes to experiment with different ways to present your data and explain your results

• Remembers that publishing a paper is a collaboration

Craft the title and abstract

TitleAbstract

Main Text

Anatomy of a scientific paper

TitleAbstract

Article

Anatomy of a scientific paper: reader’s & search engine’s perspective

TitleAbstract

Article

Title is THE most visible part of your paper and probably the only opportunity to attract the reader's attention.

A good title explains what the paper is about and why it is significant with: - clarity- keywords

TitleAbstract

Article

Abstract should be: - informative- interesting - broadly accessible

background statement

clearly defined question

how you addressed the question

accurate summary of key findings

how the findings help answer your questions

concluding statement with implications & speculations

Basic structure of a well-crafted abstract

Telling a story

"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.”

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.

Title

Abstract

Main Text

Telling a scientific story

Telling a scientific story

– Compose the paper logically, not chronologically

– Provide context

– Tell the story through your figures

– Be organized

– Read a lot, and not just science

Putting Cover Letter to work

The cover letter is author’s secret weapon, but only if it:

- Explains why the paper is relevant - Tell the Editors why the paper is a good fit for our

journal - Paint the bigger picture- Share confidential information

KEEP IT SIMPLEEverything should be made as simple

as possible, but not simpler.– Albert Einstein

Keep it simple

- Use “normal” words

- Avoid jargon and buzzwords

- Use active voice

- Stay focused

Beyond publication

Shout it from the rooftops!

Resources galore!!! - Blog and more…

http://crosstalk.cell.com/

Online resources that inspired this presentation and more training and reading material

Excellent online resource hub for early career researchers by Elsevier – covers topics from networking,career planning, to publishing and getting noticedhttps://www.publishingcampus.elsevier.com/

Cell Press Video Guide for authors – Now on Cell Press China Getaway and Youkuhttp://www.cell.com/chinahttp://www.soku.com/search_video/q_cell%20press

From Nature EDUCATION an eBook on English Communication for Scientists that includes a chapter onwriting a scientific paperhttp://www.nature.com/scitable/ebooks/english-communication-for-scientists-14053993/writing-scientific-papers-14239285

“10 things you need to know about the publishing process”http://www.elsevier.com/connect/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-publishing-process

“Tips for writing better science papers” from ChemistryViews.orghttp://www.chemistryviews.org/details/education/5202161/Tips_for_Writing_Better_Science_Papers.html

How to get published in an academic journal: top tips from editorshttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/jan/03/how-to-get-published-in-an-academic-journal-top-tips-from-editors

Writing for an academic journal: 10 tipshttp://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/sep/06/academic-journal-writing-top-Tips

Great series of “Ten simple rules for…” aritcles at PLoS Comp. Biol. that covers topics from publishing apaper, to making figures

Key takeaways:- Big ideas supported by quality data & work done ethically is

what makes a great paper

- Targeting right journal saves time

- Publishing a paper is a collaboration, so help editors, reviewers,

and readers

- Use the resources & keep learning

- Network & mentor

Talk about your science & your scientists!!!

THANK YOU!YOUR TURN:

ASK ME ANYTHING...