How To Please The Editor Jennifer M. Hunter University of Liverpool England.

How To PleaseHow To PleaseThe EditorThe Editor

Jennifer M. HunterJennifer M. Hunter

University of LiverpoolUniversity of Liverpool

EnglandEngland

GENERAL TIPS

Editors are easily pleasedEditors are easily pleased “ “You see what you get”You see what you get”

( ( G.M.Hall G.M.Hall ) ) Please just stick to the rules,Please just stick to the rules,

which Editors callwhich Editors call

Guidelines to AuthorsGuidelines to Authors

TIPS Read the Read the ““Guidelines to AuthorsGuidelines to Authors””

over and over againover and over again

Look at a recent copy of Look at a recent copy of

relevant journalrelevant journal

Take some pride in your workTake some pride in your work

Submit electronically as thatSubmit electronically as that

is now most journals’ routine is now most journals’ routine

TIPS Avoid spelling errors,Avoid spelling errors, especially in relation to thatespecially in relation to that particular speciality particular speciality Not Not Br J Anesth, Mr HunterBr J Anesth, Mr Hunter,, asperin or bupivicaineasperin or bupivicaine British not American spelling British not American spelling (my hang up!)(my hang up!) Has this paper been to anotherHas this paper been to another journal first?journal first? Otherwise, risk an extra revisioOtherwise, risk an extra revision

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”

Take pride in your presentationTake pride in your presentation

Develop an eye for layout, Develop an eye for layout,

headings, spacingheadings, spacing

Especially in figures or tablesEspecially in figures or tables

Paginate the textPaginate the text

Be obsessionalBe obsessional

SUMMARY / ABSTRACTSUMMARY / ABSTRACT

Structured; Structured; “no wool”“no wool” Keep to number of wordsKeep to number of words Only your own workOnly your own work Give values, statisticsGive values, statistics No referencesNo references Often weak point ofOften weak point of

manuscript, hardest to writemanuscript, hardest to write

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Not several pages of A4Not several pages of A4

Give reason for studyGive reason for study

A few, relevant referencesA few, relevant references

FinallyFinally, detail reason for, detail reason for

your study your study

METHODSMETHODS Consider sub-sectionsConsider sub-sections

A recipe: must be reproducibleA recipe: must be reproducible

e.g. e.g. PatientsPatients

Monitoring Monitoring

Plasma AnalysisPlasma Analysis

Details of EquipmentDetails of Equipment

Ethics approval and Ethics approval and

Informed consentInformed consent

Trial reference numberTrial reference number

STATISTICSSTATISTICS Don’t try to be too cleverDon’t try to be too clever ((Professorial tendencyProfessorial tendency)) Use simplest, appropriate testUse simplest, appropriate test Reference test if not well knownReference test if not well known Say which groups you are usingSay which groups you are using test to comparetest to compare Use symbols appropriatelyUse symbols appropriately e.g ‘pe.g ‘p’ values’ values Power analysis essentialPower analysis essential

RESULTSRESULTS Do not replicate figures Do not replicate figures or tables in textor tables in text Just give factsJust give facts Express no surprise, emotionExpress no surprise, emotion Do notDo not allow Discussion allow Discussion to creep into Resultsto creep into Results (common fault)(common fault) Same sub-sections Same sub-sections

TABLESTABLES

Not two lines or 202Not two lines or 202

Structured in columns, Structured in columns,

with headingswith headings

Well referenced, detailed legendWell referenced, detailed legend

Not covering more than one page Not covering more than one page

“ “Not too busy”Not too busy”

FIGURESFIGURES Only when essentialOnly when essential

Can often be explained in textCan often be explained in text

Good key and legendGood key and legend

Not too clutteredNot too cluttered

Not too small Not too small

Expensive to produceExpensive to produce

Flow diagramFlow diagram

TABLES and FIGURESTABLES and FIGURES

Not too many, or too fewNot too many, or too few Refer to them in the text!Refer to them in the text! Case Report rarely merits 10 figuresCase Report rarely merits 10 figures Reviews need Reviews need somesome Add relevant statistics andAdd relevant statistics and explain in legendexplain in legend Make sure the ones you refer to Make sure the ones you refer to are included! are included!

DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

Open with succinctOpen with succinct resumé of own findingsresumé of own findings Give values Give values ((not woolnot wool)) Compare with other studiesCompare with other studies Try to explain resultsTry to explain results Four sides, double-spaced A4,Four sides, double-spaced A4, maximummaximum

DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

Do not simply replicate Do not simply replicate ResultsResults (common fault)(common fault) Do not just quote one’s ownDo not just quote one’s own work work ((professorial traitprofessorial trait)) Do not be too obsequiousDo not be too obsequious Or too criticalOr too critical Do not replicate IntroductionDo not replicate Introduction

REFERENCESREFERENCES

Must use journal formatMust use journal format Assiduous attention to detail Assiduous attention to detail Avoid spelling and Avoid spelling and numerical errors numerical errors (common)(common) Not too many or too fewNot too many or too few Earliest, and most importantEarliest, and most important Not just one’s own! Not just one’s own! (professorial?)(professorial?)

Declarations of InterestDeclarations of Interest

At end of textAt end of text All grants and other All grants and other financial support listedfinancial support listed Give all the details:Give all the details: Editor will edit as necessaryEditor will edit as necessary

REVISIONSREVISIONS

Follow Editor’s instructionsFollow Editor’s instructions

Answer assessors’ pointsAnswer assessors’ points

Submit Revision with accompanyingSubmit Revision with accompanying

lettersletters

CheckCheck tables tables and and figuresfigures are the same are the same

DO NOTDO NOT resubmit with minimal change resubmit with minimal change

((cause of great irritationcause of great irritation))

Use same reference numberUse same reference number

OTHER USEFUL TIPSOTHER USEFUL TIPS

Avoid Avoid AbbreviationsAbbreviations whenever whenever possiblepossible Never at beginning of a sentenceNever at beginning of a sentence Only those in common usageOnly those in common usage e.g. LMAe.g. LMA Never more than one in a sentenceNever more than one in a sentence Do not make them up! Do not make them up!

AVOID

Any text that does not Any text that does not

read as the spoken wordread as the spoken word

e.g. Use a PLMA, not a e.g. Use a PLMA, not a

ETT or cLMA, if the PaCOETT or cLMA, if the PaCO22

and Pand PaaOO22 are OK are OK

FINALLYFINALLY

Try to finish with

a few concluding sentences

in the last paragraph

Not page after page

of conclusions

Great is the art of beginning,Great is the art of beginning,

But greater the art is of endingBut greater the art is of ending

Longfellow, 1881Longfellow, 1881

Trifles make perfection,Trifles make perfection,

But perfection is no trifleBut perfection is no trifle

Italian ProverbItalian Proverb

BEST OF LUCK!BEST OF LUCK!

Jennie Hunter