How to Write a Better Manuscript
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How to Write a Better Manuscript
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The publication of study results, critical reviews, or opinions shares ideas among scientists and advances areas of research. Fdlowing the target journal's instructionsto authors is essential. The introduction of the article should contain a clealiy stated research question. The methods should be written so other scientists can repeat your work. The results section should include oniy results from prespecified anaJyses. In addition to placing the work into perspective with other studies, the discussion section should note the study's limitations and feature the study's conclusions.
MaryAnn Foote, PhD MA FwteAssociates. Westlake Village, California
Kev Words Critical analysis: IMRaD; Publication; Writing techniques
Correspondence Address Dr. Foote (email:
MaeAnn
[email protected]).
I N T R 0 D U [T I0 N In an age of limitless Internet access and a plethora of websites on every topic, manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals remain the primary method by which scientists communicate. Manuscripts may describe original research, critically review published literature, or provide commentary or opinions. As a scientist (and 1 believe that anyone engaged in any aspect of drug development is, in a sense, a scientist), you may have written, reviewed, or at least read dozens, if not hundreds, of manuscripts. Reading some of these articles may have been a painful chore, and may have left you perplexed regarding the point of the article, while other articles smoothly guided you, answered your questions, evoked ideas, and left you feeling that the time devoted to reading them was time well spent. Most manuscripts fall somewhere between these two points on the continuum. Following a few tips can move your manuscript toward the good end of this scale. An earlier article summarizes manuscript preparation and submission to journals and may be a useful reference (1).
numbered like a regulatory document, 1 wonder whether the authors have ever read an issue of the target journal. I also wonder whether Drug Information Journal was their first choice or whether they are shopping their manuscript around and trying to find a journal that will accept it. N o journal wants to be considered second choice. Read the instructions to authors before you begin to write. Some journals have very specific requirements and following them may elicit a favorable and fast response. Although each journal has a distinct house style, most medical journals follow the American Medical Association (AMA) style guide (2). It is a clean style that omits many periods (ie, stops) and italics. It may not be your preferred style, but if you are submitting an article to a journal that uses AMA style, as Drug Information Journal does, you must set aside your personal grammatical preferences and adhere to it.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
IMRAD: LOGICAL FLOW OF INFORMATION All articles based on original research are written in the traditional IMRaD (introduction, methods, results, and discussion) format. Critical literature reviews also
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