Writing for scientific publications is at the heart of the medical writer’s mission.
What are these publications looking for? And how can medical communicators streamline and improve the process to deliver excellent copy and increase the likelihood of publication?
At the AMWA Medical Writing & Communication Conference, we heard from an expert, Dr. Monica Nicosia.
Nicosia described the basic steps for writing for scientific publications and provided insights and tips to demystify the process.
The following are 10 tips from Dr. Nicosia’s “medical writer’s bag of tricks.”
Medical communicators have an ethical obligation to maintain professional standards and should
Using the AMA style guide improves consistency and promotes clarity across documents, while also providing a tool for educating clients on efficient communication. Aspects of scientific reporting that, when used correctly, promote both accuracy and sensitivity include
Clutter and overworking can be detrimental to both the writer and the project.
By making the document more user friendly, writers can write and edit more efficiently, save time, and ultimately reduce stress. Some of Dr. Nicosia’s examples included using keyboard shortcuts and a split screen to view different parts of a document simultaneously.
It is important to avoid submitting a draft with several queries that should have been addressed earlier in the manuscript writing process.
Dr. Nicosia said that the style of certain regulatory documents is generally not suitable for research reports and may not follow style guidelines (see Tip #2). Copying and pasting from one document to the next is not a good practice.
Previously cited literature may be outdated or completely inaccurate. Do not cite a source until you are sure it is appropriate and accurate.
To avoid or minimize errors in a research report, communicate with the employer/client about how to report data, keep track of numerical data, and double‑check for consistent reporting of data across the different sections of a manuscript (see Tips #2, #5, #6, and #7).
A final review near the final version of a research report will help you to eliminate typos and more serious errors to produce a much higher-quality piece of writing.
Overall, be professional, strive for self‑improvement, and maintain good relationships. However, also recognize when to stand firm and explain why certain stylistic choices are correct (see Tip #2).
Irrespective of the nomenclature (although I will use the term “research reports” to follow the AMA Manual of Style), there are many types of research reports—from preclinical studies to case reports and even systematic literature reviews.
According to Dr. Nicosia, most follow the same general structure with some journal‑specific additions. Most clinical research reports include the following elements.
In addition to these basic elements, some journals require the following components.
In every scientific publication, Dr. Nicosia emphasizes the importance of striving to produce high‑quality manuscripts that
These practical tips from Dr. Nicosia can help medical writers produce accurate, consistent, and high‑quality research reports.
Regardless of the scope of the scientific project, medical writers play an important role in helping to communicate the results of scientific work to a wider audience.
High‑quality documents have a better chance of being published and making an impact on the health and well‑being of society.