---
title: AMWA Blog | Scientific publications
description: Scientific publications | For professional medical writers, medical editors, and medical communicators, the AMWA blog offers relevant and accessible information plus insightful best practices in the field of medical communication.
---
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# AMWA Blog
## [How to Write an Abstract for a Conference or Meeting](https://blog.amwa.org/writing-excellent-conference-and-meeting-abstracts)
How do medical communicators distill the results of complex studies into just a few hundred words?
Often, they do it by writing conference or meeting abstracts.
July 20, 2026 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/writing-excellent-conference-and-meeting-abstracts)
## [Good Publication Practice (GPP) Guidelines: Defining the Role of Medical Writers in Research Publications](https://blog.amwa.org/good-publication-practice-gpp-guidelines-help-to-define-the-role-of-professional-medical-writers-in-research-publication)
****
The Good Publication Practice (GPP) guidelines define how medical writers and other contributors ensure ethical, transparent reporting of industry-sponsored research. For medical communicators who contribute to peer-reviewed publications reporting company-sponsored biomedical studies, the GPP guidelines provide a framework for authorship, disclosure, publication integrity, and transparent scientific communication.
This blog post describes what the GPP 2022 guidelines are, why they matter, and the role of professional medical writers and editors.
June 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/good-publication-practice-gpp-guidelines-help-to-define-the-role-of-professional-medical-writers-in-research-publication)
## [ICMJE Authorship Guidelines: Defining Roles and Acknowledging Non-author Contributions](https://blog.amwa.org/icmje-authorship-guidelines-defining-roles-and-acknowledging-non-author-contributions)
Scientific manuscripts are rarely the work of one author. They are the result of complex collaborative relationships.
January 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/icmje-authorship-guidelines-defining-roles-and-acknowledging-non-author-contributions)
## [IMRAD Format Explained: How to Structure a Scientific Manuscript for Clarity and Impact](https://blog.amwa.org/imrad-format-explained)
One of the most useful acronyms in a medical communicator’s toolkit is IMRAD, sometimes written as IMRaD. This represents a common organizational system for scientific research papers: introduction, methods, results, and discussion.
*How can you use the IMRAD format to organize manuscripts, and what benefit does it provide?*
In this blog, you'll learn why the IMRAD system matters and how to structure documents using the format.
September 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/imrad-format-explained)
## [Patients as Authors: The Medical Writer’s Role](https://blog.amwa.org/patients-as-authors-the-medical-writers-role)
In recent years, the medical writing landscape has evolved to include a crucial new voice: the patient. As patient-centered care and shared decision-making gain momentum, patients are increasingly contributing to medical literature, advocacy materials, and even peer-reviewed research.
March 21, 2025 at 9:27 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/patients-as-authors-the-medical-writers-role)
## [The Ethical Medical Writer: Finding Guidance on Ethics and Best Practices](https://blog.amwa.org/the-ethical-medical-writer-finding-guidance-on-ethics-and-best-practices)
Medical communicators and publications share a serious responsibility for advancing scientific knowledge and following ethical practices and guidelines.
A number of organizations have released position statements, guidelines, and best practices that can be useful when navigating ethical concerns in scientific publishing.
When medical communicators understand and internalize these standards of integrity and transparency, they can help balance the expectations of stakeholders and publish material that meets the highest ethical standards.
Where do medical communicators find ethical guidance?
January 30, 2025 at 3:41 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/the-ethical-medical-writer-finding-guidance-on-ethics-and-best-practices)
## [Manuscript Editing: Tools and Tips for Medical Communicators](https://blog.amwa.org/manuscript-editing-tools-and-tips-for-medical-communicators)
Every document improves with editing, and medical editors are key to the process of creating consistent, readable, and error-free manuscripts.
What are the fundamentals of manuscript editing for medical communicators? What are editors looking for when they edit manuscripts? What tools are available when editors seek to create high-quality manuscripts?
March 11, 2024 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/manuscript-editing-tools-and-tips-for-medical-communicators)
## [The Promise and Possibility of Open Access Publishing](https://blog.amwa.org/the-promise-and-possibility-of-open-access-publishing)
Open access (OA) publishing is a model of publishing that mainly shifts the costs of publishing an article from the reader to the authors and distributes scholarly works online without paywalls or other barriers.
The concept of open access is part of a larger movement called Open Science that seeks to make scientific documents, data, and research more accessible and equitable.
February 26, 2024 at 4:27 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/the-promise-and-possibility-of-open-access-publishing)
## [Understanding Authorship in a Changing World](https://blog.amwa.org/understanding-authorship-in-a-changing-world)
*AMWA acknowledges the contributions of Crystal Herron PHD, ELS, as lead content developer, and Michelle Sauer Gehring PHD, ELS, for peer review, in the development of this AMWA resource.*
As the world moves in a more interconnected, digital, and collaborative direction, best practices in authorship have become less straightforward.
Medical writers may find themselves contributing to manuscripts in many ways and might encounter problematic examples of ghost authorship, gift authorship, and guest authorship.
January 31, 2024 at 2:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/understanding-authorship-in-a-changing-world)
## [The CONSORT Statement: A Standard for Reporting Randomized Controlled Trials](https://blog.amwa.org/the-consort-statement-a-standard-for-reporting-randomized-controlled-trials)
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the foundation for advancing clinical practice. However, not all RCTs are created equal. To communicate how an RCT was designed and what it found, authors must report clear and accurate information about its methodology and results. Unfortunately, many reviews have shown that authors often don’t provide complete and transparent information about the clinical trial, which can lead to misinterpretation of the validity and reliability of the results.
April 3, 2023 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/the-consort-statement-a-standard-for-reporting-randomized-controlled-trials)
## [How to Master Scientific Publications: A Medical Writer’s Bag of Tricks](https://blog.amwa.org/how-to-master-scientific-publications-a-medical-writers-bag-of-tricks)
*This article is based on content presented by* [*Monica Nicosia*](https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicanicosia/)*, PhD, Nicosia Medical Writer LLC, Bryn Mawr, PA, at the AMWA Medical Writing & Communication Conference.*
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?
April 4, 2022 at 12:30 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/how-to-master-scientific-publications-a-medical-writers-bag-of-tricks)
## [How to Write Your First Clinical Case Report](https://blog.amwa.org/how-to-write-your-first-clinical-case-report)
If you’re a [new medical writer](https://info.amwa.org/ultimate-guide-to-becoming-a-medical-writer), you probably find yourself looking for templates and document guidelines to help you organize your work. Whether you’re a new graduate or an experienced scientist pivoting into a new career, you’ll need to spend time learning the purpose of each type of medical document in your niche and structuring it properly. Below, we offer an explanation of and guidance for writing clinical case reports.
April 19, 2021 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/how-to-write-your-first-clinical-case-report)
## [4 Best Practices to Succeed at Medical Journal Writing](https://blog.amwa.org/4-best-practices-to-succeed-at-medical-journal-writing)
Whether you're hoping to expand your portfolio to include medical journal writing or are already incorporating journal articles into your [medical writing career](https://info.amwa.org/medical-writing-a-professionals-guide-to-advancing-your-career), it's helpful to refresh your awareness of best practices.
December 21, 2020 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/4-best-practices-to-succeed-at-medical-journal-writing)
## [Can We Do More To Measure Our Value?](https://blog.amwa.org/measure-our-value)
***True or false:***
Well-trained medical communicators bring value to the teams with whom they work.
I hope you answered **true** because that’s the right answer.
The key adjective of course is *well-trained.*
May 11, 2020 at 1:00 PM
[Read More](https://blog.amwa.org/measure-our-value)
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