A scientific paper or scientific article is a unique form of academic writing, which differs from most other forms of professional and academic writing in that it has to be published. Publishing scientific papers is a vital part of the lives and careers of researchers and scientists.
Most researchers can only get funding or promotions after publishing original work in peer-reviewed journals. A scientific paper that hasn’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal is more or less gray literature. That is literature with academic merit that is not verified or that cannot be fully trusted.
Many scientists and researchers grow anxious at the idea of writing and publishing a paper. This may not all be justified. Research and research writing is indeed difficult. However, the good thing about academic writing or research writing is that it is highly stylized.
It has a rigid format called IMRaD, which stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. It’s an easy-to-follow yet rigorous format for both researchers who want to provide a record of their work and scientific peers and lay readers who are interested in reading such work.
If you read enough scientific papers or articles and know the right examples to follow, then writing and publishing a research paper will not be that difficult. In this article, I focus on the best processes and practices for getting your paper published.
What is a scientific paper?
This question has been answered in my previous post entitled What Is a Scientific Article? However, it would be useful to quickly go over it here.
A scientific article or paper is a scientific report that includes original results as well as an accurate description of the rigorous process that led to these results. Most importantly, this scientific report has to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
There are many different types of scientific papers. They include:
Original research articles. These are articles that report on original research findings. They are the classic form of scientific papers, and this is what we mostly focus on here.
Review articles. This reviews the literature in a specific field of research.
Case studies. These studies rely on specific individual cases and are quite popular in the field of medicine.
Methodology articles. These analyze the methods used in a research process and typically focus on critiquing old or current methodologies and coming up with new ones.
Theory / Perspective articles. These scientific papers critically examine the theories that underlie research papers in a specific field.
In this article, as mentioned earlier, the focus will be original articles. Original publications represent the production of new scientific knowledge, which is the foundation on which science is built.
The process of publishing a scientific paper
The process of publishing your scientific paper does not begin with finding a journal after writing your paper. Instead, it begins with your research. You can only get published if the research you do is valid and relevant to the scientific community. However, your research does not exist in a vacuum.
Even before you start the process of doing research, you should be thinking to what end this research is being done. Research has to be published. So, this means you should have a good idea of the journal that you want to publish in. This will influence, if not the research you do, then at least the angle from which you approach writing about your research and its results.
Based on this, here is a procedure to follow from publishing a scientific paper:
Step 1. Make sure that your research work is valid and appropriate or relevant
Step 2. Choose a target journal or small set of journals that you would like to publish in and study them
Step 3. Write your manuscript
Step 4. Submit your manuscript
Step 5. Revise and edit based on review
Step 6. Publish your paper
In the following section, I describe each step involved in the process.
Step 1. Make sure your research is valid and appropriate
All good scientific papers are based on solid research. Good research relies on clear procedures that are well-recorded and that can be verified or repeated. Not only that, you need to ensure that your research is relevant.
There’s no point in doing good research if does not solve a real-world problem or if there’s no demand for it in the pages of high-end scientific journals. As a result, it would be a good idea to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in your field of research.
In particular, you should keep an eye out for research that “makes the news.” Some journals are keen on publishing work that is socially relevant. This means that research that makes the news would be the research that is deemed to be important and most likely to be published.
Here is a list of things that your research should include to make it more publish-worthy:
Your research should make a novel contribution
Your findings should be valid and significant
Your work should be related to a current hot topic
Your research should solve difficult issues or problems
Staying up-to-date with the latest can help you identify which lines of investigation meet the criteria listed above and which are worth pursuing in your lab or in the field.
The importance of collaboration
Collaboration in research is essential. You could even say that an academic or scientific endeavor is a team effort. When it comes to tackling scientific questions that scientific papers attempt to answer, rarely is a sole researcher capable of tackling that question by themselves.
Having regular conversations with colleagues can spark new ideas that you by yourself would be unable to come up with. Besides this, different researchers have different specialties. Perhaps, you might not be particularly skilled in recognizing the angle from which to approach reporting the results of your study.
A colleague with more experience in writing and publishing might be able to assist you in “telling a story” from your data or results. There are also cases where collaboration can make up for a lack of resources. Researchers or professors working in different labs may recognize that working together would increase their chances of writing winning grant proposals and eventually research that can be published.
Collaboration does not necessarily mean only working with colleagues. Many scientific papers that get published begin as theses by master’s or PhD students working in collaboration with their advisors or professors. A well-written thesis or dissertation might serve as raw material for one or several scientific reports that can be published in journals.
The success of this will depend on how well you collaborate and communicate with a student who may be willing to move on to a non-academic career after graduating, but whose help you might need in turning a lengthy thesis manuscript into a journal article.
For collaboration, clear communication is vital. This is to avoid any controversy relating to the proper attribution of roles, contributions, and responsibilities relating to the authorship of a scientific paper.
Step 2. Choose a target journal
The next step involves choosing a target journal. You may even have a few journals in mind before you get the results of your study. But this is the step where you decide the specific journal in which you want your paper to be published.
To find the right target journal, you should make use of depositories and indexes such as Scopus and the Web of Sciences or WoS. They can serve as tools that provide you with information such as CiteScore (in the case of Scopus) and Impact Factor (in the case of WoS). The higher the impact factor or the CiteScore, the more prestigious the journal.
Several journals make it easy to locate such information. The example of the screenshot above is from the Journal of Public Health. Other information included:
Impact factor
Submission to the first decision
Article publication charges (or APCs)
Before writing your manuscript, you should read the “Author Guidelines” section of your journal. There, the journal describes the scope of the journal and the specific academic style guide that should be followed. Some journals rely on established style guides such as APA and AMA.
In terms of scope, you should ensure that the topic you focus on or the approach from which you approach your results or data. Here is an example of the scope of a specific journal.
Other journals have their own unique house style that you should follow. The table below the various in-text citation and reference formats for commonly used styles in scientific publications. In the “Write your manuscript” section, I will explain the academic and reference styles used in various journals.
Step 3. Write your manuscript
The manuscript should be written clearly and succinctly and decisions should be made in terms of authorship contribution and responsibility. As mentioned earlier, several journals provide specific guidelines for their journals that should be carefully followed. Most manuscripts or scientific papers follow the IMRaD format.
This is an acronym for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. For a more detailed discussion of the IMRaD format, you can take a look at the previous article entitled, How to Write a Scientific Paper: A Definitive Guide.
Parts of the manuscript
When it comes to publication, the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion is often referred to as the body of the manuscript. The other parts of the manuscript are called Front Matter and Back Matter.
Front matter includes sections such as:
Highlights (optional)
The Body of the article includes:
The Back Matter material includes:
Declarations
References
Each of these should be carefully written according to journal specifications. The table below provides a brief description of what is included in each section.
Parts of the Manuscript | Description | Recommendation |
Front Matter | ||
Title | This is the name of your article. |
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Abstract | This is a concise summary of the article. |
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Highlights | This describes the main points of the article in three to five bullet points. |
|
Body | ||
Introduction | This describes the scope and objectives of the article. |
|
Methods | This describes the process of your research and experiment, as well as the equipment used. |
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Results | This section provides the outcomes of your research. |
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Discussion | The Discussion explains your results and attempts to interpret their significance. |
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Conclusion | This summarizes your paper and its significance |
|
Back Matter | ||
Declarations | This section includes declarations regarding the integrity of work, such as approval from appropriate ethical bodies and declaring a lack of conflict of interests. |
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Acknowledgment | This acknowledges individuals and institutions that helped in supporting your research. |
|
Academic style requirements and references
A scientific paper is an academic document. As such, it should stick to strict academic style requirements. This means the language should be concise and straight to the point and should follow the IMRaD format.
More importantly, you should rigorously follow the reference and style requirements. References and citations are especially important in the Literature Review section, which is found in the Introduction and which is supposed to have dozens of citations.
Academic style requirements will vary by the journal. Important style guides normally used in academic journals include:
The American Medical Association or AMA
Vancouver
Before you go into the details of these style guides, there are three major systems by which references and citations can be formatted. They include 1) the Name and Year System; 2. the Alphabet Number System; and 3. the Citation Order System.
1. Name and Year System. In this style of citation, the name of the author and year of publication are cited in-text, and this in-text citation corresponds to a reference list arranged in alphabetical order. The APA system is a good example of this. An in-text citation would look like this, “Smith and Adam (2016).”
2. Alphabet Number System. The alphabet number system also has an alphabetically ordered reference list. However, instead of the name and year system in the in-text citations, the citations appear in the form of numbers.
3. Citation Order System. The citation order system means that the references are ordered in the number they appear. So, instead of an alphabetized reference list, you have a reference list that is numbered based on the order they appear in the body of the text.
There are a few journals that may take it up on their own to edit your references in case your paper is published. However, generally speaking, this is your responsibility.
References and citations can either be included by hand or you could use citation software such as Mendeley, Zotero, and EndNote. The table below shows different academic style guides and examples of each.
Formatting your manuscript
Journals often have detailed instructions regarding formatting your manuscript. However, often this specific information is missing. By formatting, I mean font sizes and styles, spacing, margins, and so on.
In the absence of this detailed information, it would best to rely on the APA standard for formatting. These guidelines are as follows:
Double-space your text
Use margins that are at least 1 inch or 25 mm
Use left-justified text or text with a ragged right margin
Start each section of the manuscript on a new page
Use the headings and subheadings function in Word
Include tables and figures at the end
Include text showing where figures and table should go
Of course, this is a general guideline. You should always carefully read the Author Guidelines section to make sure that you are closely following the formatting requirements of your target journal.
The role of academic editing in your manuscript
Your manuscript may require academic editing services. These services may be needed to transform data from a massive thesis into a slimmed and trimmed-down scientific article. It could also be that you may not have time to handle the formatting of your manuscript and may require professional help to do so.
There are several advantages to hiring professional proofreading or editing services. They include:
Saving time
Increasing efficiency
Support from experts who can handle tedious manuscript formatting requirements from journals
Support for authors who may not have English as a first language
Support for authors who may not be confident in their writing skills
Support for authors who need to transform theses into scientific articles
There are several options for academic editing services. They include a wide range of online proofreading companies. Also, you have the option of choosing personal professional editors. Each option comes with advantages. In the case of online proofreading services, you receive 24-7 services at an affordable price that relies on an efficient process that handles several thousand manuscripts per month.
The type of editing can range from light proofreading after your manuscript has been accepted to heavy developmental editing, where the paper is heavily revised or restructured.
However, with a personal proofreader, you can get more personalized services. This is primarily because online editing companies do not allow direct communication with the freelance editors they hire. You instead speak with customer services personnel. A personal editor, especially one with experience in your field, may provide unique insight through direct communication that can significantly boost the chances of your manuscript being published.
Step 4. Submit your manuscript
Most journals have electronic submission systems that you have to use to submit your manuscripts. This is the official channel of submission for most journals. It typically involves uploading your Word document into the system.
Often the system automatically transforms the Word document into a PDF. Sometimes, in the case of smaller journals, you may have to submit your manuscript through email.
Cover letter
In the online submission system, you also need to include a cover letter. A cover letter includes the following information:
The type of submission: That is, a Scientific paper or review article
Declarations that the work is original
Declarations that the work is not being considered by other journals
Confirmation that all the listed authors qualify to be listed
Declaration of no conflicts of interest on the part of authors
You should also make it known whether or not the scientific paper has appeared previously. For example, as a conference paper or thesis. On some occasions, you may even mention a preferred peer reviewer for your paper or even suggest who you don’t want reviewing your paper.
More importantly, provide a brief explanation as to why you think your scientific paper or research results deserve to be published in the journal. Do so by taking into account both the scope of the journal and the importance of your research results.
Below is an example of a sample cover letter:
Example of Sample cover letter |
Dear Dr. ______.
We have submitted this manuscript by Jack C. Lantern and Mary B. Francisco titled “Comparing the Fatty Acid Profile of Milk from Cows Fed on Natural Grasses vs Those Fed on Corn” for consideration to be published in the Journal of Nutrition Science.
This manuscript is new, is not being presently considered by any other journal, and reports and extends on findings that were previously published in the Journal of Animal Science. We strongly believe that this article falls within the scope of the Journal of Nutrition Science and contributes significantly to questions relating to how animal feed can indirectly affect human health.
In particular, it provides definite outcomes concerning the question of whether or not so-called "organic foods," defined here as dairy products from cows fed on natural pasture, are healthier than "non-organic foods," defined as dairy products from cows fed on commercial grains. We would be happy to see this manuscript published in the pages of your esteemed journal.
Sincerely,
Jack C. Lantern
Author contribution
Only authors who qualify to be listed should be included in the list of authors. Just as importantly, you should not exclude authors who qualify to be included as authors. You should also decide who gets to be the Corresponding Author.
This is the author responsible for all correspondence or communication with the journal before publication. After publication, they will also be in charge of communications with readers who have questions about the validity of their research.
After submitting the paper, you will typically receive an email notification verifying that the submission was successful. This email notification system will typically inform you of the various stages of publication, such as reviewer responses, editor rejection, or acceptance of your journal for publication.
Step 5. Revise and edit based on reviewer suggestions
After you submit your paper, it will either get an editor rejection or get passed on for peer review. The peer review process is often lengthy. The journal editor has to locate appropriate peer reviewers, and they have to wait for these peer reviewers to judge the merit of your manuscript.
Peer reviewers are professionals with a background and qualifications in your field of research. Ideally, only scholars qualified would get the chance to review your paper. The review involves the following:
Judging the validity of your results
The thoroughness of your literature review
The strength of your arguments
The importance of your results
A good review would include include commentary or questions that should be properly answered. Also, you may have to revise your manuscript according to the recommendations or criticisms of the reviewer.
Tips to follow when responding to reviewers
Answering reviewers requires a certain level of diplomatic skill. Many reviewers may be harsh in their criticism, but your responses should always be polite and measured. Here are some tips to follow:
Always be polite in your response. For example, begin sentences with phrases such as “Thank you for your suggestions” or “Thank you for pointing out this issue.”
Make sure you fully answer each comment in accurate detail. Manuscripts are often numbered by line. When answering, ensure that you make references to line numbers to avoid confusion.
Think of using a table format. Include the reviewer's comment in one column and your response in the other.
Make revisions using the Track function in Word. This ensures that the journal editor and reviewers can follow the changes that you make to the manuscript
After one or several other rounds of criticism and revision, your paper will be either accepted or rejected. It all depends on whether or not the reviewer and eventually the editor believe that you have satisfactorily passed the scrutiny of peer review.
Step 6. Publish your paper in the journal
Your paper can either be published as Open Access or Subscription. Subscription means that readers would have to pay to access your paper. However, with Open Access, readers of the journal get free access to your scientific paper.
Open access may be quite expensive. However, experienced researchers are often in a position to access grant funding to pay these fees. It is not advisable that researchers pay such fees out of pocket.
Contact us if you need any proofreading or editing assistance with any part of your scientific article |
The importance of publishing scientific papers
Scientific articles are an essential part of scientific production and creating new knowledge or progress.
Often, the number of scientific papers published by a country is often treated as a representation of the scientific progress of that country. The more papers you publish, the higher the scientific progress.
In addition, they are crucial for the career and training of both students and academics. Let’s take a quick look at why:
1. Scientific article publication is a training ground for new researchers. If you are a PhD student, then you are required to publish theses or dissertations that include several scientific papers that need to be published in peer-reviewed journals.
2. Scientific publication is needed for funding and career promotion. For better or for worse, funding requires scientific publication. Most university systems are designed in such a way that researchers can only get access to funding after publishing papers.
This is also closely related to career promotion. The number of papers you publish and the level of prestige of the journals you publish can determine whether or not you can progress in your career as a professional researcher or professor.
In short, the publication of scientific papers has major implications for both the advancement of science and your professional career. Scientific progress is based on the creation of new knowledge in the form of scientific papers. Your ability to contribute to this process may mean that you are personally and professionally rewarded. So, good luck with your research writing!
Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, August 02). How to Publish a Scientific Paper. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/how-to-publish-a-scientific-paper |
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