Miodrag Stojanović, Zorica Antić, Dijana Stojanović Public Health Institute Niš, Serbia
Objectives: The aim is to inform scientists and health professionals with the basic elements of writing and presenting scientific papers.
Materials and methods: Defining the rules of correct citation and academic writing is determined on the basis of the APA and the Vancouver Convention, in order to reach the necessary level of academic writing.
Results: In accordance to the Vancouver Convention parts of the manuscript are: Title page;
Abstract with Key words; Text; Acknowledgements (to the authors’ desire), References, and Enclosures. The text of the articles includes: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
Results should be presented in logical sequence in the text, tables and illustrations. Emphasize or summarize only important observations. Discussion is to emphasize the new and significant aspects of the study and the conclusions that result from them. Relate the observations to other relevant studies. Long articles may need subheadings within some sections to clarify their content.
Conclusion: Writing a scientific paper is the most common way of communicating the results of research to other scientists and to health professionals. It goes without saying that authors should at all times have in mind objectivity, clarity and honesty in reporting their research.
The format for writing a scientific paper for publication in biomedical journals has been standardized to provide a systematic and organized way to present the data.
Key words: Writing, presenting, scientific papers
The standard of academic writing and correct citation have long been accepted in the world , while with us still meet with texts that are written out of the rules, which is difficult to follow and that are understandable only to the authors and the inner circle of insiders.
The basics of international standards writing tied to 1928. when a group of publishers met in Madison Bently (USA), made a report and published 7 pages entitled Psihologycal Bulletin, which is now known journal of the American Psychological Association (APA). The document was revised in 1952, then 1974, then 1983 and 1984, and the last version of the 436 page was published in 2007.
In late 20th century APA standards and Vancouver convention, have become a major documents within which they move instructions to authors of most magazines and publishing houses.
Scientific work is a written and publicized report from original research that contributes to knowledge and understanding of a problem , and that can be checked and repeated by any competent researchers. Published papers represent a stimulus for further research and their number is an indicator of creative productivity of researchers.
Types of scientific papers are: Original scientific papers, review articles, letters to the editor, preliminary reports, theses and presentations at conferences. Original scientific papers are the
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most important publications and the primary source of scientific information and a carrier of new ideas and knowledge.
Preparation of manuscript
Parts of the manuscript are: Title page; Abstract with Key words;Text; Acknowledgements (to the authors’ desire), References, Enclosures.
1. Title page
a) The title should be concise but informative, while subheadings should be avoided;
b) Full names of the authors have to be signed with exact names and places of department(s) and institution(s) ofaffiliation where the studies were performed, city and the state for anyauthors, clearly marked by standard footnote signs;
2. Abstract and key words
The second page should carry a structured abstract (250-300 words for original articles and meta-analyses) with the title of the article. In short, clear sentences the authors should write the Background/Aim, major procedures–Methods (choice of subjects or laboratory animals;
methods for observation and analysis), the obtained findings – Results (concrete data and their statistical significance), and the Conclusion. It
should emphasize new and important aspects of the study or observations. A structured abstract for case reports (up to 250 words) should contain subtitles Introduction, Case report, Conclusion). Below the abstract Key words should provide 3–10 key words or short phrases that indicate the topic of the article.
3. Text
The text of the articles includes: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
Introduction. The introduction should tell the reader why the research was started, and make clear what question the research was designed to answer. Research is not a fishing expedition.
It is designed with a specific question in mindAfter the introductory notes, the aim of the article should be stated in brief (the reasons for the study or observation), only significant data from the literature, but not extensive, detailed consideratuion of the subject, nor data or conclusions from the work being reported.
Methods. Replicability of results is the heart of science. The methods section should provide a detailed exposition of the research design. A reader of the methods section should be able to repeat the study and to validate the findings. A methods section less than two double-spaced pages is probably inadequate.The selection of study or experimental subjects (patients or experimental animals, including controls) should be clearly described. The methods, apparatus (manufacturer's name and address in parentheses), and procedures should be identified in sufficient detail to allow other workers to reproduce the results. Also, give references to established methods, including statistical methods. Identify precisely all drugs and chemicals used, with generic name(s), dose(s), and route(s) of administration. State the approval of the Ethnics Committee for the tests in humans and animals.
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Results. The objective of the research should be kept in mind. Results that do not relate to the research objective should not be mentioned. Sufficient detail should be given to allow
other scientists to assess the validity and accuracy of the results. Statistics should not take over the paper, but statistical analysis of the results should be adequately described. Results should be presented in a logical sequence in the text, tables, and illustrations. Tables and graphs are often extremely helpful in summarizing large amounts of data. Authors should not repeat in the text the numerical data contained in figures and tables. should be presented in logical sequence in the text, tables and illustrations. Emphasize or summarize only important observations.
Discussion is to emphasize the new and significant aspects of the study and the conclusions that result from them. Relate the observations to other relevant studies. Link the conclusions with the goals of the study, but avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not completely supported by your data. Good papers have a targeted discussion, to keep it focused. The discussion should preferably be structured to include the following six components (Docherty and Smith, 1999):
• statement of principal findings
• strengths and weaknesses of the study
• strengths and weaknesses in relation to other studies
• meaning of the study, possible mechanisms and implications for clinicians and policymakers
• unanswered questions and future research
• conclusion.
References. References should be superscripted and numerated consecutively in the order of their first mentioning within the text. All the authors should be listed, but if there are more than 6 authors, give the first 6 followed by et al. Do not use abstracts, secondary publications, oral communications, unpublished papers, official and classified documents. References to papers accepted but not yet published should be cited as ”in press“. Information from manuscripts not yet accepted should be cited as ”unpublished data“. Data from the Internet are cited with the date of citation.
Tables and Illustrations. Each table should be typed on a separate sheet, numbered in the order of their first citation in the text in the upper right corner and supplied with a brief title each. Explanatory notes are printed under a table. Each table should be mentioned in the text.
Any forms of graphic enclosures are considered to bi figures and should be submitted as additional databases in the System of Assistent. Letters, numbers, and symbols should be clear and uniform, of sufficient size that when reduced for publication, each item will still be legible. Each figure should have a label on its back indicating the number of the figure, author's name, and top of the figure (Figure 1, Figure 2 and so on). If a figure has been published, state the original source.
188 Citation of references
The reference section is an important part of a scientific paper. The number of references should be restricted to those that have a direct bearing on the work described. Except for review articles, it is rarely necessary to have more than 40 references in the longest paper (Halsey, 1998). Different standard formats for citing references are used in different scientific disciplines. In biomedical sciences, there are two major styles for citing the references: the Harvard system and the Vancouver system.
Steps in the process of writing a paper
The process of writing a scientific paper should start before doing the research, continue during the research, and be completed after the research results have been described, analysed and interpreted.
Before the research
• Search the literature and keep a record of the references.
• Prepare dummy tables for results.
During the research
• Record the results.
• Update the literature.
After completion of the research
• Use a systematic approach, building the paper step by step. Do not try to do the whole thing at once.
• The discussion is the part that requires most careful thought and interpretation.
• Begin with the easiest section. Deal with individual sections one at a time.
• Decide on the journal to which the article will be submitted and study its format requirements.
• Write the rough draft: Once you start, write as fast as you can. Do not worry about style.
• Put the paper aside for several days or weeks and then re-read it.
• Give a version of the paper to a colleague or colleagues to review it.
After successfully performed research and written work by all applicable criteria remains another, perhaps the most difficult step. This step is the selection of magazines, sending and accepting work for publication. Acceptance of paper and printing is actually a crown work and proof that hard work was not in vain.
Charles Darwin said, "A scientist’s life would be a happy one if he had only to observe and never to write.”
189 References
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