Peer Review Publication:Peer Review Publication:Why Why NotNot Me ? Me ?

32nd Annual TSICP Conference

Patti Grant, RN, BSN, MS, CIC

Medical City Dallas Hospital: Infection Preventionist

patti.grant@hcahealthcare.com

OBJECTIVES

• State Basic Questions & Premise Behind the Peer-Review Publication Process

• Describe Resources Available to Use (Generic Yet Mandatory Guide)

• Explain Basic Organizational Steps from Idea to Submission, Re-Write, and Final

… Not About Writing or Scientific Process …

BASIC QUESTION

Peer-Review Publish: WHY?

• To Give Back– Mentors who shared their time, experience, and

expertise …expect nothing in return

– To help colleagues avoid “Reinventing that darn Wheel”

• Personal Glory … Do Not Expect It– Yet your reputation is ‘On The Line’– Your professional life is forever altered– Feeling of “actualization” professionally

• Because You Can and It Is Awesome

Aside From Textbooks …Types of “Scientific” Publications

• Newsletters

• Magazines

• Trade Journals

• Vanity Publications

• Peer-Review … Is THE Gold Standard

Higher The

Volume #

The Older

(& Respected)

The Journal

Peer Review Publication • Not Just Semantics

– Peer Review = Editorial Review Board– Magazine = Advisory Panels (or Nothing)– Newsletters = Editorial Advisory Boards

• Abstract vs. Full-Length Article• Full length article ‘must pass muster’ …

should be referenced and holds much weight– Abstract not ‘scrutinized’ yet important … can be

referenced but does not hold much weight

• Published Does Not Equal Truth– Must learn ‘good vs. not so good research’

Getting StartedGetting Started: Questions & Roadmap: Questions & Roadmap

• Who Is Your Audience? Query Editor?• Do Your Homework

– Go to library and review various journals• Journal Style? Reference Type? Etc.• Advance Schedule of Topics?• Information for Authors on-line? Hard-Copy?• Snail Mail vs. Electronic Submission?

• Each Publication is Unique to Itself– Doing Your Homework Pays Off– Increases Chances of Publication– Example: AJIC Author Information

http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ymic/authorinfo

Author InformationAuthor Information Gives “Nitty Gritty” Details

Avoid Obvious Manuscript Rejection -- Word Count

-- Check-Lists

-- # Tables

-- # References

-- Spacing Rules

-- Graphic Rules

-- Software

-- Article Type(s)

-- Key Words ?

-- Abstract Type

-- Max # Pages

Overall Peer-Review Concepts

• Solid Reference Material Problems

• Defuse Defensiveness

• Rigorous Scientific Process

• Ethics Galore

• IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Resources• Start At The Beginning: IRB Needed?• Institutional Review Board (IRB)

– Any type of human research: approval– Informed Consent needed? … Present Study– Qualify for Expedited Review? Exempt?

• Informed Consent vs. Expedited Review– Regardless: Must earn ‘certificate’ to participate in

research: self-paced & on-line– The PI and all co-investigator’s of research

http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php • Must mention IRB approval/exemption

TheThe Resource for Medical PR Resource for Medical PR JournalsJournals

• ICMJE: International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

• Short History of ICMJE

– Originated in 1978 as “Vancouver Group” of biomedical journal editors to begin standardization requirements of publication

– By 1981 established ICMJE and published first uniform requirements … still called

Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM) Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM) Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Submitted to Biomedical Journals:

Writing & Editing for Biomedical PublicationWriting & Editing for Biomedical Publication

• Look in Journal “Author Information” – Are these requirements are referenced … if so,

increases creditability of publication

• Wealth of Gold Standard Information– Nine Sections– 23 Sub-Sections– 38 Sub-Sub Sections – FAQ’s– List of Journals that follow URM

http://www.icmje.org/

>400 Journals

HOMEWORK All 43 Pages ?!

• Section II: Ethical Conduct & Reporting– Authorship & Contributorship– Peer Review– Conflicts of Interest– Privacy & Confidentiality– Protection of Human & Animal Subjects

• Section IV: Manuscript Preparation and Submission– Description of Manuscript Sections– Tables, Illustrations, Figures– References

Plan Ahead: Some Fine Points• Internal P&P for “Permission”

– Check for internal facility requirements

• Authorship– Follow The Guidelines of order & contribution– Data collection & entry alone not enough– Authorship vs. Acknowledgement

• Conflict of Interest– Author Information– Using Copy Right Material– Signed Statement (Disclosure)

• Ethics: For All Aspects of Publication– Publish Same Data Only Once

Good Ethics … Avoid Pitfalls

• √ Ingelfinger Rule proposed with NEJM– Single journal submission or publication– Posters/Abstracts ≠ Previous Publication

• Self-Plagiarism is duplicate publication without full disclosure– Might actually violate copyright laws– Clutter literature databases, waste time– “Artificially” inflates topic importance

• Plagiarism is as obvious as always• Salami Publications: Be able to defend

Reference Database Software

• Various Programs Available

• Compatible with journal publisher

specifications in “Authors Info” ?

References Are Sticklers

• Always Cite “First” Reference– Go to the original article first referenced– Cross Reference & Double-Check To Text

• Must be in order and style of journal– APA (American Psychological Association)?– ICMJE: Uniform Requirements Manuscripts?– Vancouver Style?

• Sample References 41 Types

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html

More Reference Sticklers• How Do I Know “THE” Journal Abbreviation to

Cite in My Manuscript Reference List?• Inexperienced Option

– Go to other articles and look for the journal you need to reference and copy it

– Laugh … I did this the first time

• Experienced Option– Go to the internet– Cumulated Index Medicus– Bibliographic listing of references to articles from

biomedical journals worldwidehttp://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=journals

User-Friendly:User-Friendly:Ethics & General GuideEthics & General Guide

Am J Infect Control 1999;27:35-46.

OBJECTIVE #3Basic Organizational StepsBasic Organizational Steps

• IRB Approval? Expedited? Exempt?

• Internal Organization P&P Required?

Conduct Literature Search First:Painful But Necessary

• The “Reference Shuffle” (Home Grown)– Get full articles of those that match your paper– Read all thoroughly & highlight key items– Conduct your search & scan abstracts

• Alphabetize Articles by Author … Then– Write a symbol or color code each article based on main topic as

relates to your paper, then – Create a personal informal reference list that is alphabetical and

includes your ‘code system’– Write 1-4 sentence summary for each article

• As You Use A Reference In Paper– In pencil write the number as it appears in text

Start Writing (REALLY)

• A Title Isn’t Just a Title … Ever

• Make 100% Descriptive– First “Glance” for literature searches– Describes generic external generalizability

• Keep It Less Than 21 Words

• Will Change “Ump-Teen” Times– Ask for opinions

Keep Your Readers “In Mind”

• While writing anticipate other perceptions

• “Shadowbox” Your Readers *– Are there any gaps?– Any potential contradictions?

• DRAFT: Keep a notepad or add footnotes – Write down gaps or contradictions– Do not misplace these concepts– DRAFT Final Submission

* Am J Infect Control 1999;27:35-46.

AbstractAbstract … Your Next Foot

• Needs to Stand Alone*• Make Every Word Meaningful – Limited• Follow ‘Author Info’ for format required

– Scientific Format (B M R C)– Summary Format (Review, Educational, etc.)

• Write First vs. Write Last– Critical to be succinct and informative– Must follow exactly progression of paper

• Launching Pad: Presentations …

* Am J Infect Control 1999;27:35-46* Nyla J, Norman VL. Writing an effective abstract. Appl Nurs Res 1989;2:189-91

Keep Sections PureKeep Sections Pure: : Isolated Yet ConnectedIsolated Yet Connected

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion

• Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

• Get To The Point Quickly: Uniqueness• Remember “SO WHAT” (Rationale)• Capture Interest … Originality

– What Your Paper Is, or, – What Your Paper is not

• Logical Progression of Ideas Focus• Sparse ROL (Minimal References)• Sets Track for Progression of Paper• Cross-Check Once Paper Finalized• Keep Asking Yourself:

– Does This Belong Here?

METHODSMETHODS::Publication Recipe

• Tells “How” of The Situation at Hand

• Can Someone Duplicate Your Study?– Setting? Subjects? Study Design? IRB?

– Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

– Step by Step Process Involved

– Statistical Analysis

– Questionnaires/Tools Used? • Validation? Inter-rater Reliability? Prior Reference?

• Multiple Sub-Sections Common

• Do these details support research findings?

• Keep Asking Yourself:– Does This Belong Here?

RESULTS: Just The Facts Jack

• Facts Only: Absolutely No Discussion• Logical Order: Mirror Previous Sections• Accurate … Cross … Perfection• Include All Finds (Not Just “Wanted”)• Tables, Graphs, and Figures

– Do not repeat in narrative– Emphasize only key findings– Statistics in these match narrative?

• Keep Asking Yourself:– Does This Belong Here?

DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION:: No Hallucinogens Please

• Logical Order: Mirror Previous Sections• Dr. Elaine Larson, Editor of AJIC:

– “Leap of Faith -- Cautious Latitude of Findings”

• Can Speculate on Results w/out Repeating • Get Creative with References

– Intertwine with your findings: Implications• Similarities? Differences? Unexpected Findings?• Can be reference heavy as appropriate (if adds to

paper)

• Address Limitations in Detail: Proactive• Future Research Suggestions Based on Findings?• Keep Asking Yourself:

– Does This Belong Here?

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

• Rarely PROVE Anything Correlate• Key Findings = Abstract … Sort Of

– As hinted at in INTRODUCITON?– As stated in RESULTS section?

• Words Count: “Can” vs. “May” vs. “Could”• Application of Findings• Contribution to Knowledge Base?• Caution: Findings of This Population Only• Keep Asking Yourself:

– Does This Belong Here?

Known Pearls: Stating The Obvious

• 1st Time: Abbreviations & Acronyms• Tables: Stand Alone? Accurate?

– Titles are extremely important– Abbreviations, Acronyms, Key– Identical to Anything Quoted in Text?– Columns & Rows labeled correctly?– No Discrepancies to any part of manuscript?– Do these match order referenced in text?

• References– Spelled Correctly? Format? Correct Order?

Submission ProcessSubmission Process

• Not “Really Done” … Your Final Draft• Do Not Get Rejected for Laziness • Follow All Author Information

– Word-processing– Tables, Graphs, Figures– Journal & Reference Style/Requirements– Check-List (Use it)

• Wait For The Outcome– Rejected?– Accepted with minor or major revisions– Accepted without revisions (rare)

Review ProcessReview Process

• Blind vs. Open Review Process• Must Address All Questions/Concerns

– Logical Approach

– Order of Reviewers Comments

– Respond … Must not accept all suggestions

• Yes

• No – Rationale Must Be Provided

• N/A

• Table Format is Best• Might Be Last Shot Before Rejection

May Do This More

Than Once ….

The End?The End?Rejection & AcceptanceRejection & Acceptance

• REJECTION– Worth it to look for another PR journal?– Lessons Learned?– Study Reviewers Comments in Detail– Take paper to newsletter? Magazine? Etc.

• ACCEPTANCE– Don’t drink too much at the party– Don’t quit your day job– Review Galley Proofs very carefully

• Often “Corrected Proof” published 1st on-line• May take several attempts