Do you agree that nobody becomes a health researcher for a day? If yes, then you will know that they keep working lifelong to compile their medical manuscripts, only to get them published someday. It seems a small job with minimal effort when you first refer to it, but once you realize how extensive the process is, you might be intimidated.
So, to help all the struggling students out there, we have decided to discuss with you two things: how a medical manuscript is written and how you can get it published. Are you ready? Let’s roll.
How to Write & Get Your Medical Manuscript Published
A medical journal is the formal name for a scientific paper collection that aims to communicate medical information to everyone around the world. It is peer-reviewed and holds all the research done by a researcher.
Furthermore, some of its qualities are accuracy, completeness, precision, and smooth structure. Some people prefer doing the research and compiling it on their own, while others enjoy depending on the manuscript writing services. Now, let’s have a look at the different sections of the medical manuscript.
Detailed Breakdown of a Medical Journal’s Components
The script typically follows the same structure everywhere, going from introduction to methods, from that to results, and finally to discussion. It also has elements like a title, abstract, keywords, and conclusion. To add to it, as per convenience, there are a few other important components, too, such as references, tables, acknowledgments, figures, etc.
- Title Page:
To be precise, the page starts with a title, which should not exceed the limit of 50 characters. Under it, you can list the authors’ names, degrees, and institutional affiliations. After that, you need to include which departments and institutions you intend to attribute your work towards.
Then, with a quick description, you can move on to the contact information for all authors, including the corresponding author. Besides this, you need to mention some other details like the page count, word count (excluding abstract and references), and number of photographs. It should go something like Fig 1.1, Fig 2.3, etc.
- Abstract:
This brief chunk of content should be roughly under 250 words. However, it must provide a concise summary of the study, including the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions. Most importantly, this section has to have keywords to help with visibility and indexing.
- Introduction:
The third phase of writing a medical manuscript is to provide the background information and context for the study. Start with the background, and then slowly, you can slide to the clearly stated study objectives and aims. Once done, you must move to the justification of your research’s importance. You can also include a short review of your literature here.
- Methods:
Now, it is your turn to write the method where you describe the study’s design, participants, and methods (used) in detail. This is also where all the explanations of the statistical analysis performance and the ethical considerations go.
- Results:
Finally, the much-awaited part is the results. In this section, you need to carefully present the research findings. In addition, make sure everything is clear and to the point. You should also use some strong verbs and include tables, figures, and other visual aids to display the data.
- Discussion:
Finally, the last phase of combining all the interpretations under one heading: the Discussion. Here, you can dump the fallouts of the study and debates over their significance. In addition, you may also compare the findings with those of other studies and identify any limitations of the study, if there are. Then, at the end, it is advised that you mention any recommendations, or you can also skip directly to the conclusion.
- Conclusion:
The conclusion part is all about restating what you described up until now and then reemphasizing the research question. Apart from this, you can also summarise the main findings and implications of the study. If you still have any confusion, you can talk to a medical manuscript writing consultant.
Now Let’s Talk About How to Publish Your Medical Journal
You have already been familiar with what a journal looks like and how to write it. So, here is how you can successfully publish a manuscript of your own in only 4 steps.
So far, so good. Soon after you have completed your literature writing, interpretations, and explanations of results, you can jump to choosing the right journal. You should begin by picking the brands that smoothly align with your topic and the overall target audience. You can also look for journals with a higher impact factor, as it is frequently cited and has a wider reach.
Moving on, thoroughly review the specific author guidelines of your target journal, such as the format, structure, and word limits. Then, following these guidelines, shape your manuscript according to the journal’s standards. After that, you need to pen down a cover letter through which you will introduce your manuscript to the editor.
Write as convincingly as you can and highlight the relevance of your script to the journal’s scope. You may also include any necessary supplementary files, such as ethics approval, authorship letters, and consent forms. Soon, the editors will review your manuscript to determine if it’s suitable for further review, and if accepted, it will be sent to expert reviewers for evaluation. Then, you will receive feedback from reviewers, which may include suggestions for improvement or rejection. Now, all you have to do is make the changes and resubmit for publishing.