Scientific Writing for MCH
Epidemiologists
Jody W. Zylke, MD
Senior Editor
JAMA
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What an editor looks for in a
submission
Tips on writing a scientific
paper
How to get started
What does an editor look for in
a paper? Content
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Ideal paper
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Addresses a novel question
Addresses important clinical question that
will be of general interest
Answers a controversial question
Real paper
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“Next steps”
Not just confirmatory
What does an editor look for in
a paper? Study design
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Strong design—RCT, observational
cohort, case-control
Design fits the hypothesis
Data source provides information on
confounding variables
Sufficient power
Generalizable or clear about what
population results apply to
What does an editor look for in
a paper? Presentation
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Indicates what is known and not
known about topic and how this study
fills gap
Clearly analyze and present data
Interpret data appropriately
Well written
Editor Reading Papers
Fatal Flaws
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Usually related to study design
Negative underpowered study
Predictive model that isn’t validated
Survey with inadequate response rate
One strike you may be out
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Topic of article doesn’t suit journal
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Case report, animal study, specialized
Failure to provide enough information on
methods to judge validity
Failure to address sources of bias and study
limitations
Conflicts of interest
Sloppiness
Failure to follow journal format, instructions
What an Editor Wants in a
Paper
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Study with original, clinically important idea
Rigorously performed and analyzed
Objectively interpreted
Paper well organized and written
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“Writing is easy. All you have to do is
sit and stare at the blank sheet of
paper until the drops of blood form on
your forehead.”
---Gene Fowler
Tips for Scientific Writing
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Just the Facts
Follow the formula
Three qualities of scientific prose
(Huth)
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Accuracy
Clarity
Brevity
Accuracy
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Spelling errors
Defective choice of verb tense
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Past tense in describing your results; present
tense describing literature
Commonly misused words
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Incidence vs prevalence
That vs which
Effect vs affect
Case vs patient
Clarity
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Ambiguous antecedents (“He is a
person with many convictions.”)
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Poor choice of verb tense
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Modifiers (“Hospital nurse physician
staff interaction”)
Brevity
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“After careful consideration of all the foregoing lines
of evidence, it is apparent to us that among all the
antibiotics discussed penicillin is the one that
should be chosen for the treatment of infections
caused by the streptococcus.”
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“We conclude that penicillin is the best antibiotic for
treatment of streptococcal infections.”
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“Streptococcal infections? Penicillin!”
Empty Words and Phrases
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A majority of (Use “Most”)
Accounted for by the fact that (Use
“Because”)
Despite the fact that (Use “Despite”)
Fewer in number (Use “Fewer”)
In order to (Use “To”)
It is often the case that (Use “Often”)
Very, Extremely (Delete)
Abbreviations
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Well known—MI, LBW
Made up—VM (vitamin and mineral)
Unnecessary—NORM (normal)
Confusing—PA (pulmonary artery,
physician’s assistant)
Silly—SALD (severe advanced lung
disease)
Grace
Dehumanizing words
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Pomposity
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A diabetic vs a woman with diabetes
Male and female
“It is an inescapable conclusion that utilization of
this method in order to make the diagnosis . . .”
Try “I conclude that use of this method . . .”
Slang, jargon, cliches
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prepped, lab, flat line, exam, status post
Other Prose Features
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Vary Sentence Structure and Length
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“It is easy to craft a story about the FDA based on just a
couple of actions, out of hundreds taken each year. So
competing narratives abound. Some claim the FDA is
captive to manufacturers and too quick to approve new
therapies; others assert the agency is safety obsessed
and too slow to make treatments available.” –Joshua
Sharfstein
Logical flow of paragraphs,
Avoid passive voice (active verbs instead of forms
of “to be”)
Use key terms consistently
Structure of a Scientific “Story”
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Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
How do you start?
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Pick the section that seems easiest
Schedule times to write
Find your most creative time
Eliminate distractions
Find your most productive environment
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Outline or phrases
Rough draft
Rewrite—again and again
Cut excess: “I have made this letter
longer than usual, because I lack the
time to make it short.” --Pascal
Get colleague input