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Journal Publishing: A Review of the Basics
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Seminars in Oncology Nursing, Vol 00, No 00 (), 2018: pp 1 11
TAGEDH1JOURNAL PUBLISHING: A REVIEW OF THE BASICSTAGEDEN TAGEDPD1X XMAUREEN SHAWN KENNEDYD2AGEDENX XT OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of publishing in nursing journals, including topic identification, manuscript formats, manuscript assembly, journal selection, and the manuscript review process. DATA SOURCES: Journal articles, publishers’ information for authors, online publishing resources, discussions with nursing journal editors, personal experience. CONCLUSION: Publishing a scholarly article is a major step in developing as a professional. Novice nurse authors should become familiar with the journal article publishing process before preparing a manuscript to best prepare the manuscript, target an appropriate journal, and increase the likelihood of publication.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses at the point of care need to write about what they do to showcase nursing’s value, and contribute to nursing’s body of knowledge and the public’s knowledge of nursing’s work.
TAGEDPKEY WORDS: scholarly writing, journal publishing, peer review.
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cholarly publication has always been an expectation of nursing scholars, faculty and researchers. However, nurses in clinical practice have firsthand knowledge about new clinical best practices and how to implement models of care and quality improvement (QI) projects, and thus have a responsibility to share that knowledge with colleagues and contribute to the body of nursing literature. Often, though, the publication process can appear overwhelming. Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, FAAN: Editor in Chief, American Journal of Nursing, Health Learning, Research & Practice, Wolters Kluwer, New York, NY. Address correspondence to Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, FAAN, Editor in Chief, American Journal of Nursing, Health Learning, Research & Practice, Wolters Kluwer, 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001. e-mail: [email protected] © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0749-2081 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2018.09.004
Publishing is more than just writing a paper and submitting it to a journal. Nurses who want to publish successfully need to think about how to best position their manuscripts to be accepted. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of what it takes to get published in a peer-reviewed journal, from choosing a topic and the type of article to write, to selecting the appropriate journal, submitting, and responding to peer reviewers and editors. Knowing what reviewers and editors look for and understanding the editorial process are all part of what authors need to know. Information on the mechanics of writing are beyond the scope of this paper, but there are a few important general points all prospective authors need to keep in mind.
TAGEDH1A FEW BASIC POINTS ABOUT WRITINGTAGEDEN Writing clarifies how you think. Like critical thinking, it requires knowledge, logic, accuracy,
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and organization. The good news is that writing is a skill and, just like other skills, it can be learned. It takes knowledge, practice, and persistence. Most nurses’ writing experiences have been limited to school papers, often hastily written over a weekend or school break, on an assigned topic that demonstrated to the instructor what they have learned about a topic. Writing an article for a journal is different and requires a different approach. It is not necessarily about presenting all that the writer has learned, but rather discerning what information is important for the reader to know. The key is to write with the reader in mind. What will readers gain from reading the article? By and large, journal readers know the basics and want new information and not a rehashing of what they already know. School papers can be the inspiration for a journal article and, in some cases, several journal articles, because papers written to meet academic requirements often are comprehensive in their scope. School papers generally require substantial revision, editing, and reformatting to meet a journal’s submission requirements. The process of modifying a school paper is described in the article titled “An Academic Perspective on Publishing in Oncology Nursing” elsewhere in this issue. Good writing takes time time to think about the topic, time to review what has already been written about the topic, time to decide on the purpose and format of a paper, time to write a first draft and then revise and rewrite again, and time to have a colleague critique it. It is likely that this cycle will need to be repeated a few times before submitting the manuscript. Writing for publication is a process that takes patience and thoughtfulness. In preparing to write, it is helpful to read journals, such as general journals as well as specialty journals, and become familiar with the language, level of detail and tone, different types of papers, the use of tables and figures, and how articles flow from one section and paragraph to the next. Examples of flaws and problems are listed in Table 1, and a review of common mistakes compiled by its editor was published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship.1
TAGEDH1CHOOSING A TOPICTAGEDEN Oncology nurses have a wide body of knowledge and any number of experiences on which to draw
TABLE 1. Fatal Flaws and Common Problems Fatal flaw (major problems that may lead to quick rejection) The paper does not follow the proper format for a scholarly paper or does not follow the journal’s guidelines Inaccurate, missing key content eg, no pre-intervention data to serve as a baseline for evaluating quality improvement results Insufficient description of methodology or literature review Conclusion does not address purpose Lacks evidence and synthesis Implications for nursing practice are absent Plagiarism Common problems (problems that might be addressed in revision) Inadequate referencing Lacks logical organization Superficial and lacks detail Poor writing: use of jargon, rhetoric, ambiguous language
from in selecting a topic to write about, and it can be difficult to narrow down the topic and focus. Rule number one is that the topic must be of interest to others and not just the would-be writer. Some questions to consider: What is a “hot” topic that colleagues are concerned about? Are there new medications that pose a hazard to the nurses who administer them? Has the rate of adverse effects increased with a new cancer treatment protocol? What are nurses not talking about but should be? For example, is there a developing controversy over a common intervention, are there conflicting treatment guidelines, or are there new licensing requirements that will change nursing practice? What do you know or have developed that would be of use to colleagues? Nurses working in large university medical centers doing cutting edge work often have access to information that may not be known to nurses in smaller hospitals or community settings, or perhaps a unit implemented a project that successfully improved outcomes and decreased costs. While successful projects are always of interest, it is also valuable to write about a project that was not successful and why; disseminating this information is important and can save others valuable time and resources. What is a pain point or recurrent problem in your practice setting? Chances are, it is an issue for others as well. What is in the literature about a topic of interest? Has it been well-covered or are there gaps or
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new information? One example might be a chemotherapy procedure; while the process might be well-documented, has anything been written about the patients’ experiences and perceptions? Writers should decide early on what their purpose is in writing. Is it reporting the results of a research study or a QI initiative, or is it a case report, or a review of a clinical problem? Each type of article requires specific elements.
TAGEDH1SCHOLARLY WRITING AND FORMATSTAGEDEN Scholarly writing is marked by some distinct characteristics. For one, it is objective; assertions must be supported by evidence, so citing research and other scholarly work is important. Scholarly writing also must stand up to the scrutiny of peers. Peer review by others in the field evaluates the accuracy and completeness of the content. The author’s message must be reasoned and should proceed logically, using precise language. The writing style is more formal in tone, without the slang or jargon often used every day, but that does not mean the writing should be laden with convoluted language that may confound most readers. The primary goal of writing to communicate ideas should be the main objective always. There are various types of scholarly articles, and each has guidelines for organizing the content. Having specific criteria enables other clinicians, researchers, and scholars to have the information needed to evaluate, implement, or replicate the work. Guidelines for the various types of scholarly articles can be found online at The EQUATOR Network (http://www.equator-network.org/),2 which also has a toolkit with a decision tree for determining the best guideline to use. Most formats have helpful checklists to follow to ensure that all the needed components have been addressed. Except for letters, opinion pieces, and narratives, scholarly papers usually include an abstract, which is a summary of the key findings or points of the article. Journals vary in what they require insofar as length and specific structure, but abstracts for research, Quality Improvement (QI) reports, and literature reviews include the purpose, methodology (design, setting, population, intervention, analysis), results, and conclusion. For literature reviews, the methodology section would include the search terms, databases searched, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Clinical reviews will at the very least include a
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brief description of the topic and its importance (why the reader should care about it) and the purpose of the paper. Research Reports Research reports follow the classic “IMRAD” format Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion used by all scholarly disciplines for reporting the findings of research. There are specific reporting guidelines to follow, depending on the type of research study, but all incorporate the IMRAD format. For randomized trials, there is the CONSORT guidelines (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)3 and for non-randomized studies, the TREND guidelines (Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs).4 There are also separate guidelines for reporting qualitative studies, such as SRQR (Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research)5 and COREQ (the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research).6 Most journals require evidence upon submission that the research protocol was reviewed and approved by an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB), and sometimes by multiple IRBs, depending on the number of sites used, to safeguard the research participants and ensure that they were treated ethically. QI Reports QI reports describe initiatives implemented in a specific setting to improve care. This type of article is often developed from papers written to fulfill the requirements for a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. QI reports should follow the SQUIRE guidelines (Standards for Reporting Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence).7 The criteria for reporting QI, though categorized differently from research reports, contain essentially the same information (see Table 2). Generally, formal IRB review is not required for QI reports because QI projects involve the application of evidence-based processes and interventions to improve care, as opposed to generating new knowledge or testing interventions on human subjects. However, some journals may require review from an IRB or other institutional committee to verify that the QI project is ethically sound. Literature Reviews Literature reviews provide a summary of what is known about a subject, where the knowledge gaps are, and recommendations for future research or implications for practice or policy, depending on
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TABLE 2. Reporting Research and Quality Improvement (QI) Reports QI Report Why did you start? What did you do? What did you find (outcomes)? What do the findings mean?
Research Report Introduction Methods Results Discussion
the focus of the journal. This type of article is not merely an overview and listing of studies found in the literature, but a critique and synthesis of the findings. Most journals require more than one author for conducting and reporting comprehensive literature reviews to lessen bias and to ensure rigor in selecting and critiquing the literature, and in identifying themes. Literature reviews may be systematic reviews of research studies (with or without meta-analyses, where results of similar studies are aggregated), or integrative reviews, which include research as well as other types of literature. These papers follow the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses).8 Literature reviews are also parts of research and QI reports. To determine if research in a specific area is warranted, investigators must first review the literature to identify what is already known and where gaps may exist. For a QI report, the literature review is to provide support for a practice change.9 Case Reports Case reports describe the details of the diagnosis, management, and outcomes of a real patient case and follow the CARE guidelines (Case Reports) for reporting.10 A case report provides information about a patient’s disease and treatment or can showcase exemplary or complex care. Case report components include de-identified patient demographic information, relevant clinical information and timeline, interventions and outcomes, and a discussion. The patient should provide informed consent for the case report and, in some cases, a patient’s perspective is included. Clinical Reviews Clinical reviews examine a specific clinical problem and provide an update for clinicians on the topic. They include the significance of the problem (eg, epidemiology and prevalence),
pathophysiology (including signs and symptoms), diagnosis and management, nursing care implications, and interventions. While clinical review papers tend to be in-depth and can easily run 5,000 words or more, some journals publish short, narrowly focused columns that may cover just one aspect of a clinical issue or problem. An example is an ongoing column on symptom management with each column dedicated to a single symptom.
Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor were often the only mechanism readers had to express opinions about articles published in a journal, but journals’ social media sites have now largely eclipsed these columns, giving readers an immediate and easy way to express approval or disapproval. Published letters, however, can provide a lasting and retrievable record and, depending on a journal’s social media channels and their reach, may offer a wider audience because the letters are available to all who may read the journal. Journals have guidelines for letters, but generally, letters should address a recently published article, identify the article under discussion in the first sentence, and clearly state the author’s opinion and rationale for that opinion in two but no more than three short paragraphs. Because the purpose of a letter written in response to a previously published article is to support, question, or critique information contained in the article, letters are addressed to the journal’s editor, not the author. The editor assumes an objective role of considering the letter for publication, and when the decision is made to publish the letter, the article’s author usually has the opportunity to publish a response or can decline to respond.
Opinion Pieces Opinion pieces (editorials, viewpoints), like letters to the editor, should be timely and present a thoughtful point of view. While this type of scholarly article expresses a distinct opinion, and can be strongly worded, it still must be fact-based (in other words, no rants). The author should state the issue that he or she is opposing or supporting early in the paper, and then proceed with a thoughtful argument that includes evidence to support that position. These pieces often conclude with a call to action for readers.
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Narrative Works Narrative works are personal stories, essays reflecting on a real-life experience, or examining an issue or event. Good narratives are more than a superficial retelling of an anecdote; they should leave the reader with new understanding or insight. Experiences with patients, families, or colleagues that leave a last impression, emotional fall-out from an ethically charged case, difficult professional situations any of these are possible topics that can be the root of a narrative piece.
TAGEDH1CHOOSING A JOURNALTAGEDEN There are many types of professional journals, from free, sponsored publications and organization membership publications to scholarly journals that publish peer-reviewed content. Novice writers may want to submit to a non-peer reviewed journal as a first foray into publishing, or work with a more experienced colleague who has successfully published in a peer-reviewed journal. Working with a writing mentor is described in the article titled “Mentoring the Next Generation of Authors” elsewhere in this issue. Once authors identify their purpose in writing what it is they want to say and to whom they need to know which journals will reach their target readers. Research journals are obvious publications to approach to publish a research article, but if the research is useful to clinicians, a clinical journal that publishes research might also be a consideration. Alternately, the author could submit the original research to a research journal and then develop another paper, a clinical application paper, for a clinical journal. The author should not self-plagiarize, that is, re-use sections of the first paper in the second paper, or make only minor changes. The author should refer to the original research paper and then write a new, original paper targeted specifically to the readers of the clinical journal. Permission should be obtained to reuse any tables or illustrations published in the research article and they must be cited appropriately. Some general nursing journals, such as the American Journal of Nursing, provide broad coverage of clinical topics, research, and professional issues that are relevant to most practicing nurses; while specialty journals, such as the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON) or the
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Journal of Infusion Nursing, have a specific clinical focus. Both types of journals may be vehicles for publishing an article on oncology nursing, but a writer would develop very different articles for these journals because the readers would have different levels of knowledge of and experience with the topic. Medical librarians can be helpful in searching for appropriate journals for submission and for obtaining their submission guidelines. They can also help in identifying unscrupulous journals that have little editorial integrity or standards and take advantage of novice writers for profit. Questionable publishing practices, such as predatory journals, are discussed in the article titled “Publishing in Oncology Nursing” elsewhere in this issue. The International Academy of Nursing Editors maintains a vetted directory of nursing journals on its Website (www.nursingeditors.com).11 Authors should obtain and scan recent issues of several journals that might be appropriate, noting the types of articles and whether they have published similar articles on the topic, and review the requirements for submission. Authors should note if query letters are required; some journals may not accept unsolicited or direct submissions.
TAGEDH1QUERY LETTERSTAGEDEN Once the choices of journals for submission have been narrowed down, writers should send a query letter (in an e-mail) to the editors of these journals to inquire if the proposed manuscript would be of interest. Authors can query any number of journals, but they can only submit a manuscript to one journal. Query letters save time; time can be wasted if a paper is submitted to a journal that has no interest in the paper, or perhaps has already accepted a similar paper for publication. The query should include the topic, the purpose of the paper, word count, anticipated submission date, and what expertise the author has in the topic area. Some editors may ask for an outline or summary of content that will be addressed; if the paper is a research paper, it is appropriate to include the abstract. Use care when writing a query, as it is the first impression editors will get about your writing. Typographical errors, poor grammar, missing punctuation, and other evidence of poor writing may cause an editor to decline review of
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your paper. See Table 3 for an example of a query letter.
TAGEDH1PREPARING AND SUBMITTING THE MANUSCRIPTTAGEDEN Content Journal author guidelines stipulate that manuscripts contain original (not previously published) content. Sources of information are referenced or cited throughout the text. If the source of the information is being used in the manuscript verbatim (exactly word for word), it must be cited as a direct quote (usually stated in quotations with the page number of the original source noted). Other sources of information are paraphrased, which refers to information written and/or published by someone else but presented in a new form and referenced appropriately. Paraphrasing is a skill that most novice nurse authors need to practice and develop to successfully publish and avoid allegations of plagiarism.12 Plagiarism (may occur intentionally using another’s words as your own) and includes using someone else’s words with only minor changes (eg, deleting a word or two from a sentence) or simply rearranging words in a sentence. It can also occur when an author “copies and pastes” his or her previously published sentences, paragraphs, tables, or other published works without citing the TABLE 3. Sample of a Query Letter I am writing to inquire about your interest in a manuscript on the topic of nursing care of the patient with dysphagia, which is a problem for more than 20% of all hospital patients. Dysphagia can lead to malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia, but these sequelae can be minimized with proper diagnosis, treatment, and patient education. My manuscript will discuss the pathophysiology and risk factors, approaches to diagnosis, treatment options, and nursing management. Patient and family teaching will be emphasized. I am the CNS for the oncology unit of Good Care Hospital, with more than10 years of experience working with patients with dysphagia following radiation for oral cancer. I am currently a member of a research team investigating alternative feeding methods for patients with severe dysphagia. I currently have two publications on other topics in peer-reviewed journals. I expect to have a completed manuscript (approximately 5,000 words) by ________. I look forward to hearing from you.
previously published works. Published authors need to be aware that once a journal article is published, the publisher—not the author—owns the work and holds the copyright to the work. When an author wishes to reuse his/her published work without altering the published content, permission from the publisher must be obtained. An author’s use of published material in a new manuscript without citing the original source or paraphrasing and referencing the original source is considered “self-plagiarism,” but can be considered duplicate publication depending on the amount of content reused.13 Authors must be aware that many publishers use sophisticated plagiarism detection programs to help identify previously published material in submitted manuscripts.14 There are many resources available to assist novice nurse authors in learning how to correctly reference and cite information. Experienced nurse authors can provide instruction and mentorship, and nursing program faculty may be able to offer assistance. Nurse authors also can consult reference and citation guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, titled Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals, which are available at http:// www.icmje.org/recommendations/.15 Format Scholarly papers are formatted according to specific guidelines to ensure consistency, accuracy, and clarity in organizing and presenting information. This is especially important in listing references so readers can locate the original source material. Any citations in the text must appear in a reference list and include specific elements, such as full title, author, year of publication, volume number, and page numbers. Most professional journals usually require one of two styles for formatting a paper: APA style, from the American Psychological Association, or AMA style, from the American Medical Association. A clue to a journal’s style is to check the references; in the body of the manuscript, APA style citations appear as (Author, year) in the text, and then includes an alphabetical listing of references.16 In AMA style, citations in the text are marked with consecutive superscript numbering and the references are listed in numerical order.17 However, it is important to note that the reference format in the published article may not be the format required for
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manuscript submission, so it is important to review and adhere to the journal’s submission guidelines. Visual Elements Novice authors often overlook an important element of presenting information, such as graphs, tables, text boxes, images, and illustrations. People have different learning styles, and these features can enhance a reader’s understanding of complex content. While tables and graphs are standard in research articles, they are also appealing in clinical articles as well because they offer a visual break from page after page of text. Text boxes, which can highlight key points or display lists such as a list of symptoms or adverse effects, can either present unique content or reinforce and highlight content discussed in the text. Images and illustrations can take the form of clinical art that show anatomic structures or algorithms of treatment decisions or physiological processes, radiographic images and scans, or even photographs or artwork. Again, the author guidelines will have specific criteria for formatting and submitting these elements and for how many are permissible. Publication of a patient’s photograph requires documented permission from the patient, and the patient’s privacy is protected by cropping the photograph or obliterating the patient’s face. Many journals now have policies that stipulate that simply placing a black rectangle over a patient’s eyes is not sufficient in protecting the patient’s identity. Visual elements created by the author that are based on published or copyrighted information require attribution of the original source and, in some cases, permission from the publisher or copyright holder if wording and format are very similar. The figure caption usually notes “based on information from” and cites the source. Permissions are required to reproduce visual elements that have been previously published or are copyrighted, or if the author wishes to make any changes to an already published figure, and authors typically must submit documentation of permission to reprint the items upon manuscript submission. When the article is published, the figure caption usually includes the copyright symbol, copyright holder, and date, along with “used with permission” or “adapted from” or other similar wording. Visual elements that are in the public domain are noted as such, and refer to creative
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materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public is the owner of these works, not an individual author or artist, and anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission. Works in the public domain should be cited as a source because it helps readers to locate the original work. Final Steps Once the manuscript is completed in accordance with scholarly guidelines and the journal’s specific guidelines for formatting and referencing, it should be spell-checked and then proofread by a colleague. A colleague’s fresh eyes can often detect typographical errors and words that are misspelled because of auto-correction while typing and missed by spell-check (eg, humerus, not humorous). The reference list should be rechecked for accuracy and completeness and updated when indicated because some articles are published online ahead of print. Many universities and organizations have editorial services that will assist staff in preparing and submitting papers for publication, and many publishers also work with such services. There also are independent consultants and organizations that can provide editorial services. Sometimes a non-health care professional can identify these types of errors and statements that are not clear and it may be helpful to have a paper reviewed this way as well. This “help” should be in the form of reviewing and editing papers for grammar, organization, and language, but not writing, rewriting, adding content, or extensively revising the paper, which can border on “ghost” authorship (authors who are not listed on the paper as such) and create ethical issues. Authorship criteria are described in the article titled “Publishing in Oncology Nursing: A Look to the Past, Present, and Future” elsewhere in this issue. As a final step, authors should file all reference materials in an organized way so that they are easy to retrieve should the editors request any documentation. Submitting the Manuscript Online manuscript submission is the norm for most journals. These systems facilitate the timely review and processing of manuscripts: editors can review the manuscript, assign peer reviewers, review their recommendations, and render decisions to the author, all electronically. Authors can also track the progress of their manuscripts and
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correspond with the editors. It is important to adhere to the instructions carefully because submitting incomplete or incorrectly formatted manuscripts can lead to outright rejection or, at the very least, may cause a delay in the review process. Authors can expect to complete several forms on the site; drop-down menus will ask for standard information such as credentials, title, and affiliations, and contact information for each author. Required manuscript information may include an abstract and key words, and the order of authors with the name of the corresponding or submitting author. Additionally, journals require disclosure of conflicts of interest, including funding sources, completion of a copyright transfer form, and statement of authorship role from each author. Most credible journals follow the authorship criteria set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) (available at http://www.icmje.org/)18 for determining who can be considered an author. While there are new challenges emerging around how to acknowledge the contributions of multiple individuals working on large teams, like those in a multi-site research study, for example, authorship in the era of “team science” should still be based on the four criteria set forth by the ICMJE,19 which are “substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND final approval of the version to be published; AND agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.”18 Writing with a partner or as part of a team requires some discussion early on about author roles. These roles should be determined at the outset. Usually, each author takes on a section of a paper and then submits to one author who is responsible for merging all the contributions into one paper. The first author is often the originator of the idea to write or do the project and does the most work; second and third and other author positions can be based on the amount of work, alphabetically, seniority there is no hard and fast rule, though institutional tradition often dictates the convention. Authorship order can be whatever all authors agree on. In addition
to deciding on the order of authors, writing teams also need to agree on a timeline for completing work and have a plan to resolve issues that may arise. One example might be to have an agreed-upon colleague serve as an arbitrator to decide issues, or the institution might have a professional committee or ethics committee that consider such disputes. It is not the editor’s responsibility to intervene in author listing disputes; editors are concerned that each person listed as an author meets the four criteria for authorship. When there are multiple authors, one author (usually the submitting author) must take on the role of “corresponding author” to serve as the contact person between the journal and the authors. Corresponding authors are responsible for all correspondence with the editor, including sending responses to editor queries and requests for additional references or other information. The corresponding author organizes and aggregates the responses and revisions of the other authors into one response letter to the editor. Most journals require the author to include a cover letter, detailing that the submission is an original work of the authors and has not been submitted elsewhere, cites other related works by the authors already published or submitted elsewhere, identifies funding sources, and includes permissions to use any material (charts, graphs, images, photos) that have been previously published. Permission is also needed from any individual appearing in a photograph or whom the author wishes to acknowledge as supporting or contributing to the paper (that is, individuals who do not meet authorship criteria).
TAGEDH1THE EDITORIAL PROCESSTAGEDEN Once submitted, manuscripts are first screened by an editor for overall suitability for publication, including timeliness and importance of content, interest to the readership, overall quality of writing, proper format and organization, and perhaps a superficial review of references. Manuscripts also may be checked for plagiarism at this stage. Many journals upload manuscripts into plagiarism checking programs to detect document fragments, such as paragraphs, sentences, and fixed-length word sequences that appeared in previously published materials. If not rejected on this initial
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review, manuscripts will undergo editorial or peer review. Peer Review Peer review helps ensure the credibility of a journal’s content and thus, of the journal. In peer review, manuscripts are sent to individuals (the number of reviews may vary among journals, but the average is usually three to five) who have expertise in the subject matter and who can provide a critical and objective review of the manuscript. Reviewers render opinions on whether the information contained in the manuscript is accurate, complete, reflects the current standards for research or practice, and is appropriate for the journal. They also identify weaknesses and offer recommendations for improving the manuscript (see Table 4, Peer reviewers’ evaluation). Research and some QI manuscripts may also be reviewed by a statistician to ensure that authors used the proper methodology and correctly reported results. Most manuscripts undergo a double-blind review, that is, neither the author nor the reviewer know who the other is. Some journals have instituted “open peer review” whereby the reviews are published along with the manuscript. Other models of open review are emerging, but, as yet, they are still in trial stages and have been embraced by few nursing journals.20 Peer reviewers are expected to be impartial and are required to declare any conflicts of interest. Conflicts might include ownership of stock in a company that would benefit financially from favorable findings or being a recipient of a grant from
TABLE 4. Peer Reviewer’s Evaluation Is content accurate, timely, and complete for the type of article? Is the topic appropriate for the journal? Does the manuscript provide new information and add to the understanding of the subject? Is it balanced and unbiased? Are references up to date? Are any key references missing? Is there evidence of plagiarism? Is the writing clear and well-organized? If research, is the methodology sound? Are conclusions appropriate for the objectives and supported by results? What might correct any problems or improve the manuscript?
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that company. Non-financial conflicts could exist in the form of competition for funding, professional advancement, or personal conflicts.
The Editor’s Decision and What It Means Once the required number of reviews are submitted, the editor evaluates the reviewer recommendations and responds to the author with a publication decision. Editors usually follow the recommendations of the reviewers, but occasionally may not. The editor bears the ultimate responsibility for responsibility for deciding whether or not to publish a manuscript.
Reject There are many reasons why manuscripts may be rejected: they may be poorly written and poorly organized, lack necessary details and citations, or fail to provide any new information. However, a rejection decision does not necessarily mean that the manuscript is not a well-done manuscript. It may have been rejected because it was not a good fit for the journal, or because a similar manuscript has been accepted or recently published. Some journal editors may state the reason for rejection, while others may convey the rejection with no explanation. Authors can usually appeal to the editor to reconsider a rejection, but decisions rarely get changed. Author guidelines provide information on the appeal process if the journal considers appeals. Once a manuscript is rejected, authors are free to submit elsewhere.
Revise and resubmit Also called “reject and resubmit,” this decision connotes that the manuscript as submitted was unacceptable, but if the authors wish to revise according to the recommendations offered, they are welcome to resubmit the manuscript. This does not mean that the revision will necessarily be accepted; the revision will undergo review and additional revisions may be needed. Ultimately, the revised manuscript can be rejected if revisions are inadequate. A “revise and resubmit” decision should not be viewed as a failure; if that was the case, it would have been rejected. Instead, it means the editor and reviewers observed value in the manuscript, but more work is needed to refine it.
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Accept with revision This is a good decision! The reviewers and editors will accept your manuscript IF the recommended revisions are done satisfactorily. For some authors, receiving a harsh critique of a manuscript that has taken considerable time and effort to write, sometimes years, can be disheartening and upsetting. Some authors react badly to the recommendations for revisions. Authors need to depersonalize the reviewers’ comments and consider each comment on its own. Authors also should realize that they and the editors have the same objective: a journal article that is accurate, unbiased, supported by evidence, and well-written. Experienced authors know the value of an astute editor who can find and correct what could be embarrassing mistakes. Authors should address each query as instructed and not send additional information or rewrite unless specifically requested to do so. While each journal has its own format for submitting revisions, most journals request a cover letter to explain if and how each recommendation was addressed. Journal editors also provide a due date for revisions and it is important to adhere to the timeline.
TAGEDH1WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE EDITORIAL AND PUBLISHING PROCESSAGEDNTE Once accepted, the final accepted manuscript is assigned for publication in an issue that is likely several months after acceptance. Typically, manuscripts may wait 6 to 9 months for publication, though some journals can “fast-track” those that are time-sensitive. The final manuscript will go through additional work to ready it for publication and may look very different from the approved manuscript. Some journals do extensive editing that may include fact-checking references and clinical statements, medications and dosages, etc. They may have developmental editors who work on ensuring logical organization, refining language and terms, clarifying meaning, correcting
grammar and sentence structure, etc. Copy editors also add clarity, format the text, tables, and charts according to the journal’s style, and work with the production team on page layout. Editors and copy editors may have many author queries, depending on the journal’s unique editorial and production processes, and there may be more than one round of editing. Peer review is not editing; responding to peer reviewers’ comments helps ensure that the content is clinically accurate and complete. Responding to editors and copy editors helps ensure that the content is presented according to standards for scholarly publications, wording and grammar conventions, and that information is clearly and accurately conveyed. The author reviews the final edited version of the journal article and will be asked to approve it. The final version is then formatted into the journal’s page design along with graphs, tables, and other art elements. Most journals will send these pages as PDFs to the author for final approval, with a tight turn-around deadline. The finalized PDFs are proofread by a production editor and often by the editor, and forwarded to a printer, if the journal is available in print, and posted online. Many journals are available in multiple formats print, online HTML and PDF versions, and digital magazine formats. Authors may be asked to provide additional materials, such as videos and audio recordings, which are used as supplemental or enhanced content. Journals also maintain social media sites and may enlist author assistance in publicizing publication of the article to enhance dissemination (which is the whole point of publishing). Articles that are especially noteworthy or timely may also be promoted with a press release, and authors may receive requests for interviews from the media. For nurses who seek a fulfilling career rather than just a job, publishing a scholarly article is a major step in developing as a professional. Nurses at the point of care need to write about what they do to showcase nursing’s value. It is incumbent on all of us to contribute to nursing’s body of knowledge and the public’s knowledge of nursing’s work.
TAGEDH1REFERENCESTAGEDEN 1. Gennaro S. Mistakes to avoid in scientific writing. J Nurse Scholarsh. 2016;48:435–436. 2. The EQUATOR Network. Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research. Available at: http://www. equator-network.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018).
3. CONSORT. Transparent reporting of trials. Available at: http://www.consort-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 4. Transparent reporting of evaluations with nonrandomized designs (TREND). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/trendstate ment/index.html. (Accessed June 28, 2018).
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5. O’Brien BC, Harris IB, Beckman TJ, Reed DA, Cook DA. Standards for reporting qualitative research: a synthesis of recommendations. Acad Med. 2014;89:1245–1251. 6. Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care. 2007;19:349–357. 7. SQUIRE. Available at: http://www.squire-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 8. PRISMA. Transparent reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Available at: http://prisma-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 9. Velasquez D, Bonham E. The clinical practice project: planning to publish. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2015;27:420– 425. 10. CARE case report guidelines. Available at: http://www. care-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 11. Directory of Nursing Journals. International Academy of Nursing Editors. Available at: https://nursingeditors.com/jour nals-directory/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 12. P.org. How to paraphrase; June 7, 2017. Available at: http://www.plagiarism.org/article/how-to-paraphrase. (Accessed June 28, 2018).
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13. American Journal of Nursing. Welcome to the Editorial Manager interface for AJN. Available at: http://www.editorial manager.com/ajn/default.aspx. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 14. Cleary M, Sayers J. Academic integrity and plagiarism. Nurse Author Ed. 2017;27:4. 15. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals. Available at: http://www.icmje. org/recommendations/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 16. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Ed 6. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2010. 17. AMA manual of style: a guide for authors and editors. Ed 10. New York: Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 2007. 18. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Defining the role of authors and contributors. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Available at: http://www.icmje.org/rec ommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-roleof-authors-and-contributors.html. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 19. Fontanarosa P, Bauchner H, Flanagin A. Authorship and team science. JAMA. 2017;318:2433–2437. 20. Ross-Hellauer T. What is open peer review a systematic review. Version 2. F1000Res 2017 [revised 2017 Aug 31];6:588.
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TAGEDH1JOURNAL PUBLISHING: A REVIEW OF THE BASICSTAGEDEN TAGEDPD1X XMAUREEN SHAWN KENNEDYD2AGEDENX XT OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of publishing in nursing journals, including topic identification, manuscript formats, manuscript assembly, journal selection, and the manuscript review process. DATA SOURCES: Journal articles, publishers’ information for authors, online publishing resources, discussions with nursing journal editors, personal experience. CONCLUSION: Publishing a scholarly article is a major step in developing as a professional. Novice nurse authors should become familiar with the journal article publishing process before preparing a manuscript to best prepare the manuscript, target an appropriate journal, and increase the likelihood of publication.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses at the point of care need to write about what they do to showcase nursing’s value, and contribute to nursing’s body of knowledge and the public’s knowledge of nursing’s work.
TAGEDPKEY WORDS: scholarly writing, journal publishing, peer review.
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cholarly publication has always been an expectation of nursing scholars, faculty and researchers. However, nurses in clinical practice have firsthand knowledge about new clinical best practices and how to implement models of care and quality improvement (QI) projects, and thus have a responsibility to share that knowledge with colleagues and contribute to the body of nursing literature. Often, though, the publication process can appear overwhelming. Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, FAAN: Editor in Chief, American Journal of Nursing, Health Learning, Research & Practice, Wolters Kluwer, New York, NY. Address correspondence to Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, FAAN, Editor in Chief, American Journal of Nursing, Health Learning, Research & Practice, Wolters Kluwer, 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001. e-mail: [email protected] © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0749-2081 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2018.09.004
Publishing is more than just writing a paper and submitting it to a journal. Nurses who want to publish successfully need to think about how to best position their manuscripts to be accepted. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of what it takes to get published in a peer-reviewed journal, from choosing a topic and the type of article to write, to selecting the appropriate journal, submitting, and responding to peer reviewers and editors. Knowing what reviewers and editors look for and understanding the editorial process are all part of what authors need to know. Information on the mechanics of writing are beyond the scope of this paper, but there are a few important general points all prospective authors need to keep in mind.
TAGEDH1A FEW BASIC POINTS ABOUT WRITINGTAGEDEN Writing clarifies how you think. Like critical thinking, it requires knowledge, logic, accuracy,
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and organization. The good news is that writing is a skill and, just like other skills, it can be learned. It takes knowledge, practice, and persistence. Most nurses’ writing experiences have been limited to school papers, often hastily written over a weekend or school break, on an assigned topic that demonstrated to the instructor what they have learned about a topic. Writing an article for a journal is different and requires a different approach. It is not necessarily about presenting all that the writer has learned, but rather discerning what information is important for the reader to know. The key is to write with the reader in mind. What will readers gain from reading the article? By and large, journal readers know the basics and want new information and not a rehashing of what they already know. School papers can be the inspiration for a journal article and, in some cases, several journal articles, because papers written to meet academic requirements often are comprehensive in their scope. School papers generally require substantial revision, editing, and reformatting to meet a journal’s submission requirements. The process of modifying a school paper is described in the article titled “An Academic Perspective on Publishing in Oncology Nursing” elsewhere in this issue. Good writing takes time time to think about the topic, time to review what has already been written about the topic, time to decide on the purpose and format of a paper, time to write a first draft and then revise and rewrite again, and time to have a colleague critique it. It is likely that this cycle will need to be repeated a few times before submitting the manuscript. Writing for publication is a process that takes patience and thoughtfulness. In preparing to write, it is helpful to read journals, such as general journals as well as specialty journals, and become familiar with the language, level of detail and tone, different types of papers, the use of tables and figures, and how articles flow from one section and paragraph to the next. Examples of flaws and problems are listed in Table 1, and a review of common mistakes compiled by its editor was published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship.1
TAGEDH1CHOOSING A TOPICTAGEDEN Oncology nurses have a wide body of knowledge and any number of experiences on which to draw
TABLE 1. Fatal Flaws and Common Problems Fatal flaw (major problems that may lead to quick rejection) The paper does not follow the proper format for a scholarly paper or does not follow the journal’s guidelines Inaccurate, missing key content eg, no pre-intervention data to serve as a baseline for evaluating quality improvement results Insufficient description of methodology or literature review Conclusion does not address purpose Lacks evidence and synthesis Implications for nursing practice are absent Plagiarism Common problems (problems that might be addressed in revision) Inadequate referencing Lacks logical organization Superficial and lacks detail Poor writing: use of jargon, rhetoric, ambiguous language
from in selecting a topic to write about, and it can be difficult to narrow down the topic and focus. Rule number one is that the topic must be of interest to others and not just the would-be writer. Some questions to consider: What is a “hot” topic that colleagues are concerned about? Are there new medications that pose a hazard to the nurses who administer them? Has the rate of adverse effects increased with a new cancer treatment protocol? What are nurses not talking about but should be? For example, is there a developing controversy over a common intervention, are there conflicting treatment guidelines, or are there new licensing requirements that will change nursing practice? What do you know or have developed that would be of use to colleagues? Nurses working in large university medical centers doing cutting edge work often have access to information that may not be known to nurses in smaller hospitals or community settings, or perhaps a unit implemented a project that successfully improved outcomes and decreased costs. While successful projects are always of interest, it is also valuable to write about a project that was not successful and why; disseminating this information is important and can save others valuable time and resources. What is a pain point or recurrent problem in your practice setting? Chances are, it is an issue for others as well. What is in the literature about a topic of interest? Has it been well-covered or are there gaps or
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new information? One example might be a chemotherapy procedure; while the process might be well-documented, has anything been written about the patients’ experiences and perceptions? Writers should decide early on what their purpose is in writing. Is it reporting the results of a research study or a QI initiative, or is it a case report, or a review of a clinical problem? Each type of article requires specific elements.
TAGEDH1SCHOLARLY WRITING AND FORMATSTAGEDEN Scholarly writing is marked by some distinct characteristics. For one, it is objective; assertions must be supported by evidence, so citing research and other scholarly work is important. Scholarly writing also must stand up to the scrutiny of peers. Peer review by others in the field evaluates the accuracy and completeness of the content. The author’s message must be reasoned and should proceed logically, using precise language. The writing style is more formal in tone, without the slang or jargon often used every day, but that does not mean the writing should be laden with convoluted language that may confound most readers. The primary goal of writing to communicate ideas should be the main objective always. There are various types of scholarly articles, and each has guidelines for organizing the content. Having specific criteria enables other clinicians, researchers, and scholars to have the information needed to evaluate, implement, or replicate the work. Guidelines for the various types of scholarly articles can be found online at The EQUATOR Network (http://www.equator-network.org/),2 which also has a toolkit with a decision tree for determining the best guideline to use. Most formats have helpful checklists to follow to ensure that all the needed components have been addressed. Except for letters, opinion pieces, and narratives, scholarly papers usually include an abstract, which is a summary of the key findings or points of the article. Journals vary in what they require insofar as length and specific structure, but abstracts for research, Quality Improvement (QI) reports, and literature reviews include the purpose, methodology (design, setting, population, intervention, analysis), results, and conclusion. For literature reviews, the methodology section would include the search terms, databases searched, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Clinical reviews will at the very least include a
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brief description of the topic and its importance (why the reader should care about it) and the purpose of the paper. Research Reports Research reports follow the classic “IMRAD” format Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion used by all scholarly disciplines for reporting the findings of research. There are specific reporting guidelines to follow, depending on the type of research study, but all incorporate the IMRAD format. For randomized trials, there is the CONSORT guidelines (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)3 and for non-randomized studies, the TREND guidelines (Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs).4 There are also separate guidelines for reporting qualitative studies, such as SRQR (Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research)5 and COREQ (the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research).6 Most journals require evidence upon submission that the research protocol was reviewed and approved by an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB), and sometimes by multiple IRBs, depending on the number of sites used, to safeguard the research participants and ensure that they were treated ethically. QI Reports QI reports describe initiatives implemented in a specific setting to improve care. This type of article is often developed from papers written to fulfill the requirements for a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. QI reports should follow the SQUIRE guidelines (Standards for Reporting Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence).7 The criteria for reporting QI, though categorized differently from research reports, contain essentially the same information (see Table 2). Generally, formal IRB review is not required for QI reports because QI projects involve the application of evidence-based processes and interventions to improve care, as opposed to generating new knowledge or testing interventions on human subjects. However, some journals may require review from an IRB or other institutional committee to verify that the QI project is ethically sound. Literature Reviews Literature reviews provide a summary of what is known about a subject, where the knowledge gaps are, and recommendations for future research or implications for practice or policy, depending on
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TABLE 2. Reporting Research and Quality Improvement (QI) Reports QI Report Why did you start? What did you do? What did you find (outcomes)? What do the findings mean?
Research Report Introduction Methods Results Discussion
the focus of the journal. This type of article is not merely an overview and listing of studies found in the literature, but a critique and synthesis of the findings. Most journals require more than one author for conducting and reporting comprehensive literature reviews to lessen bias and to ensure rigor in selecting and critiquing the literature, and in identifying themes. Literature reviews may be systematic reviews of research studies (with or without meta-analyses, where results of similar studies are aggregated), or integrative reviews, which include research as well as other types of literature. These papers follow the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses).8 Literature reviews are also parts of research and QI reports. To determine if research in a specific area is warranted, investigators must first review the literature to identify what is already known and where gaps may exist. For a QI report, the literature review is to provide support for a practice change.9 Case Reports Case reports describe the details of the diagnosis, management, and outcomes of a real patient case and follow the CARE guidelines (Case Reports) for reporting.10 A case report provides information about a patient’s disease and treatment or can showcase exemplary or complex care. Case report components include de-identified patient demographic information, relevant clinical information and timeline, interventions and outcomes, and a discussion. The patient should provide informed consent for the case report and, in some cases, a patient’s perspective is included. Clinical Reviews Clinical reviews examine a specific clinical problem and provide an update for clinicians on the topic. They include the significance of the problem (eg, epidemiology and prevalence),
pathophysiology (including signs and symptoms), diagnosis and management, nursing care implications, and interventions. While clinical review papers tend to be in-depth and can easily run 5,000 words or more, some journals publish short, narrowly focused columns that may cover just one aspect of a clinical issue or problem. An example is an ongoing column on symptom management with each column dedicated to a single symptom.
Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor were often the only mechanism readers had to express opinions about articles published in a journal, but journals’ social media sites have now largely eclipsed these columns, giving readers an immediate and easy way to express approval or disapproval. Published letters, however, can provide a lasting and retrievable record and, depending on a journal’s social media channels and their reach, may offer a wider audience because the letters are available to all who may read the journal. Journals have guidelines for letters, but generally, letters should address a recently published article, identify the article under discussion in the first sentence, and clearly state the author’s opinion and rationale for that opinion in two but no more than three short paragraphs. Because the purpose of a letter written in response to a previously published article is to support, question, or critique information contained in the article, letters are addressed to the journal’s editor, not the author. The editor assumes an objective role of considering the letter for publication, and when the decision is made to publish the letter, the article’s author usually has the opportunity to publish a response or can decline to respond.
Opinion Pieces Opinion pieces (editorials, viewpoints), like letters to the editor, should be timely and present a thoughtful point of view. While this type of scholarly article expresses a distinct opinion, and can be strongly worded, it still must be fact-based (in other words, no rants). The author should state the issue that he or she is opposing or supporting early in the paper, and then proceed with a thoughtful argument that includes evidence to support that position. These pieces often conclude with a call to action for readers.
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Narrative Works Narrative works are personal stories, essays reflecting on a real-life experience, or examining an issue or event. Good narratives are more than a superficial retelling of an anecdote; they should leave the reader with new understanding or insight. Experiences with patients, families, or colleagues that leave a last impression, emotional fall-out from an ethically charged case, difficult professional situations any of these are possible topics that can be the root of a narrative piece.
TAGEDH1CHOOSING A JOURNALTAGEDEN There are many types of professional journals, from free, sponsored publications and organization membership publications to scholarly journals that publish peer-reviewed content. Novice writers may want to submit to a non-peer reviewed journal as a first foray into publishing, or work with a more experienced colleague who has successfully published in a peer-reviewed journal. Working with a writing mentor is described in the article titled “Mentoring the Next Generation of Authors” elsewhere in this issue. Once authors identify their purpose in writing what it is they want to say and to whom they need to know which journals will reach their target readers. Research journals are obvious publications to approach to publish a research article, but if the research is useful to clinicians, a clinical journal that publishes research might also be a consideration. Alternately, the author could submit the original research to a research journal and then develop another paper, a clinical application paper, for a clinical journal. The author should not self-plagiarize, that is, re-use sections of the first paper in the second paper, or make only minor changes. The author should refer to the original research paper and then write a new, original paper targeted specifically to the readers of the clinical journal. Permission should be obtained to reuse any tables or illustrations published in the research article and they must be cited appropriately. Some general nursing journals, such as the American Journal of Nursing, provide broad coverage of clinical topics, research, and professional issues that are relevant to most practicing nurses; while specialty journals, such as the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON) or the
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Journal of Infusion Nursing, have a specific clinical focus. Both types of journals may be vehicles for publishing an article on oncology nursing, but a writer would develop very different articles for these journals because the readers would have different levels of knowledge of and experience with the topic. Medical librarians can be helpful in searching for appropriate journals for submission and for obtaining their submission guidelines. They can also help in identifying unscrupulous journals that have little editorial integrity or standards and take advantage of novice writers for profit. Questionable publishing practices, such as predatory journals, are discussed in the article titled “Publishing in Oncology Nursing” elsewhere in this issue. The International Academy of Nursing Editors maintains a vetted directory of nursing journals on its Website (www.nursingeditors.com).11 Authors should obtain and scan recent issues of several journals that might be appropriate, noting the types of articles and whether they have published similar articles on the topic, and review the requirements for submission. Authors should note if query letters are required; some journals may not accept unsolicited or direct submissions.
TAGEDH1QUERY LETTERSTAGEDEN Once the choices of journals for submission have been narrowed down, writers should send a query letter (in an e-mail) to the editors of these journals to inquire if the proposed manuscript would be of interest. Authors can query any number of journals, but they can only submit a manuscript to one journal. Query letters save time; time can be wasted if a paper is submitted to a journal that has no interest in the paper, or perhaps has already accepted a similar paper for publication. The query should include the topic, the purpose of the paper, word count, anticipated submission date, and what expertise the author has in the topic area. Some editors may ask for an outline or summary of content that will be addressed; if the paper is a research paper, it is appropriate to include the abstract. Use care when writing a query, as it is the first impression editors will get about your writing. Typographical errors, poor grammar, missing punctuation, and other evidence of poor writing may cause an editor to decline review of
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your paper. See Table 3 for an example of a query letter.
TAGEDH1PREPARING AND SUBMITTING THE MANUSCRIPTTAGEDEN Content Journal author guidelines stipulate that manuscripts contain original (not previously published) content. Sources of information are referenced or cited throughout the text. If the source of the information is being used in the manuscript verbatim (exactly word for word), it must be cited as a direct quote (usually stated in quotations with the page number of the original source noted). Other sources of information are paraphrased, which refers to information written and/or published by someone else but presented in a new form and referenced appropriately. Paraphrasing is a skill that most novice nurse authors need to practice and develop to successfully publish and avoid allegations of plagiarism.12 Plagiarism (may occur intentionally using another’s words as your own) and includes using someone else’s words with only minor changes (eg, deleting a word or two from a sentence) or simply rearranging words in a sentence. It can also occur when an author “copies and pastes” his or her previously published sentences, paragraphs, tables, or other published works without citing the TABLE 3. Sample of a Query Letter I am writing to inquire about your interest in a manuscript on the topic of nursing care of the patient with dysphagia, which is a problem for more than 20% of all hospital patients. Dysphagia can lead to malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia, but these sequelae can be minimized with proper diagnosis, treatment, and patient education. My manuscript will discuss the pathophysiology and risk factors, approaches to diagnosis, treatment options, and nursing management. Patient and family teaching will be emphasized. I am the CNS for the oncology unit of Good Care Hospital, with more than10 years of experience working with patients with dysphagia following radiation for oral cancer. I am currently a member of a research team investigating alternative feeding methods for patients with severe dysphagia. I currently have two publications on other topics in peer-reviewed journals. I expect to have a completed manuscript (approximately 5,000 words) by ________. I look forward to hearing from you.
previously published works. Published authors need to be aware that once a journal article is published, the publisher—not the author—owns the work and holds the copyright to the work. When an author wishes to reuse his/her published work without altering the published content, permission from the publisher must be obtained. An author’s use of published material in a new manuscript without citing the original source or paraphrasing and referencing the original source is considered “self-plagiarism,” but can be considered duplicate publication depending on the amount of content reused.13 Authors must be aware that many publishers use sophisticated plagiarism detection programs to help identify previously published material in submitted manuscripts.14 There are many resources available to assist novice nurse authors in learning how to correctly reference and cite information. Experienced nurse authors can provide instruction and mentorship, and nursing program faculty may be able to offer assistance. Nurse authors also can consult reference and citation guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, titled Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals, which are available at http:// www.icmje.org/recommendations/.15 Format Scholarly papers are formatted according to specific guidelines to ensure consistency, accuracy, and clarity in organizing and presenting information. This is especially important in listing references so readers can locate the original source material. Any citations in the text must appear in a reference list and include specific elements, such as full title, author, year of publication, volume number, and page numbers. Most professional journals usually require one of two styles for formatting a paper: APA style, from the American Psychological Association, or AMA style, from the American Medical Association. A clue to a journal’s style is to check the references; in the body of the manuscript, APA style citations appear as (Author, year) in the text, and then includes an alphabetical listing of references.16 In AMA style, citations in the text are marked with consecutive superscript numbering and the references are listed in numerical order.17 However, it is important to note that the reference format in the published article may not be the format required for
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manuscript submission, so it is important to review and adhere to the journal’s submission guidelines. Visual Elements Novice authors often overlook an important element of presenting information, such as graphs, tables, text boxes, images, and illustrations. People have different learning styles, and these features can enhance a reader’s understanding of complex content. While tables and graphs are standard in research articles, they are also appealing in clinical articles as well because they offer a visual break from page after page of text. Text boxes, which can highlight key points or display lists such as a list of symptoms or adverse effects, can either present unique content or reinforce and highlight content discussed in the text. Images and illustrations can take the form of clinical art that show anatomic structures or algorithms of treatment decisions or physiological processes, radiographic images and scans, or even photographs or artwork. Again, the author guidelines will have specific criteria for formatting and submitting these elements and for how many are permissible. Publication of a patient’s photograph requires documented permission from the patient, and the patient’s privacy is protected by cropping the photograph or obliterating the patient’s face. Many journals now have policies that stipulate that simply placing a black rectangle over a patient’s eyes is not sufficient in protecting the patient’s identity. Visual elements created by the author that are based on published or copyrighted information require attribution of the original source and, in some cases, permission from the publisher or copyright holder if wording and format are very similar. The figure caption usually notes “based on information from” and cites the source. Permissions are required to reproduce visual elements that have been previously published or are copyrighted, or if the author wishes to make any changes to an already published figure, and authors typically must submit documentation of permission to reprint the items upon manuscript submission. When the article is published, the figure caption usually includes the copyright symbol, copyright holder, and date, along with “used with permission” or “adapted from” or other similar wording. Visual elements that are in the public domain are noted as such, and refer to creative
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materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public is the owner of these works, not an individual author or artist, and anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission. Works in the public domain should be cited as a source because it helps readers to locate the original work. Final Steps Once the manuscript is completed in accordance with scholarly guidelines and the journal’s specific guidelines for formatting and referencing, it should be spell-checked and then proofread by a colleague. A colleague’s fresh eyes can often detect typographical errors and words that are misspelled because of auto-correction while typing and missed by spell-check (eg, humerus, not humorous). The reference list should be rechecked for accuracy and completeness and updated when indicated because some articles are published online ahead of print. Many universities and organizations have editorial services that will assist staff in preparing and submitting papers for publication, and many publishers also work with such services. There also are independent consultants and organizations that can provide editorial services. Sometimes a non-health care professional can identify these types of errors and statements that are not clear and it may be helpful to have a paper reviewed this way as well. This “help” should be in the form of reviewing and editing papers for grammar, organization, and language, but not writing, rewriting, adding content, or extensively revising the paper, which can border on “ghost” authorship (authors who are not listed on the paper as such) and create ethical issues. Authorship criteria are described in the article titled “Publishing in Oncology Nursing: A Look to the Past, Present, and Future” elsewhere in this issue. As a final step, authors should file all reference materials in an organized way so that they are easy to retrieve should the editors request any documentation. Submitting the Manuscript Online manuscript submission is the norm for most journals. These systems facilitate the timely review and processing of manuscripts: editors can review the manuscript, assign peer reviewers, review their recommendations, and render decisions to the author, all electronically. Authors can also track the progress of their manuscripts and
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correspond with the editors. It is important to adhere to the instructions carefully because submitting incomplete or incorrectly formatted manuscripts can lead to outright rejection or, at the very least, may cause a delay in the review process. Authors can expect to complete several forms on the site; drop-down menus will ask for standard information such as credentials, title, and affiliations, and contact information for each author. Required manuscript information may include an abstract and key words, and the order of authors with the name of the corresponding or submitting author. Additionally, journals require disclosure of conflicts of interest, including funding sources, completion of a copyright transfer form, and statement of authorship role from each author. Most credible journals follow the authorship criteria set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) (available at http://www.icmje.org/)18 for determining who can be considered an author. While there are new challenges emerging around how to acknowledge the contributions of multiple individuals working on large teams, like those in a multi-site research study, for example, authorship in the era of “team science” should still be based on the four criteria set forth by the ICMJE,19 which are “substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND final approval of the version to be published; AND agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.”18 Writing with a partner or as part of a team requires some discussion early on about author roles. These roles should be determined at the outset. Usually, each author takes on a section of a paper and then submits to one author who is responsible for merging all the contributions into one paper. The first author is often the originator of the idea to write or do the project and does the most work; second and third and other author positions can be based on the amount of work, alphabetically, seniority there is no hard and fast rule, though institutional tradition often dictates the convention. Authorship order can be whatever all authors agree on. In addition
to deciding on the order of authors, writing teams also need to agree on a timeline for completing work and have a plan to resolve issues that may arise. One example might be to have an agreed-upon colleague serve as an arbitrator to decide issues, or the institution might have a professional committee or ethics committee that consider such disputes. It is not the editor’s responsibility to intervene in author listing disputes; editors are concerned that each person listed as an author meets the four criteria for authorship. When there are multiple authors, one author (usually the submitting author) must take on the role of “corresponding author” to serve as the contact person between the journal and the authors. Corresponding authors are responsible for all correspondence with the editor, including sending responses to editor queries and requests for additional references or other information. The corresponding author organizes and aggregates the responses and revisions of the other authors into one response letter to the editor. Most journals require the author to include a cover letter, detailing that the submission is an original work of the authors and has not been submitted elsewhere, cites other related works by the authors already published or submitted elsewhere, identifies funding sources, and includes permissions to use any material (charts, graphs, images, photos) that have been previously published. Permission is also needed from any individual appearing in a photograph or whom the author wishes to acknowledge as supporting or contributing to the paper (that is, individuals who do not meet authorship criteria).
TAGEDH1THE EDITORIAL PROCESSTAGEDEN Once submitted, manuscripts are first screened by an editor for overall suitability for publication, including timeliness and importance of content, interest to the readership, overall quality of writing, proper format and organization, and perhaps a superficial review of references. Manuscripts also may be checked for plagiarism at this stage. Many journals upload manuscripts into plagiarism checking programs to detect document fragments, such as paragraphs, sentences, and fixed-length word sequences that appeared in previously published materials. If not rejected on this initial
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review, manuscripts will undergo editorial or peer review. Peer Review Peer review helps ensure the credibility of a journal’s content and thus, of the journal. In peer review, manuscripts are sent to individuals (the number of reviews may vary among journals, but the average is usually three to five) who have expertise in the subject matter and who can provide a critical and objective review of the manuscript. Reviewers render opinions on whether the information contained in the manuscript is accurate, complete, reflects the current standards for research or practice, and is appropriate for the journal. They also identify weaknesses and offer recommendations for improving the manuscript (see Table 4, Peer reviewers’ evaluation). Research and some QI manuscripts may also be reviewed by a statistician to ensure that authors used the proper methodology and correctly reported results. Most manuscripts undergo a double-blind review, that is, neither the author nor the reviewer know who the other is. Some journals have instituted “open peer review” whereby the reviews are published along with the manuscript. Other models of open review are emerging, but, as yet, they are still in trial stages and have been embraced by few nursing journals.20 Peer reviewers are expected to be impartial and are required to declare any conflicts of interest. Conflicts might include ownership of stock in a company that would benefit financially from favorable findings or being a recipient of a grant from
TABLE 4. Peer Reviewer’s Evaluation Is content accurate, timely, and complete for the type of article? Is the topic appropriate for the journal? Does the manuscript provide new information and add to the understanding of the subject? Is it balanced and unbiased? Are references up to date? Are any key references missing? Is there evidence of plagiarism? Is the writing clear and well-organized? If research, is the methodology sound? Are conclusions appropriate for the objectives and supported by results? What might correct any problems or improve the manuscript?
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that company. Non-financial conflicts could exist in the form of competition for funding, professional advancement, or personal conflicts.
The Editor’s Decision and What It Means Once the required number of reviews are submitted, the editor evaluates the reviewer recommendations and responds to the author with a publication decision. Editors usually follow the recommendations of the reviewers, but occasionally may not. The editor bears the ultimate responsibility for responsibility for deciding whether or not to publish a manuscript.
Reject There are many reasons why manuscripts may be rejected: they may be poorly written and poorly organized, lack necessary details and citations, or fail to provide any new information. However, a rejection decision does not necessarily mean that the manuscript is not a well-done manuscript. It may have been rejected because it was not a good fit for the journal, or because a similar manuscript has been accepted or recently published. Some journal editors may state the reason for rejection, while others may convey the rejection with no explanation. Authors can usually appeal to the editor to reconsider a rejection, but decisions rarely get changed. Author guidelines provide information on the appeal process if the journal considers appeals. Once a manuscript is rejected, authors are free to submit elsewhere.
Revise and resubmit Also called “reject and resubmit,” this decision connotes that the manuscript as submitted was unacceptable, but if the authors wish to revise according to the recommendations offered, they are welcome to resubmit the manuscript. This does not mean that the revision will necessarily be accepted; the revision will undergo review and additional revisions may be needed. Ultimately, the revised manuscript can be rejected if revisions are inadequate. A “revise and resubmit” decision should not be viewed as a failure; if that was the case, it would have been rejected. Instead, it means the editor and reviewers observed value in the manuscript, but more work is needed to refine it.
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Accept with revision This is a good decision! The reviewers and editors will accept your manuscript IF the recommended revisions are done satisfactorily. For some authors, receiving a harsh critique of a manuscript that has taken considerable time and effort to write, sometimes years, can be disheartening and upsetting. Some authors react badly to the recommendations for revisions. Authors need to depersonalize the reviewers’ comments and consider each comment on its own. Authors also should realize that they and the editors have the same objective: a journal article that is accurate, unbiased, supported by evidence, and well-written. Experienced authors know the value of an astute editor who can find and correct what could be embarrassing mistakes. Authors should address each query as instructed and not send additional information or rewrite unless specifically requested to do so. While each journal has its own format for submitting revisions, most journals request a cover letter to explain if and how each recommendation was addressed. Journal editors also provide a due date for revisions and it is important to adhere to the timeline.
TAGEDH1WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE EDITORIAL AND PUBLISHING PROCESSAGEDNTE Once accepted, the final accepted manuscript is assigned for publication in an issue that is likely several months after acceptance. Typically, manuscripts may wait 6 to 9 months for publication, though some journals can “fast-track” those that are time-sensitive. The final manuscript will go through additional work to ready it for publication and may look very different from the approved manuscript. Some journals do extensive editing that may include fact-checking references and clinical statements, medications and dosages, etc. They may have developmental editors who work on ensuring logical organization, refining language and terms, clarifying meaning, correcting
grammar and sentence structure, etc. Copy editors also add clarity, format the text, tables, and charts according to the journal’s style, and work with the production team on page layout. Editors and copy editors may have many author queries, depending on the journal’s unique editorial and production processes, and there may be more than one round of editing. Peer review is not editing; responding to peer reviewers’ comments helps ensure that the content is clinically accurate and complete. Responding to editors and copy editors helps ensure that the content is presented according to standards for scholarly publications, wording and grammar conventions, and that information is clearly and accurately conveyed. The author reviews the final edited version of the journal article and will be asked to approve it. The final version is then formatted into the journal’s page design along with graphs, tables, and other art elements. Most journals will send these pages as PDFs to the author for final approval, with a tight turn-around deadline. The finalized PDFs are proofread by a production editor and often by the editor, and forwarded to a printer, if the journal is available in print, and posted online. Many journals are available in multiple formats print, online HTML and PDF versions, and digital magazine formats. Authors may be asked to provide additional materials, such as videos and audio recordings, which are used as supplemental or enhanced content. Journals also maintain social media sites and may enlist author assistance in publicizing publication of the article to enhance dissemination (which is the whole point of publishing). Articles that are especially noteworthy or timely may also be promoted with a press release, and authors may receive requests for interviews from the media. For nurses who seek a fulfilling career rather than just a job, publishing a scholarly article is a major step in developing as a professional. Nurses at the point of care need to write about what they do to showcase nursing’s value. It is incumbent on all of us to contribute to nursing’s body of knowledge and the public’s knowledge of nursing’s work.
TAGEDH1REFERENCESTAGEDEN 1. Gennaro S. Mistakes to avoid in scientific writing. J Nurse Scholarsh. 2016;48:435–436. 2. The EQUATOR Network. Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research. Available at: http://www. equator-network.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018).
3. CONSORT. Transparent reporting of trials. Available at: http://www.consort-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 4. Transparent reporting of evaluations with nonrandomized designs (TREND). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/trendstate ment/index.html. (Accessed June 28, 2018).
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5. O’Brien BC, Harris IB, Beckman TJ, Reed DA, Cook DA. Standards for reporting qualitative research: a synthesis of recommendations. Acad Med. 2014;89:1245–1251. 6. Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care. 2007;19:349–357. 7. SQUIRE. Available at: http://www.squire-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 8. PRISMA. Transparent reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Available at: http://prisma-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 9. Velasquez D, Bonham E. The clinical practice project: planning to publish. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2015;27:420– 425. 10. CARE case report guidelines. Available at: http://www. care-statement.org/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 11. Directory of Nursing Journals. International Academy of Nursing Editors. Available at: https://nursingeditors.com/jour nals-directory/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 12. P.org. How to paraphrase; June 7, 2017. Available at: http://www.plagiarism.org/article/how-to-paraphrase. (Accessed June 28, 2018).
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13. American Journal of Nursing. Welcome to the Editorial Manager interface for AJN. Available at: http://www.editorial manager.com/ajn/default.aspx. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 14. Cleary M, Sayers J. Academic integrity and plagiarism. Nurse Author Ed. 2017;27:4. 15. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals. Available at: http://www.icmje. org/recommendations/. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 16. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Ed 6. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2010. 17. AMA manual of style: a guide for authors and editors. Ed 10. New York: Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 2007. 18. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Defining the role of authors and contributors. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Available at: http://www.icmje.org/rec ommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-roleof-authors-and-contributors.html. (Accessed June 28, 2018). 19. Fontanarosa P, Bauchner H, Flanagin A. Authorship and team science. JAMA. 2017;318:2433–2437. 20. Ross-Hellauer T. What is open peer review a systematic review. Version 2. F1000Res 2017 [revised 2017 Aug 31];6:588.