Share4Rare toolkit for patient advocacy
Publishing your research findings
Publishing your community-based research findings in peer-reviewed journals will increase their visibility and impact. Find here a useful article for those with limited experience in how to publish scientific articles (Bordeaux et al., 2007).
The article includes recommendations on how academic and community partners (in the case of Share4Rare, the patient community) can collaboratively write manuscripts describing their research. The following steps are recommended:
- Identifying the aim of your article
- Defining the target audience
- Selecting the candidate journal
- Check the members of the Editorial Board
- Follow manuscript format and reference style
- Authorship and partnership criteria
- Rules for the writing process responsibility for each section
- Guidance and support (from the more experienced authors) (Tone, citations, heavy editing)
- Choosing the title
- Writing the article
- Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusions
- Writing the Abstract
Writing the article
Most authors plead for a structured format (e.g., Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusions) even if the journal does not require it.
|
Section |
Content |
Comments |
|
Introduction |
Background information to support the topic What was done in the area Why the study is done and what research question will be answered |
Cite only pertinent references Write in present tense |
|
Methods |
Who did and how (what methods were used); Contains everything on the study design Clinical research could be divided into subsections such as study population, intervention (if one is used), study variables, measurement methods, and analytic methods; |
Write in the past tense |
|
Results |
What has been found Report quantitative and qualitative data or findings Highlight patterns Summarize data from tables and figures |
Write in the past tense Do not discuss data only present them |
|
Discussions |
Key findings and originality of the research, what is new Strengths and weaknesses of the study; Relate your results to the previous literature Further implications of the study: in education, research, applicability on other patient populations, other communities or patient organisations |
Use a predefined outline Conclusions need to be supported by data
|
|
Conclusions |
Main findings of the research and their significance |
Sometimes integrated within the discussions |
|
References and acknowledgements |
Include accurate and complete references Make sure they are formatted according to the journal instructions Cite correctly and do not misinterpret the findings of others Give credits to all the contributors |
Use reference management software |
|
Tables and Figures |
Tables and figures must present essential information Must be suggestive and intuitive; Easy to interpret and remember |