Διαδικασία υποβολής

Διαδικασία peer-review

Μιχάλης Δούµας Παθολόγος

Β’ΠΠ Κλινική ΑΠΘ GW University, Washington, DC

Truth is elusive

•  Every editor has its own truth

•  Every author has its own truth

•  Every teacher has its own truth

•  Editor’s truth: beyond any limit

•  Author’s truth: who cares?

• Teacher’s truth: it depends

• 

Choosing a journal

•  Pride vs prejustice

•  Be realistic

•  Time and effort

• Fitting in journal’s aim

Careful reading of instructions to authors

•  Cover page

•  Abstract

•  Paper structure

•  Tables

•  Figures

•  References

Tips and tricks

•  Full compliance with instructions

•  English language – typos, grammar

•  Avoid numerous tables and figures

•  Avoid perplexed tables and figures

•  Avoid redundancy in results and tables

Το λακωνίζειν εστί

φιλοσοφείν

Η αρχή είναι το ήµισυ του παντός

Ποιο είναι το κυριότερο µέρος ενός υποβαλλόµενου άρθρου; Ποιο είναι το όχηµα για να

προχωρήσει το άρθρο στους κριτές;

Cover letter Abstract

For I am nothing if not critical

William Shakespear

I am still gratefull to my past teachers for having provided me with the methods

for critically assessing information, a lasting heritage

Alberto Zanchetti

Cover letter

•  Name of the editor

•  Less than a page

•  Be kind

•  Be brief and concise

•  Be humble

•  Be assertive not aggressive

Cover letter

• One paragraph summarizing the study

•  One paragraph explaining what your

study adds to existing knowledge,

highlighting why it deserves publication

•  One small paragraph stating that you

are more than happy to accept changes

Tips and tricks

•  “Catchy” title

•  “Show-off” cover letter

•  “Clever” abstract

•  “Wise” conclusion

However, this is how to

communicate the study

What really matters is the

essence of the study

You are ready now!!!

•  Electronic submission

•  Different for each journal

•  Unknown before submission

•  However, small differences

•  Essentially same requirements

Required steps

•  Plan for 10 to 30 min for submission

•  Register

•  e-mail: User name and password

•  Log in

Usually

•  Type of paper

•  Title, Key-words, Abstract (copy-paste)

•  Authors

•  Conflicts of interest, Ghost writing etc

•  Reviewers (preferred, excluded)

•  Manuscript, tables, figures, cover letter

Tips and tricks

•  Prepare a file containing:

•  Main document (Word)

•  Tables (incorporated or not)

•  Figures (incorporated or not)

•  Cover letter

•  Abstract, key-words

Tips and tricks

•  Full names, middle names,

affiliations, e-mails of all contributing

authors

•  Full names, affiliations, e-mails of

preferred and excluded reviewers

How to exclude a reviewer

•  Personal reasons seems to be the

best excuse

•  never fails

•  further explanations are almost

never asked

Submission Process

•  View submission

•  Approve submission

•  Check your e-mail

•  Article ID, username, password

•  Check status

Unfortunately rejection…

Acceptance or Reviewers

•  2-4 reviewers

•  One of them is usually a statistician

• 2 weeks – several months

Reject

•  Without comments

•  Go for the next one

•  With comments

•  Incorporate ‘useful’ comments

•  Disregard ‘silly’ comments

•  Go for the next one

Revision

•  Minor revision

•  Almost certainly accepted, especially

with positive editor

•  Major revision

•  Possible with positive editor

•  Little if any hope with negative editor

Revision

•  2 weeks up to 3 months

•  Rarely up to 9 months, especially

in basic research when more

experiments are needed

Revision requirements

•  Revised paper

•  Revised tables and figures

•  Point by point answer to

reviewers’ comments

•  Cover letter

Tips and tricks

•  Delegate

•  Reliable co-workers

•  Regular check depending on deadline 1-2 days or 1-2 weeks

•  Thorough search of bibliography

Revision Tips and tricks

•  Be kind

•  Ensure ‘soft sawder’ of reviewers

•  Ensure ‘extended soft sawder’ of

the editor

•  Be flexible

•  Don’t be boneheaded

Revision Tips and tricks

•  Do not bend all the times

•  Be firm when you are absolutely

sure that your statement holds true

•  Prepare solid, clear-cut arguments

•  Support with reliable references

Revision submission

•  Revised paper (highlighted, track

changes, final form, or combination)

•  Revised tables and figures

•  Point by point answer to

reviewers’ comments

•  Cover letter

Acceptance

or another revision

•  Tough luck

Unfortunately rejection…