1. II THE PUBLICATION PROCESS

2. Conduct literature review Start the paper Conduct study/analyze data Organize/summarize results succinctly Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks") Formulate your key message Apply the "new/useful" test Choose your target audience Choose your target journal Read journal instructions for authors Draft (and debug) an abstract Write the first draft Master the literature Relearn, rethink, rewrite... and rewrite and rewrite How long? Critically review and finalize the abstract Attend to the details Submit article to target journal Have a Plan B Mark your calendar

3. Conduct literature review

11. Finished?

12. Start the paper even before I do the study ??

14. Start the paper Draft the Introduction perhaps borrow from a study protocol or grant proposal that you already wrote Draft dummy table shells and figure axes for Results.

15. Conduct study/analyze data Now it’s time to write the first draft, right? Maybe not.

16. Organize/summarize results succinctly Fill in dummy tables and figures with real data. Draft additional tables and figures if needed – look at published articles for potential templates. Summarize each table/figure in a single sentence.

17. Get early, frequent feedback in "chunks"

18. Get early, frequent feedback Share your tables/figures and single-sentence summaries to coauthors/colleagues. Ask if they are clear/concise/compelling. Give presentations to colleagues at work, at conferences. Try to formulate a concise key message.

19. Get early, frequent feedback Share your tables/figures and single-sentence summaries to coauthors/colleagues. Ask if they are clear/concise/compelling. Give presentations to colleagues at work, at conferences Try to formulate a concise key message. Get feedback.

20. Please listen carefully to what I am about to say... Don’t wait for a complete draft to begin getting feedback.

21. Thanks for your detailed and lengthy criticism of my manuscript. I’ll be sure to incorporate your suggestions into my next draft.

22. Formulate your key message Keep it simple; try to boil down to a single sentence. Your message must contain something new and useful. Make sure your results support your key message. The message may change as you develop the paper.

23. Apply the “new/useful” test

24. BMJ “Rejection Checklist” Why did we reject your paper? on balance, your paper is not sufficiently interesting for general readers (relative to other papers) the message is not new enough the topic is interesting but the paper does not cover it in enough depth the paper adds a small amount of new information but not enough to warrant space in the BMJ the message is not useful enough in practice

25. BMJ “Rejection Checklist” Why did we reject your paper? on balance, your paper is not sufficiently interesting for general readers (relative to other papers) the message is not new enough the topic is interesting but the paper does not cover it in enough depth the paper adds a small amount of new information but not enough to warrant space in the BMJ the message is not useful enough in practice

26. What/Who is a “general reader”

27. BMJ Mission Statement to lead the debate on health, and to engage, inform, and stimulate doctors, researchers and other health professionals in ways that will improve outcomes for patients

28. BMJ Mission Statement to lead the debate on health, and to engage, inform, and stimulate doctors, researchers and other health professionals in ways that will improve outcomes for patients

29. BMJ Mission Statement to lead the debate on health, and to engage, inform, and stimulate doctors, researchers and other health professionals in ways that will improve outcomes for patients

30. Choose your target audience

31. Choose your target journal

32. Criteria –A journal that matches your target audience –How strong is your article?

33. Instructions for authors can help to confirm whether your topic is relevant to the journal’s mission e.g. Is AJPH interested in global health?

34. “The foremost mission of the American Journal of Public Health is to promote public health research, policy, practice, and education. We aim to embrace all of public health, from global policies to the local needs of public health practitioners. Contributions of original unpublished research, social science analyses, scholarly essays, critical commentaries, departments, and letters to the editor are welcome.”

36. Instructions for authors And now for the details...

37. Certify that...

38. Final approval of manuscript

39. Take public responsibility

40. Your contributions

41. Draft (and debug) an abstract

42. Purpose Methods Results Conclusions RELIABILITY VALIDITY RELIABILITY FLEXIBILITY UTILITY

43. Write the first draft Finally!

44. Write the first draft Write for your target audience (use appropriate terminology/jargon). Consider using an outline. Don’t sweat the grammar, syntax or details (only you need to understand the first draft).

45. When the Journal Responds Acknowledgment of receipt Internal review External review Comments from editors/referees Responding to the comments Writing the cover letter When to contact the editor

46. When the Journal Responds Acknowledgment of receipt Internal review External review Comments from editors/referees Responding to the comments Writing the cover letter When to contact the editor

49. When the Journal Responds Acknowledgment of receipt Internal review External review Comments from editors/referees Responding to the comments Writing the cover letter When to contact the editor

50. # months Submission to final acceptance5 Acceptance to publication10-12 15-17 Complete data analysis to journal submission6-12 Begin data analysis to complete data analysis3-8 24-37 How Long Does it Take?

51. # months Submission to final acceptance5 Acceptance to publication10-12 15-17 Complete data analysis to journal submission6-12 Begin data analysis to complete data analysis3-8 24-37 How Long Does it Take?

52. # months Submission to final acceptance5 Acceptance to publication10-12 15-17 Complete data analysis to journal submission6-12 Begin data analysis to complete data analysis3-8 24-37 How Long Does it Take?

53. The Secret of Success

54. Conduct literature review Start the paper Conduct study/analyze data Organize/?summarize results succinctly Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks") Formulate your key message Apply the "new/useful" test Choose your target audience Choose your target journal Read journal instructions for authors Draft (and debug) an abstract Write the first draft ?

55. The Secret of Success Conduct literature review Start the paper Conduct study/analyze data Organize/summarize results succinctly Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks") Formulate your key message Apply the "new/useful" test Choose your target audience Choose your target journal Read journal instructions for authors Draft (and debug) an abstract Write the first draft

56. The Secret of Success Conduct literature review Start the paper Conduct study/analyze data Organize/summarize results succinctly Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks") Formulate your key message Apply the "new/useful" test Choose your target audience Choose your target journal Read journal instructions for authors Draft (and debug) an abstract Write the first draft Organize/summarize results succinctly Get early, frequent feedback (in "chunks") Formulate your key message Apply the "new/useful" test Choose your target audience Choose your target journal Read journal instructions for authors Draft (and debug) an abstract