AUTHORSHIP SKILLS:

QUESTIONS SCIENTISTS FREQUENTLY

ASK ABOUT THE WRITING AND
PUBLISHING OF JOURNAL ARTICLES
 Overview
• This module contains a series of
‘Frequently Asked Questions’ from authors
and researchers in low-income countries.
• The questions are the basis for a
discussion during the ‘authorship skills’
workshop activities.
 How can I formulate an appropriate title
for my paper?
 What are the key elements of a journal
article?
 What should be the ideal length of a
journal article?
 How many tables and figures are
adequate for a paper?
 How many references would be
adequate in a paper?
 What can I do to improve the chances of
my paper being accepted for publication?
 Is it wise to send my article to a
colleague for perusal/review before
sending it to a journal editor?
 Who owns the idea - the student or the
supervisor?
 Must the principal investigator of
research always be the first author of a
publication emanating from the
research?
 What should be the ideal number of
authors in a paper?
 In a research study involving more than
one person, who should write the
manuscript/paper?
 In a case of multiple authorship, how
should names be arranged?
 Which journal will be interested in my paper?
 Which is the preferred journal to send a
manuscript: commercial publishers (print
and/or electronic journals) or Open Access
(OA) journals?
 Is it wise to frequently publish one’s research
findings in a particular journal?
 What is the journal impact factor and why is
it important?
 Is it justifiable to publish more than one
paper from the same research?
 Is it appropriate to include one’s previous
publications as part of the references in a
paper?
 Is it appropriate to send one manuscript
to more than one journal at the same
time?
 Will editors accept my manuscript if the
study was not approved by an Ethical
Review Committee?
 What constitutes a potential conflict of
interest for authors?
 Why must I register my clinical trial in a
central registry?
 Why do journals ask authors to transfer
copyright of their paper to the journal?
 What is the value of the Open Review
System in which the author and reviewer
know each other’s names? Is it ethical?
 What do reviewers look out for in a
manuscript?
 How can I deal with delays in the peer
review of my manuscript?
 Is it okay for an author to accept all the
comments of a reviewer?
 How do I cope with rejection of my
manuscript?
 Why do journal editors frequently reject
manuscripts?
 Does rejection of a paper/manuscript
mean the data are not publishable?
 Is it okay to send a rejected manuscript
to another journal for consideration and
publication?
 If my manuscript is accepted, how long
will I have to wait until it appears in print?
Questions/suggestions/comments?
Any additional ‘frequently asked
questions’?
hinari@who.int

updated 03 2008