# Presentation: 432853

## Reviewing Manuscripts

**Martin Frank, Ph.D.**
- Executive Director, American Physiological Society
- NIDDK - **Network of Minority Research Investigators Meeting**
- April 20, 2007
- Bethesda, MD

## Publication Process

**COMPLETION OF RESEARCH**
**PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPT**
**SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPT**
**ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW**
**DECISION**

**REJECTION**

**Notes:**
Already talked about first 3 topics in other plenary talks. This talk to focus on rest of publication process.

## Purpose of Peer Review

- Quality
- Results support conclusion
- No errors in citations of previous work
- All human and animal protocols were reviewed and approved
- Work is original and significant

## Being a Reviewer

- Honor
- Responsibility
- Service to discipline

## Invitation to be a Reviewer

- Expertise in specific field of 	manuscript
- No conflict of interest
- Time commitment to write thoughtful 	review
- Time frame for review to be submitted
- Responsibility to do a fair review
- Confidentiality

## Declining the Invitation

- Conflict of interest
- Working on a similar project
- Friends with the authors
- Trained in same lab
- Not available during time frame
- Not able to be unbiased about 	work

## Technical Aspects of Review

- Scientific quality of MS
- Writing/graphics quality
- Rating compared with other work 	in field
- Novelty and significance
- Suitability for journal

## Ethical Aspects of Review

- Proper care and use of animals
- Prior approval for human studies received 	from humans and institution
- Confidential treatment of MS and contents
- Evaluation of MS done in ethical manner

## Responsibilities

- Honest, critical assessment of research
- Confidentiality about existence and substance of 	manuscript
- Not participate in plagiarism
- Avoid or disclose any conflicts of interest
- Accept MS only in area of expertise
- Accept MS only if can review on time
- Report suspected ethical violations
- Write reviews in collegial, constructive manner

## Cultural Issues

- Writing capabilities
- English as a second language
- Providing constructive criticism

## Resources - Articles

**How to Review a Paper**
- 	D.J. Benos, K.L. Kirk, and J.E. Hall
- 	_[http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/27/2/47](http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/27/2/47)_
**Ethics and scientific publication**
- 	D.J. Benos et al.
- 	_[http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/29/2/59](http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/29/2/59)_
**Manuscript peer review: a helpful checklist for students and novice referees**
**	****D.R. Seals and H. Tanaka**
**	**_**[http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/23/1/S52](http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/23/1/S52)**_
**Peer Review and Publication in APS Journals**
- 	Dale J. Benos and Margaret Reich
- 	http://www.the-aps.org/careers/careers1/GradProf/peerreview.htm
**How to Write (and Review) a Scientific Paper**
- 	Kim E. Barrett, Ph.D.
- 	http://www.the-aps.org/careers/careers1/mentor/workshop/01wrkshp.htm

## Resources – Books

**How To Write & Publish a Scientific Paper**  (6th ed.) (ISBN: 0-313-33040-9)
- 	Robert A. Day & Barbara Gastel, 2006, Greenwood,  	$29.95
**Successful Scientific Writing** (ISBN: 0-521-78962-1)
- 	Janice R. Matthews, John M. Bowen, and Robert W. 	Matthews (2nd ed.), 2005, Cambridge Univ., $29.00
**The Craft of Scientific Writing** (ISBN: 0-387-94766-3)
- 	Michael Alley (3rd ed.), 1996, Springer   $29.95

## Resources – Web Sites

**International Guidelines of Journal Editors****	**_http://www.icmje.org/__ _
**How to Write a Paper in Scientific Journal Style and Format**
- 	Greg Anderson, Department of Biology, Bates College
- 	_**http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/**__**HTWrevisions.html**_
**Writer’s Handbook**
- 	Madison Writing Center, University of Wisconsin
- 	_**http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/CriNonfiction.html**_