Publishing Your Research“How can I improve my submission to be publishedTips & Tricks"

The 2018 Spring Meeting of theJapanese Society of Fisheries Science,TUMSATHow can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 2

The status of scholarly publications today• The number of article submissions is growing exponentially compared to number of newjournals• Consider - when you submit your own article - the growing pressure this puts on Editor-in-Chief,
the Editorial Board and the Peer Reviewers of any given journal
1400
1200
1000

Journal numbers

800%

Journal submissions

600
40020001990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

YearSource: Daniel McGowan, Edanz, 2012

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Before you begin
To Write = To Read• Subject: Know the status quo of your field of research• Up-to-date result: Scientific communication is about advancing - not repeating• Writing style: Concise + specialized vocabulary• Prepare: Review papers of colleagues to form a strong framework for your own writing• Image: Determine which journal you wish to publish in (it is about you and your career)How can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 4

Before you begin (cont.)
Scientific Quality of your Research• Hypothesis / question• Scientific validity: Is the science valid enough to support your conclusions?
Appropriate methods & controls
Sample sizes: large enough?
Statistics: Use of appropriate statistical tests• Novelty• Bias: Remove investigator/researcher/patient bias
• Ethical requirements• Citations: Most appropriate research• Scientific fascination: Choose the right journal! A&S, IFA, Article type, Costs, IF, etc.

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What journal editors want
Good quality science! (use previous slide as your checklist!)• Work which will stand up to peer review (quality / language)• Novel to the scientific community, original research• Research that is interesting to the journal’s readership (so also make sure to choose the rightjournal!)• Active research areas (many citations)• Clear concise writing“Thank you for your article submission, theresults are new and interesting.
Unfortunately the new results are notinteresting, and the interesting results arenot new.”How can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 6

How to choose the right journal?
Thinkchecksubmit.org campaign to help researchers

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How to choose the right journal - Springer.com journal pages

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About … your favorite journal!

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How to structure your article• Follow the author instructions of the journal you chose to submit to• Tell a story that is easy to understand: Beginning (introduction)
 Middle (main body: results) End (conclusion)• The order in which you actually write your paper should be: Methods and Results
 Introduction
 Discussion
 Abstract and Title

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How to structure your article (cont.)
Title

Read first and most. Keep it short and to the point. Must reflect thecontent of the paper.

Authors

Correct spelling, consistency in affiliation.

Abstract

200-word summary of objective and results. Includes key messageof paper.

Keywords

Synonyms relevant as search terms e.g. in Google. Ideally not words
from the title because title words are automatically keywords.

Introduction

Explain i) why the work was conducted ii) what methodology wasemployed iii) why you chose this particular methodology iv) How
the methodology accomplished the hypothesis set out in yourabstract.

Methodology

Written clearly and concisely so that someone can follow how you
did your research and can reproduce it.

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How to structure your article (cont.)
Analysis/Results

Present the results clearly and carefully.

Discussion

Discuss the results here. If the results were not what you
were expecting this is where you can provide insights or
speculations as to what happened and/or what you could
have done differently.
Write down your conclusions from the study.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledge the people and institutions who have madeyour research possible e.g. funding.

References

Properly cite your referenced material; use the style ofthe journal.

Supplementary Material

List any supplementary materials, appendices.
Electric Supplementary Material (ESM)How can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 11Discoverability of your work: metadata• Your article needs to be found, read, used and cited!
• Metadata ensures your work appears with the proper audience through for example• Abstracting and Indexing Services• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)How can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 12

How to structure your article - Methodology• Rule conformity:
Follow Author Instructions on how to write up the methodology• Reproducibility:
New methods should be described in such a way that they can be reproduced• References:
Existing methods can be referenced• Statistics:
Statistical methodology• Ethics:
Ethical declarations (animals, patients, etc.)• Writing:Use past tense for write up

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How to structure your article – Analysis / Results• Accuracy:
Accurately describe your findings• Fact:Do not explain your results• Writing:Use past tense to describe your analysis / results
Use present tense when referring to figures and tables• Ethics:
Do not duplicate data (text, graph, table)

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How to structure your article - Acknowledgements• Give credit to those who have contributed• Give credit to those that made the research possible• Declare any conflicts of interest

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How to structure your article - References• Rule conformity:
Format your references according to the instructions for authors• Precision:
Be precise in your references; references form the link between your paper and thescientific literature• Technology:Tools available to manage your own scientific library

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Getting ready to submit• Authorship: Get the agreement from all co-authors on what is submitted and to whichjournal• Letter: Prepare a cover letter• Language editing• Rule conformity: Read the guidelines for the journal very carefully and make sure that you
conform to the instructions for authors in terms of set up, reference style, etc.

• Ethics: NEVER submit your paper to more than one journal at the same time, that would beviolating publishing ethicsWAIT

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Getting ready to submit – Prepare a cover letter• This is your chance to sell your manuscript to the Editor in Chief (EiC)• Remember that the EiC receives an increasing amount of manuscripts, so be clear and concise• Address the EiC personally in your letter• Give the background to your research• Explain the importance of your article in relation to the scope of the Journal• Emphasize the key take away points - the USPs, the Unique Selling Points - from your article• Recommend reviewers, it will be very much appreciated• Exclude reviewers and include the reason (e.g. members from a competing research group)How can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 18

Getting ready to submit – Language editing• Professional editing services can help you to improve the text on grammar and to enhance thereadability of your manuscript• It is neither a requirement nor a guarantee for acceptance for publication• Professional editing services will raise your chances of acceptance and ensures clear
communication of your research

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Getting ready to submit – Publishing ethics• The work described has not been published before• It is not under consideration anywhere else
• Publication has been approved by co-authors and responsible
authorities• Permissions have been obtained from copyright owners• No data fabrication or falsification

Similarity Check powered by iThenticate is an
initiative started by CrossRef to help its
members actively engage in efforts toprevent scholarly and professional plagiarism

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Getting ready to submit – Similarity Check

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Publishing ethics - COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics• COPE provides a forum for editors of academic journals to discuss issues relating to the integrityof the works in their journals• COPE can act as the impartial mediator in disputes• COPE is a charity registered in the UK, established in 1997
• Currently more than 6,000 members

https://publicationethics.org/

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Submitting your article – what happens next
Online Submission Environment:
Editorial Manager / Manuscript CentralAuthor

Publishing Editor(Publisher)

Editor in Chief (EiC)
Editorial Board
Reviewers

Journal EditorialOffice (Publisher)

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Peer review - What it is• Peer review is a process of self-regulation. When you submit an article, other experts in thefield evaluate your article, your research and methodology, to determine if your paper issuitable for publication• Peer review is employed to maintain a high quality standard of published papers and to provide
credibility

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Peer review – How to deal with the feedback• Nearly every manuscript requires revisions, often two or three revisions• If you receive reviewer comments for re-submission, act on them
• Consider peer review feedback as advice to help you improve your article, do NOT take offense• Minor revision does not guarantee acceptance after revision; address all comments carefullyRejection

Acceptance
Minorrevision

Majorrevision

Very few manuscripts getaccepted without the needfor any revision(Daniel McGowan, Edanz, 2012)

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Peer Review – Many comments
Reads:• Drubin D (2011) Any jackass can trash a manuscript, but it takes good scholarship to create one(how MBoC promotes civil and constructive peer review). Molecular Biology of the Cell 22:525527• Walbot V (2009) Are we training pit bulls to review our manuscripts? Journal of Biology 2009,8:24 (doi:10.1186/jbiol125)• Campanario J (1995) Commentary : On Influential Books and Journal Articles Initially Rejected
Because of Negative Referees' Evaluations. Science Communication,
http://scx.sagepub.com/content/16/3/304

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Rejection• Do not be disheartened if you receive a rejection: very often the article and the research aregood, but it is not in the scope of the journal it was submitted toScience

Manuscript

Other• Novelty• Formatting• Scope• Research question• References• Expected Impact• Methodology• Language• Audience• Statistics• Analysis• Conclusion• Too hypothetical

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Acceptance and publication of your article• Once the article has been accepted and is ready for publication, it will immediately be published
online, this is called ‘Online First’• The article receives a DOI number (Digital Object Identifier) and can now be read and cited, e.g.:
DOI: 10.1007/s10681-012-0632-1• This is the official publication of the article and can not be changed afterwards• Page numbers and an issue number are only assigned once it is included in the next available orappropriate issue

Article workflow
Manuscript
accepted

Typesetting &Author Forms

Proof to author(and editor)

Proofcorrection

Published
OnlineFirst

Issue workflow
Select available
OnlineFirst articles

Compileissue

Publish issue
onlinePrint and distributeissueHow can I improve my submission to be published? | 2018| Page 28

Share your link!

It’s legal and all can read the content for free…

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Fisheries Science :Instructions for Authors
www.springer.com/life+sciences/animal+sciences/journal/12562

Tips & Tricks for Authors
https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author

Submit Online
https://www.editorialmanager.com/fisc/default.aspx

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How to submit

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To Write = To Read
English for Academic Research … Adrian Wallwork

Fisheries Science Series (http://www.springer.com/series/13529)

Editor-in-chief: Katsumi Aida
Series Editors: Toyoji Kaneko, Hisashi Kurokura, Tadashi Tokai

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