Art of publication: A beginner's guide to understanding the non-linear dynamics between research and publication

Abstract

Unlike the mainstream academic curriculum, research orientation is not part of the hospital-based medicine syllabus. At present, there is a dearth of training in research for young scholars starting their careers as junior residents for obtaining a postgraduate degree in any discipline of medicine. These individuals often experience helplessness as untrained researchers. It is evident that the current academic system, especially in developing countries, is not going to evolve in the near future or offer appropriate training in research methodology and publication. Therefore, the last resort is to go through a self-learning module on how to conduct research and publish articles. This article is designed as a self-help module for those interested in research and publication, particularly in the field of oncology. Why do researchers publish articles? The most appropriate reason would be that they have discovered some new science/philosophy and would like the world to know about it. A less altruistic and rather materialistic reason is to get higher academic degrees, such as Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Medicine (MD). For a young researcher who aspires to have a good publication record, it is indispensable to know the methodology of publishing an article. Discovering new science although a prerequisite may not be sufficient for the publication of an article. The hurdles associated with a good publication include a flawed study design and inappropriate methodology, lack of clarity and reproducibility, and most importantly, difficulty in translating research into a publication.[1] Therefore, the art of publishing is not proportional to the significance of the invention; the dynamics are typically non-linear. A search on Google Scholar with the search strings, “how to write a scientific paper” and “how to write a paper” returned about 1.8 million and 3.7 million results, respectively, making it one of the most investigated topics. There is plenty of literature in the form of articles and books which describes the technique of writing a paper. Numerous authors have already elaborately discussed how to write scientific articles and respond to critics.[1,2] Therefore, in this article, I have attempted to briefly discuss only the salient features of the technique of writing a research paper. This article provides guidelines for research beginners on how to publish scientific articles, with a detailed flowchart of the various stages of publication [Figure 1]. Although these guidelines can be applied across all the disciplines of science, technology, and medicine, they have been described in the context of oncology and its associated interdisciplinary subjects, like medical physics. Additionally, the issues faced during publication by those pursuing higher academic degrees such as MD, Master of Surgery (MS), Diplomate of National Board (DNB), and PhD in India are also discussed. Open in a separate window Figure 1: Publication flowchart