SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION
Basic Aspects of Creating Title Pages, Key Words, Running Heads, Abstracts, Introduction, and Materials and Methods
2014 Volume 47 Issue 7 Pages 419-420
Details
2014 Volume 47 Issue 7 Pages 419-420
In this series, we will closely examine the organization and structure of a scientific manuscript by focusing on each section of the IMRAD format (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion) discussed in the ‘Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals’ (ICMJE Recommendations). In addition, important information and aspects regarding significant components such as the format of the title page, abstract, key words, disclosure statements, references, and tables and figures are given. This issue will focus on the basic aspects of creating a title page, key words, running heads, abstracts, introduction, and materials and methods.
The title page should include a concise and informative title without acronyms and abbreviations, except for very exceptional cases such as DNA and RNA. This means eliminating unnecessary words such as “a study on” or “research on”, as this is self-explanatory and journals have a word limit for the title, and such phrases do not contribute to the understanding of the article. Authors should make sure that the title includes all information that can be used in electronic retrieval of the article. Also, in the key words, to enhance maximum retrieval, try to include words that are not in the title.
The title page should list the names of all authors with their highest academic degrees (e.g., M.D. or M.D., Ph.D.) and affiliations, corresponding author information, and the name and contact information of the author for reprint requests. When giving the name of the author, it should be the name that the author is known by or uses daily in his/her daily profession. Some authors from countries in which the native language does not use the Roman alphabet may use variant forms of the spelling of their co-workers names which may cause confusion and prevent recognition. For example, the name normally written as Sato can also be spelled Satoh. Therefore, it is important to check the spelling of authors’ names to make sure that it appears according to the preference of the author or co-author. The ICMJE Recommendations require that all names be spelled out fully without using initials because it is highly possible for authors to have the same name. Furthermore, it is important to specify the name of the department and institution in which the study was conducted, and to include disclaimers, such as a statement that you are not responsible for the functioning of the equipment described in your study.
Although the ICMJE Recommendations do not specify the number of key words, usually journals require between 3 and 10 key words. As the exact number differs for journals, it is important to check the Instructions to Authors and adjust the number of key words accordingly. As mentioned above, it is advisable to include words that are not found in the title to maximize the chance for the paper to be retrieved by a search engine.
Concerning key words, the specific number depends on the journal’s preferences. Key words should be selected from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, published by Index Medicus and authors should try to select words that do not appear in the title to enhance manuscript retrieval by electronic browsers. Part of the importance of the abstract, title and key words derives from the fact they are usually picked up by electronic databases and based on this, potential readers decide whether to access the entire manuscript or not.
Most journals require a running head which is usually limited to 40 characters or less, including spaces. A word count for the text only and a word count separately for the abstract should also be given. In addition, it is recommended to state the number of tables and figures included in the manuscript in case something is missing during the editorial process.
Since we are in the age of easy Internet access and data retrieval, authors should know that the abstract is one of the most important parts of a manuscript as it is often the first section a reader comes across. The abstract should address all contents of the manuscript while describing the background, purpose and basic procedures of the study. The abstract should also state the main findings of the study, and its novel and important aspects to show its originality and what is new in this field of study.
As formats for abstracts and word counts differ among journals, it is important for authors to follow the specific formats given by the journal. Some journals ask for mini-abstracts in addition to structured abstracts.
The Introduction section should provide the background information of the study such as the nature of the problem and its significance. The specific purpose or hypothesis tested should also be stated. The gap between what is known and what needs to be understood should be stated. The final sentence of the Introduction should specify the research question which can be reiterated at the beginning of the Discussion section to focus the attention of the reader on the flow of the Discussion.
The ICMJE Recommendations state that the Methods section should only include information available at the time of the original planning of the study. All other information obtained during or after the study was begun, should be included in the Results section. A common mistake by authors is that they sometimes include the results in the Methods section. The Materials and Methods section provides only information about the study population, study drugs, design and analysis1).
Authors should clearly indicate the eligibility and exclusion criteria, including patients, laboratory animals or controls, and source population. Avoiding words such as “selection” is advisable as it can imply bias in how participants were included in the study.
Authors should also provide details of the methods and apparatus (e.g., manufacturer’s name and address, city, country) as well as the statistical analysis methods used so that the results can be verified by others. Authors should avoid relying solely on statistical hypothesis testing, such as P-values2).
Authors must identify precisely all drugs and chemicals used including generic names, doses and routes of administration; specify the name/address of the manufacturer of any computer software that was used. If statistics are an important component of the study, it is equally important to involve a statistician as an author.
