Guide to writing and publishing a scientific manuscript: Part 1—The structure

• Adhere to the structured format and word count required by the specific journal. – Common subheadings are: Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion. • Use only standard abbreviations in the abstract and main text; non-standard abbreviations can be confusing to readers and reviewers. – Standard abbreviations should be introduced at the first use. – Examples of standard abbreviations are ED, CPR, CT, ECG. – Examples of non-standard abbreviations to be avoided include: LOS, SRS, IND, CCLS, RCSA. • ICMJE recommends placing clinical trial registration number at the end of the abstract.


Introduction
Writing a scientific manuscript for a peer-reviewed medical journal can be a frustrating but ultimately very satisfying process. Benefits for the authors include the ability to share the results of their project with a large audience and the opportunity to change practice, the satisfaction of completing a challenging scholarly endeavor, and the recognition of your institution in terms of advancement and/or compensation. Those who have not yet written a scientific manuscript may not appreciate how long and intensive the journey can be. The goal of this guide is to offer tried and true, step by step, recommendations on how to simplify the writing process and increase the chances of successful publication. Variations on these tips have been presented nationally and internationally and have been the basis for authoring or coauthoring hundreds of papers as well as for mentoring many learners in the Canadian emergency medicine community. Part 1 will address the structure or anatomy of a manuscript and Part 2 will look at the process of writing and dealing with journals.

Title page
• Title should only give design if strong, e.g., randomized trial, systematic review, meta-analysis; avoid "retrospective" or "chart review" as these terms may devalue your paper.
-A few journals may insist on giving the design in the title • Author Information, names, affiliations. • Disclaimers, e.g., findings represent the work of the authors and not their institution. • Sources of Support, grants, other funding. • Word count, text only excluding abstract and tables. • Keywords, 3-5 commonly used terms. • Other sections may be placed elsewhere in the manuscript: -Disclosures of conflicts and relationships, usually given on the ICJME form.

Introduction
• Should be brief and no more than 3 paragraphs. • Paragraph 1: definition, epidemiology, and importance of the health-care problem. • Paragraph 2: key studies and knowledge gap to be addressed. • Paragraph 3: Goal and specific objectives of the paper and how the gap will be addressed.
-For educational articles, the approach should be grounded in or framed within educational theory or principles

Results
• Generally, one paragraph for each Table and Figure. • Aim for brevity by reporting only important or interesting findings; do not repeat everything from the Tables. • In the text, give percentages and the number from which the percentage was calculated.

Discussion
• This is the section that many authors struggle with; we strongly recommend using the paragraphs described below. • We also encourage use of subheadings which will aid reviewers and readers, even though most journals do not require them. -Conclusions must not reach beyond the study findings. -Never, ever conclude by saying "future research required" as that immediately tells reviewers and readers that your findings are not meaningful.
• Educational papers typically link interpretation and the existing literature together (rather than as separate paragraphs).