Whether writing for a research project or a journal article, scientific articles are different from news articles. They involve a much more thorough review process (called peer review) by other scientists, the professional peers of the authors.
This is because the article is not just a snapshot of what was going on in the researcher’s research at a specific time – it’s part of a broader global archive of scientific knowledge. It is not just important for the author to get the message across – it is also essential for other scientists to understand the importance and relevance of their work, and for readers to find and access it.
There are many reasons that scientists, physicians and engineers write about science. For some, it is a way to share their knowledge for the benefit of others and to express themselves creatively.
For others, it is a necessity in order to improve their professional knowledge and to build contacts within their field.
Besides these reasons, there are some other practical ones, such as getting academic promotion, establishing contacts with professionals in a new area or obtaining grant funding.
Medical doctors are frequently required to write manuscripts for publication, especially when applying for a postdoctoral fellowship. These documents require high quality and specialized language skills and can be difficult to write effectively.
While preparing a medical article, it is important to follow the APA style guideline for scientific writing (APA guidelines for scientific writing are available here). This ensures that the document is accurate and up to date in terms of content and formatting.
It’s also a good idea to read previous medical articles in the journal and to make sure that you have understood the methodology, the results and the implications of the study. In addition, you may want to consult a physician who is experienced in a similar field.
The most effective scientific papers are those that clearly explain how their findings can help solve an important public health problem. This is called a “take-home message.” The take-home message should be expressed in a single sentence or two that summarises the main point of the paper.
Using a take-home message helps you to focus on the most important information, which will make your writing clearer and easier to read. It also helps you to remove unnecessary words, sentences or paragraphs.
There are 4 fundamental recommendations for scientific writing: stating the usefulness of the study, formulating a key message, limiting unnecessary words and using strategic sentence structure.
Keeping these basic recommendations in mind can increase the likelihood of your scientific article being accepted and published in a high-quality journal. If you want to find out more about how to write a scientific paper, check out our APA Style Guide for Scientific Writing course or our Peer Review module.
