Writing a Good Medical Paper

Abstract

The journal Archives of Disease in Childhood celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, Mark Beattie one of its former editors, has written a reflective piece that includes very sound advice on how to write a good paper¹. The points that are made concur with our experiences at the IMJ.

In essence, the hallmarks of a well-constructed manuscript remain unchanged. Writing a paper is a steep learning curve for all medical trainees. It is critical to always work with an experienced senior author who acts as a leader of the author group. The paper should be clinically focused, and should add something new. It should be well-written and the messaging must be clear. Complex prose should be avoided. Avoid the passive voice. State ‘we conducted this study’ rather than ‘a study was conducted’. All research must adhere to ethical standards. The New England Journal of Medicine, a publication with an impact factor exceeding 75, states that the results in the paper should lead to a change in clinical practice...