Ophthalmology and vision science research. Part 4: avoiding rejection--structuring a research paper from introduction to references.

As part of an ongoing series, this fourth article is the second of 2 related articles that deal with the basics of producing a high-quality manuscript. Although ophthalmology and vision science are the principal focus of this series, the general concepts essential to producing a quality manuscript are applicable to diverse fields of research. This article provides guidelines on how to present research findings in a structured form using the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) style. The components to be included, and equally important excluded, from each section are elucidated in detail. Commonly omitted or inaccurately or incompletely presented components of the manuscript, such as statistical analysis and references, are highlighted. The necessity to carefully refine manuscripts before submission is discussed. This article concludes by illustrating methods of appropriately dealing with referees' comments and resubmitting manuscripts. Although researchers may have to deal with rejection as part of the process, we hope that this series provides an easy-to-follow structure to maximize manuscript quality and improve the prospect of scientific publication.

Ophthalmology and vision science research: part 5: surfing or sieving--using literature databases wisely.

Literature databases are an ever-expanding resource available to the field of medical sciences. Understanding how to use such databases efficiently is critical for those involved in research. However, for the uninitiated, getting started is a major hurdle to overcome and for the occasional user, the finer points of database searching remain an unacquired skill. In the fifth and final article in this series aimed at those embarking on ophthalmology and vision science research, we look at how the beginning researcher can start to use literature databases and, by using a stepwise approach, how they can optimize their use. This instructional paper gives a hypothetical example of a researcher writing a review article and how he or she acquires the necessary scientific literature for the article. A prototype search of the Medline database is used to illustrate how even a novice might swiftly acquire the skills required for a medium-level search. It provides examples and key tips that can increase the proficiency of the occasional user. Pitfalls of database searching are discussed, as are the limitations of which the user should be aware.

Ophthalmology and vision science research: Part 3: avoiding writer's block--understanding the ABCs of a good research paper.

Completion of a scientific manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal is a daunting task for clinicians and scientists early in their careers. In an ongoing series, this third article is the first of 2 related articles that deal with the basics of producing a high-quality research manuscript. Although ophthalmology and vision science are the principal focus of this series, the general concepts essential to producing a quality manuscript are applicable to diverse fields of research. This article highlights the exponential growth in the scientific literature over the past 40 years, considers why it is important to publish completed research, and discusses the necessity of identifying the key messages of the research, and their context, in relation to the published literature. The ethics of publishing biomedical research and scientific misconduct, such as duplicate publication or plagiarism, are outlined. To avoid later conflict, there is a critical need for coworkers to carefully address authorship order and inclusion early in the manuscript process. Internationally agreed guidelines are identified to guide this process. The importance of choosing the correct journal for a specific article and the nature of basic citation indices are discussed. The article concludes by elaborating and contrasting different scientific writing styles and emphasizing the considerable importance of developing a representative title and applying clarity and appropriate structure to the abstract.

Ophthalmology and vision science research: part 2: How to commence research--Eureka or that's a little unusual?

Understanding the key elements that increase the likelihood of project success is fundamental for those embarking on research. The first article in this series placed scientific journals in perspective in relation to Journal Impact Factors and citation indices. This second article in a series primarily aimed at those commencing research, particularly in the area of ophthalmology and vision science, delineates the interrelated components that are required to complete a research project. Successful research projects seldom emerge from serendipitous observation, and most evolve through a combination of inspiration, careful planning, and a great deal of industry. Beginning researchers must first be clear about their reason(s) for pursuing research and should identify potential mentors and collaborators at the outset. This article discusses methods of identifying suitable projects and mentors. Ten component areas necessary to complete a research project are addressed, with reference to relevant published literature, under the following topic areas: mentors and collaborators; finding a research topic; confirming suitability of the topic; defining the research question; developing the hypothesis; key considerations in study design; threats to study validity; study sample size; benefits and limitations of clinical science; completing to publication. This guide is intended to be applicable to all embarking on research, but particularly to those with an interest in the visual system. The final 3 articles in this series will deal with writing a research paper to publication standard, working successfully with the journal review process, and refining electronic literature searches.