Principles of Scientific Writing and Biomedical Publication: A JAMA Editors’ Guide for Authors. Phil B Fontanarosa, Annette Flanagin, Philip Greenland, eds. Oxford University Press; 2024. 384 pages. Online ISBN: 9780197783061. Print ISBN: 9780197783030.
Effective science communication is both an art and a craft that is crucial for promoting scientific literacy, public engagement, and advancements in medical science. However, writing skills and manuscript preparation are rarely taught in a formal setting.
Principles of Scientific Writing and Biomedical Publication: A JAMA Editors’ Guide for Authors is an authoritative guide rooted in hundreds of “editor-years” of editorial experience. Senior editors Phil B Fontanarosa, Annette Flanagin, and Philip Greenland and 21 other contributors with extensive biomedical publication and editorial experience offer a glimpse into the mind of an editor, providing practical insights into the writing and publication process. The book aims to help authors, novice or expert, navigate the scientific publication process and improve their writing and manuscript preparation skills.
Principles is divided into seven parts comprising a total of 41 focused chapters. Each chapter starts with a set of key points, an excellent feature for skimming or quick review.
The guide flows logically, starting with an overview of the ever-evolving biomedical publication landscape. Part 1, “Biomedical Journals,” provides guidance on selecting the right journal and understanding journal metrics. Part 2, “Scientific Writing,” describes how to write clearly and effectively, constructing an organized critical argument while maintaining a scholarly tone.
Perhaps the most alluring section, Part 3, “Manuscript Components,” details how to assemble a manuscript, describing everything from the crafting of effective titles and informative abstracts to referencing. “Specific Types of Articles,” Part 4, provides advice on why and when certain studies should be conducted and how to tailor your writing to them. For example, authors should follow CONSORT guidelines for clinical trials, while meta-analyses would follow PRISMA guidelines.
Insight into manuscript assessment is detailed in Part 5, “Editorial Process and Peer Review.” This section also covers how to interact with journal editors, even revealing some common pet peeves to avoid. Some of these pet peeves are excessive abbreviations, vague reporting of methods and results, and requests for preferential treatment.
Part 6, “Authorship and Ethical Issues,” discusses the ethical standards regarding authorship, research integrity, and scientific reporting. Finally, Part 7, “Current and Evolving Issues,” addresses emerging issues involving data sharing, preprints, and news media.
Unlike most other such guides, Principles is written from inside the editorial room, reflecting what writers should do as well as what journal editors expect and prioritize. The writing is clear and professional, albeit occasionally dense. The consistency in tone and structure across the chapters, despite multiple contributors, speaks to the editors’ care and expertise.
Given the discipline-specific content, this guide is best suited for authors in biomedical fields, including graduate students and postdoctoral researchers preparing their first publications. Faculty mentors seeking to guide their trainees and researchers looking to simply strengthen their writing skills would find great value in the guide as well. For those seeking to publish more persuasively and with greater confidence, this guide will be invaluable. The guide also could prove useful for author’s editors, helping them gear their work to better align with journal editors’ expectations. Additionally, editors new to biomedical editing could learn field-specific norms through the guide.
Principles is a timely, thoughtful, and expertly crafted guide that all researchers should have in their back pocket. Its balance of practical writing instruction, ethical guidance, and publishing strategy makes it more than a writing manual. It is a professional resource for navigating the entire life cycle of a scientific manuscript. While it is grounded in the biomedical sciences, its lessons are widely applicable to all who seek to communicate scientific findings effectively and ethically.
As Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, editor-in-chief of JAMA and the JAMA Network, writes in the foreword, this book is “the primer that I wish I had more than 20 years ago.” Principles is an essential guide likely to serve the next generation of scientists as we work toward the shared goal of communicating science better to improve human health.
Francesca Landon-Harding recently received a Master’s degree in science and technology journalism from Texas A&M University.
Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of their employers, the Council of Science Editors, or the Editorial Board of Science Editor.