Enhancing research publications and advancing scientific writing in health research collaborations: sharing lessons learnt from the trenches

Guowei Li; Yanling Jin; Lawrence Mbuagbaw; Lisa Dolovich; Jonathan D Adachi; Mitchell Ah Levine; Deborah Cook; Zainab Samaan; Lehana Thabane

doi:10.2147/JMDH.S152681

Enhancing research publications and advancing scientific writing in health research collaborations: sharing lessons learnt from the trenches

J Multidiscip Healthc. 2018 May 17:11:245-254. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S152681. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Guowei Li^{1

2

3}, Yanling Jin¹, Lawrence Mbuagbaw^{1

2}, Lisa Dolovich^{1

2

4}, Jonathan D Adachi^{2

5}, Mitchell Ah Levine^{1

2

3

5}, Deborah Cook^{1

2

5}, Zainab Samaan^{1

2}, Lehana Thabane^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Research Methods, Impact and Evidence, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
² St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
³ Centre for Evaluation of Medicines, Programs for Assessment of Technology in Health (PATH) Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁵ Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Disseminating research protocols, processes, methods or findings via peer-reviewed publications has substantive merits and benefits to various stakeholders.

Purpose: In this article, we share strategies to enhance research publication contents (ie, what to write about) and to facilitate scientific writing (ie, how to write) in health research collaborations.

Methods: Empirical experience sharing.

Results: To enhance research publication contents, we encourage identifying appropriate opportunities for publications, publishing protocols ahead of results papers, seeking publications related to methodological issues, considering justified secondary analyses, and sharing academic process or experience. To advance writing, we suggest setting up scientific writing as a goal, seeking an appropriate mentorship, making full use of scientific meetings and presentations, taking some necessary formal training in areas such as effective communication and time and stress management, and embracing the iterative process of writing.

Conclusion: All the strategies we share are dependent upon each other; and they advocate gradual academic accomplishments through study and training in a "success-breeds-success" way. It is expected that the foregoing shared strategies in this paper, together with other previous guidance articles, can assist one with enhancing research publications, and eventually one's academic success in health research collaborations.

Keywords: health research collaboration; research publication; scientific writing.