Writing It Up: A Step-by-Step Guide to Publication for Beginning Investigators

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Writing scientific manuscripts can be unnecessarily daunting, if not paralyzing. This paralysis is usually the result of one of two reasons: either researchers do not know how to start, or they do not know what to put where. However, most radiology manuscripts follow a definable blueprint. In this article, I attempt to lay out the paragraph-by-paragraph development of a typical radiology paper. CONCLUSION: If authors can accomplish the writing of the 18 paragraphs of text described in this article, they will produce a manuscript that is properly organized, correct in its essentials, and ready for the finishing hand of a seasoned writer and mentor.