Tips and tricks for writing a manuscript to publish in a biomedical journal.

Abstract

Science barely exists until it is published. It is only then that the information surpasses the limits of the author and can be shared by the scientific community. Although scientific articles must follow a rigidly defined structure, there is still room to tell a fascinating story, one that clearly conveys the science and is, at the same time, enjoyable for the reader. To do this, we must use the attributes that characterize good scientific style, with simple, clear, precise, direct, rigorous, and consistent language. Authorship implies authenticity and authority, and considering a researcher as an author entails rights and responsibilities. Scientific writing is not easy, it requires patience and practice; learning to write well is a lifelong task. With the philosophy that most of the qualities required to proficiently write a scientific article depend on attitude, and can be learned and improved upon, in this manuscript we will share with the reader a series of recommendations (based on our own experiences, both positive and negative), which we consider important for writing and successfully publishing. We will focus on the so-called «original» articles (as opposed to review articles, although many of the recommendations presented are applicable to both). Our main purpose is to encourage researchers to take the necessary step and face the challenge of becoming authors of their own scientific articles and successfully publishing their research.