Writing Manuscripts Better: Part I (The introduction, methods, results, and discussion format)

Abstract

Many young researchers face extreme difficulties while writing scientific articles, and there is seldom any specific training imparted as a part of under and postgraduate curriculums toward the art of presenting research work in written format. Yet, the publication is considered essential toward career advancement and for obtaining academic qualifications. We herein discuss the basic steps to follow in writing a scientific article using the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion format. The Introduction explains the scope and objective of the study in the light of current knowledge on the subject; the Materials and Methods describes how the study was conducted; the Results section reports what was found in the study; and the Discussion section explains the meaning and significance of the results and provides suggestions for future directions of research. We enumerate the main elements that should appear in these sections, and some pointers for making the overall result attractive and acceptable for publication. We also have placed special emphasis on the methods section (Finer nuances of data collections, Informed consent, steps to seek approval by the Institutional Ethics Committee and authorship directives as per IJCME guidelines), Results (How to highlight the results of the study using illustrations, charts, and legends, and Discussion section (“Structured approach” and the “Divide and rule” approach). A hastily written article with incorrect methodology remains the primary reason for rejection by the journal reviewers, and following the above directives would contribute toward obtaining a fruitful result.