Why write for publication and preparation needed for beginning

The overall purpose of this Institute is to help public health practitioners turn their work into manuscripts for publication. The course will cover the following sections: why write for publication; what an editor looks for; how to write each section of a manuscript; and tips for submitting to journals. There will be two main presenters: one presenter is the editor-in-chief at the Maternal and Child Health Journal (MCHJ) while the other presenter has served on the AJPH and MCHJ editorial boards, and has edited special issues of Pediatrics and the MCHJ. Both presenters have published at least 100 articles. They will be assisted by a number of other experienced authors or editors who will work with the class on partially-completed manuscripts that they will be asked to bring to class. We will begin with a short presentation on why write for publication, then cover what an editor looks for. We will go over each section of a scientific paper in detail, and then there will be time set aside for the class to work on the section just discussed. During those time periods, each student will receive individual guidance from the trainers as well as prominent authors or editors. We will close with a presentation on tips for how to submit to a journal. Specifically, in this part of the course, we will discuss the importance of writing for publication, including increasing the evidence base, and developing more efficient programs.