Some good advice for aspiring authors from Dr Trevor Ogden

A good paper "… must justify its conclusions by scientific criteria, showing that other explanations cannot hold, or are very improbable. This is perhaps the big difference between a peer-reviewed paper and an ordinary conference presentation. At a conference it is interesting to hear new ideasand suggestive findings, but a higher standard of proof is usually required in a publication.

The most straightforward way to see how a paper should be written and presented is to look at the nmaterial published in your chosen journal, and at its Instructions to Authors. There are several books on writing papers, but an important rule is that your paper should be as brief as possible, consistent with containing enough detail for the critical reader to agree that the findings are soundly established. …

Complicated construction and vocabulary are undesirable, no matter how smart they seem. … find a colleague who will comment constructively - perceptive and honest critics are rare and valuable."

Originally published in the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists

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