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Preliminary Steps in Writing a Scientific Manuscript
Drafting a Manuscript Proposal A useful planning tool for the writing project is a form that allows you to identify co-authors and their roles and to document and communicate decisions made during the writing and publication process. Robert M. Chamberlain, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, devised just such a proposal and stated its purpose as follows: The Manuscript Proposal form is meant to be drafted and circulated among all authors, edited, and updated as the manuscript progresses. It is usually drafted by the author who intends to be the first author. Mentors can use the form to assign papers to trainees. The form can be the basis for reaching consensus in meetings of the authors. Having agreement among the authors can help avoid arguments later. When trainees are among the authors, it helps ensure that they retain their role on the manuscript, even when it is finished and submitted after the trainee has left. The form that follows is adapted from Dr. Chamberlain’s. You may want to tailor it for your own situation, whether or not you actually use it formally.
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