Presentation of research findings in a public forum is often intimidating for new investigators.  Listen to a session given by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Susan Skledar, R.Ph., M.P.H., about the presentation and publication of research findings, "Preparing for Presentation and Publication" (select Quality Practice Research, Part 4).

Many new investigators, and even seasoned researchers, become overwhelmed by the process of submitting a manuscript to a biomedical journal. Successful manuscript development requires an organized approach and an understanding of the roles of each section of the paper – introduction/background, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions.  Read Welch’s “Preparing Manuscripts for Submission to Medical Journals: The Paper Trail."  This article provides a practical, step-by-step discussion of the manuscript preparation process. 

Often, a researcher’s first journal submission will involve a case report. The October 1, 2006, issue of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy includes an excellent primer by Henry Cohen, Pharm.D., entitled “How to Write a Patient Case Report."