Writing your research paper: tips from EASE editors

including AJE & EASE Webinar – Structuring your manuscript: Tips from an editor

This project developed by our Publication and Events Committees, incorporated external collaborators and added a significant number of new interested parties to our contact lists.

Writing your research paper: tips from EASE editors is a thoroughly revised and reimagined edition of the flagship EASE resource, EASE Guidelines for Authors and Translators of Scientific Articles to be Published in English.

The core text of the original Guidelines served as the basis of the new document, which is now expanded with more contemporary authoring techniques, resources and practical advice for authors, addressing a wider range of publishing formats and considerations, all presented in a more accessible, easy to read and reference style.

To launch the new publication, EASE and AJE held a joint webinar on 18 July 2024 called ‘Structuring your manuscript: tips from an editor‘ which was presented by Shalini Garg, Editor-in-Chief of Lancet Regional Health, Southeast Asia.

Writing your Research Paper was created in collaboration between EASE, American Journal Experts, and Research Square, by Joan Marsh, Duncan Nicholas, Ksenija Baždarić, Jadranka Stojanovski, Iva Grabarić Andonovski, Yateendra Joshi, Gareth Dyke, and Shalini Garg.

Peer Review Toolkit - new guidelines

The Peer Review Committee continue their exemplary activities, engaging the EASE membership and global audiences with calls to action, forum posts, new guidance materials and pages to the Peer Review Toolkit, webinar and event appearances.

• Canvasing members and those in the wider community to choose from a list of 12 suggested topics which the Committee should prioritise as they develop new resources for the Peer Review Toolkit in 2024.
• Organising a panel discussion in May EASE panel discussion: Assisting Peer Review with Technology and Large Language Models
• Publishing two new guidelines: Recommendations on the Use of AI in Scholarly Communication and How to Assess Peer Review Quality

The Peer Review Committee is chaired by Mario Malički, with Serge Horbach, Bahar Mehmani and Jadranka Stojanovski.

Mario Malički

Editor-in-chief, RIPR Journal, Stanford University, USA

Mario was nominated for his work with EASE which included:

• Chair of the Peer Review Committee
• Development of various guidelines and organisation of peer review events, conference sessions etc
• Advocating for EASE on social media and through attendance at non EASE events and through published articles
• Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of European Science Editing.

Mirko Spiroski

Director, Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI, Editor-in-Chief of Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, North Macedonia

Mirko was nominated for his support of EASE which included:

• Creating the EASE Macedonian Chapter
• Encouraging over 50 people into membership including three groups: Goce Delcev University, Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI and Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
• Organising two events, the first on the topic of open science and the second on issues surrounding the use of the Macedonian language in scientific journals.

Original Article - Reporting and presentation of statistical analyses: instructions for authors of health sciences journals based in South Africa

Gina Joubert

Editorial Advisory Board’s comments:

This paper was selected for its robust method to raise awareness of the foundational issue of statistical analysis. The paper highlights guidance and requirements that are lacking and details what should be presented to improve the quality of submissions, making the process easier and more detailed for authors, reviewers and editors. An especially important topic, as errors in statistical analysis are a common cause of ethical investigations and retractions, which clear instructions on these matters take steps towards addressing.

CARE guidelines in publishing case reports in paediatrics: where do we stand after 10 years?

Silvije Šegulja, Gordana Starčević Klasan, Anja Šegulja Perić, Mirela Vučković, Iva Sorta-Bilajac Turina

Possible editorial responses to the proliferation of problematic meta-analyses and research syntheses

Philippe C. Baveye

This paper Viewpoint was selected as it addresses a growing problem jeopardizing the clarity, reliability, and overall integrity of current, and future scientific literature. As the volume of unreliable AI-generated (and human-written) texts and data increases, diluting the literature with errorful details, the care and quality of methods to selected papers incorporated into systematic reviews, and the transparency with which this is reported becomes increasingly important.

Amy Slogrove

South Africa

Amy was selected because of her detailed and constructive comments which improved the quality, style and overall presentation of the manuscript she reviewed. 

We congratulate Amy on this well-earned reward and sincerely thank all of our reviewers for their crucial work!

Duncan Nicholas

United Kingdom

Duncan was awarded the Pau Award for outstanding contributions and dedication to the success of EASE over a period of many years. Duncan joined EASE in 2012. His many achievements include:

Attending many conferences:  Split 2014,  Strasbourg 2016; Bucharest 2018; Online 2020 and 2021; Valencia 2022; Istanbul 2023

Elected to Council in 2015, and was a key part of the Strategy Group in 2016 alongside Pippa Smart. He took on the role of webeditor in this year too.

During this period he created our toolkits and developed the content of our website, with new resources and publications, and managed the Bookshelf Blog, writing regular EASE and industry news articles, European Science Editing journal author interviews, among other content.

In 2018 Duncan took charge of the EASE social media platforms and became Vice President in Bucharest

In 2020, at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked alongside Pippa to transition the Journal to diamond open access and delivered our first online conference

In late 2020, Duncan launched a comprehensive review of the business and operational model of EASE, which included the redesign of the EASE brand, a hugely expanded website and back office systems to support it.

In 2021 he became acting President, continued to transform and develop EASE’s communications with all its stakeholders, rapidly growing our social media presence for the Association and the Journal.

Duncan has delivered a number of workshops and courses for EASE in the UK and around Europe, created and launched our regular webinar series for which he  regularly hosts guest speakers and presents the occasional session himself.

During this time, he continued to work on updating our publications, both the content and to ensure they were all presented in the new brand style. All of the imagery you see in all our communications with you are created by Duncan.

In 2023 Duncan became Past-President, retaining his responsibilities as a Director and member of the Finance Committee.

Duncan serves on many committees, including the Editorial Board of the Journal, Programme and Organisational committees of our conferences, publications and events, membership and communication. 

This Awards Scheme was Duncan’s brain child.

Duncan’s knowledge of the workings of the Association and his vision for its growth are truly astonishing. We hope he will continue to work with us for many more years. The Council recognise you for your herculean efforts over the last 5 years in particular – well deserved.