Revising your draft and adding details

Some people find it easier to write a lot then to cut down to essentials: others prefer to build up gradually. Use the approach you prefer.

When you have finished, revise the manuscript, keeping the following points in mind.

• The text should be cohesive and logically organised with each piece of information in the correct section, e.g. do not introduce new findings in the discussion.
• Each paragraph should preferably start with a topic sentence, then the next sentences develop the topic.
• Information given in one section should not be repeated in other sections of the main text.
• Ensure all tables and figures are necessary.
• Tables are for data where the absolute values are important. Figures are for showing trends or patterns.
• Table information should not be repeated in figures (or vice versa).
• Long lists of data should not be repeated in the text.
• Legends to tables and figures should be informative and enable the table or figure to be understood in isolation, without reference to descriptive text in the body of the article.
• However, captions should be kept as concise as possible.
• If similar data are presented in several tables or several figures, then the format of their legends should be similar.
• Some journals include methodological details in figure and table legends: check your target journal.