An A to Z of peer-to-peer writing

from your own language. The result would most probably be disastrous. However: better used at the beginning of a sentence followed by a comma. Avoid writing however in the middle of a sentence, where badly used commas can cause all sorts of problems. Impact factor: we all know what this is, but a journal with high impact factor is not necessarily your best bet when you want to publish a paper. What you should be aiming for is a guaranteed reading population that will lead to future citation. Jargon: avoid the use of over-technical language and endless acronyms, as well as pompous empty phrases that say nothing. Key words: choose them carefully as they are fundamental for electronic retrieval. Without key words (also in the title of your paper) you paper risks being lost in cyber-space. Long sentences: keep well away from these. Sentences should never be longer than 20 words otherwise they tend to get out of control, and can become difficult for both writers and readers alike. More research is needed: virtually all papers end with these words. Conclude your paper powerfully by giving a message, which quite simply is a sentence outlining the implications of your discoveries. Negatives: be careful with words like ei-ther/or and neither/nor, and remember that positive is better. Order: planning is of primary importance when you wish to communicate with members of your peer community. Use planning Acceptance: the moment when your work of genius will finally be published. Love it! Bad writing: often used as an excuse by reviewers and editors when they can't think of anything really bad to say about your data. Do not allow this to happen. Use the services of a native English speaker with specific knowledge of your field, and don't forget to mention this person in the acknowledgements. Covering letter: is the first thing the Editor of your target journal will see, and can therefore be a useful form of presentation when well written. Prepare it very carefully , and never write more than 250 words. Draft: getting things right the first time is virtually impossible for anyone. Therefore, do not waste time trying to write the perfect sentence: it will not happen. Get your ideas down on paper, and do the fine-tuning in the future drafts. Editors: give them what they want and always respect their decisions, whatever they might be. Figures: these, together with …