Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • General
  • Published:

Research dissertation to published paper: the journey to a successful publication

British Dental Journal volume 228, pages 791–794 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Background Many dental professionals are now completing higher degrees that involve a research project. However, many of those research projects, although worthwhile, are not written up for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Aim To encourage and assist novice authors in transferring their project report into a paper to submit for publication.

Discussion The relationship between the authors and contributors is considered, and advice is given on how to focus on the specific research question and produce a succinct paper within the target journal's word limit. Emphasis is placed on choosing the right journal for submission and the need to follow the 'instructions to authors', as well as what happens post-submission, post-acceptance and post-publication. Furthermore, some of the difficulties that the authors have encountered on their own publication journeys are highlighted.

Conclusion Great satisfaction will be derived if the novice researcher makes the most of their opportunity of undertaking a research project and subsequently getting it published in a peer-reviewed journal. Publishing gives the author recognition within their professional community, a feeling of personal achievement, can create better career perspectives and allows others to build on the work.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Day R A. How to write and publish scientific papers. Memórias Institut Oswaldo Cruz 1998; 93: 423-424.

  2. Shaikh A A. 7 steps to publishing in a scientific journal. 2016. Available at https://www.elsevier.com/connect/7stepstopublishinginascientific-journal (accessed December 2019).

  3. Radford D R, Smillie L Wilson R F, Grace A M. The criteria used by editors of scientific dental journals in the assessment of manuscripts submitted for publication. Br Dent J 1999; 187: 376-379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Academic credit in higher education in England - an introduction. 2009. Available at https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/academiccredithighereducationinenglandan-introduction.pdf (accessed July 2019).

  5. Seath R J G, Radford D R, Mudford L P A, Reed D P. Should mentoring be routinely introduced into general dental practice to reduce occupational stress? Br Dent J 2019; 227: 121-125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Potts G, Radford D R. #Teeth&Tweets: the reach and reaction of an online social media oral health promotion campaign. Br Dent J 2019; 227: 217-222.

  7. Cunningham S J. How to...write a paper. J Orth 2004; 31: 47-51.

  8. University of Portsmouth. Academic regulations for a doctorate by publications. Available online at http://www2.port.ac.uk/accesstoinformation/policies/academicregistry/filetodownload163744en.pdf (accessed September 2019).

  9. University of Brighton Doctoral College. Master of Research (MRes) generic framework. 2019. Available at https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/reg/acs/docs/MRes%20generic%20framework.pdf (accessed September 2019).

  10. Personal communication with M E Packer, King's College London, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences. October 2019.

  11. MacCallum C J. ONE for all: the next step for PLOS. PLoS. PLoS Biol 2006; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0040401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. The Journal of Dentistry. Author Information Pack. Available at https://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30441?generatepdf=true (accessed September 2019).

  13. Journal of Dental Research. Instructions to authors. Available at https://www.iadr.org/Portals/69/docs/Publications/JDRInstructionstoAuthors.pdf?ver=20170210-110150-950 (accessed September 2019).

  14. Watson J D, Crick F H C. Molecular structure of nucleic acids. Nature 1953; 171: 737-738.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Rosenfeldt F L, Dowling J T, Pepe S, Fullerton M J. How to write a paper for publication. Heart Lung Circ 2000; 9: 82-87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. CASP Checklists. Available online at https://casp-uk.net/casptoolschecklists/ (accessed December 2019).

  17. Radford D R, Watson T F, Walter J D, Challacombe S J. The effects of surface machining on heat cured acrylic resin and two soft denture base materials: a scanning electron microscope and confocal microscope evaluation. J Pros Dent 1997; 78: 200-208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. British Dental Journal. Manuscript tracking system. Available at https://mts-bdj.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex (accessed January 2020).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Principal Lecturer, University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, Faculty of Science and Health, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2QG, UK; Honorary Tutor, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, SE1 9RT, UK

    David R. Radford

  2. Clinical Director and Lead for Dental Student Education, University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, Faculty of Science and Health, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2QG, UK; Senor Clinical Teacher, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK

    Robert J. G. Seath

  3. Clinical Director, University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, Faculty of Science and Health, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2QG, UK

    Latha S. Davda

  4. Outreach Officer, University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, Faculty of Science and Health, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2QG, UK

    Gemma Potts

Authors
  1. David R. Radford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert J. G. Seath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Latha S. Davda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gemma Potts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David R. Radford.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Radford, D., Seath, R., Davda, L. et al. Research dissertation to published paper: the journey to a successful publication. Br Dent J 228, 791–794 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1539-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1539-1

Search

Advanced search

Quick links