Finishing the Last Mile of the ‘Hurdle Sprint’ - Publishing Your thesis as an Article

Thesis is a research study that every post-graduate carries out during his residency. It is a mandate from a university in India to present the thesis prior to final exams to be eligible for the same. Unfortunately, for many, the journey ends there. Publishing a thesis in a peer-reviewed journal carries a bouquet of benefits. Without a publication, a research never receives the acknowledgement that is due, no matter how excellent it is. It is the crucial first step in establishing the author as a credible researcher in the topic among peers in the subject. After all, a thesis is probably an important personal take-away for a post-graduate from his residency. Converting a thesis into a publication can be a tedious task for a post-graduate in training. With very little prior experience in publishing, they often are over-burdened with their routine clinical and surgical responsibilities to find time for drafting the manuscript. However these can be overcome with proper planning and guidance from mentors. Understanding the difference between a thesis and an article in a journal is of paramount importance. While a thesis is quite exhaustive in nature including detailed descriptions, a manuscript is expected to be crisp. A detailed thesis, with its own structure and word count of more than 10,000 words with several tables is to be condensed into a shorter version with an appropriate IMRAD format prescribed by the journal. An article often answers a specific question while a thesis can have multiple objectives. The initial step in this process would be to choose the most suitable journal for your article. This ought to happen even before the modification of one’s thesis into an article. The guidelines for a manuscript vary between journals and choosing one before editing can help in adhering to the right set of instructions. Various parameters to be factored in include target audience, journal reputation in terms of impact factor, good citation indices and the average review time. It is ideal to follow a checklist approach to design any manuscript. Internally accepted checklists are available that can aid in drafting the document without missing out on crucial components. Among the several ones, STROBE checklist caters to an original article.[1] While there are plenty of articles and resources available on writing an original article, this article mainly addresses the challenges in extracting an original article from a pre-existing write-up, i.e., the thesis. The following are certain tips and tricks in overcoming these hurdles. The abstract if often the ‘face’ of your article. Generally, abstract is the most widely read part of your article. It is ironic to note that thesis usually does not have an abstract. Though it appears first in a manuscript, it is to be drafted at the end after the rest of the article is ready. The introduction portion of your thesis is quite lengthy. However the sole purpose of introduction in your thesis is to narrow down the reader’s attention to what is less known about the topic and mention how your article aims to bridge it. The materials and methods are the one that resembles your thesis the most, but should not be a replica. Adept information in the form of flowcharts can facilitate easier understanding rather than lengthy paragraphs. The details should be enough to allow for someone to replicate and improve on your study. The results should match diligently with the primary objective of your manuscript avoiding unnecessary repetition. This repetition takes a subtle form where written content is re-represented as a graph or a chart, which is unwarranted. If multiple outcomes were observed in your study, it is advisable to dissect it into two individual manuscripts abstaining from ‘salami slicing’, where the outcomes are unduly split just to increase the number of manuscripts. The discussion section eventually shortens once previous sections are managed and limited. It is best to keep the comparison with similar studies to the closest ones that add the most value to your outcomes and conclusions. The conclusion section, finally, should answer the primary objective of your manuscript in a succinct manner. Restricting the number of references using suitable reference manager softwares adhering strictly to the guidelines of a journal are crucial to boost the acceptance chances. Once a draft is ready, it is prudent to run it through one’s mentor and colleagues to acquire feedback regarding ease of understanding and vocabulary. Proof reading it several times saves one from annoying the reviewer and many reviewing softwares help in the cause. Post-submission, revision or rejection should not dishearten the author. Rather, the author must take all efforts to understand the reviewer’s perspective and heed to the comments promptly. This creates an impression of discipline and interest to the reviewer and editor. In case of repeated revisions or rejection, it is desirable to choose another journal and proceed. Publishing a thesis is not the finish line but the start of one’s publishing career in the field of interest.[2] Publishing your thesis can help you develop research and writing skills, enhance effective communication and open career opportunities. So publish your thesis and flourish. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.