The Voice: An International Journal on Research
in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching
Reference Guide
This reference guide will provide you with an overview of manuscript preparation basics and tips.
CONTENTS
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Definitions
Publication Types
Manuscripts - An Overview
Reference (Citations) Formats - Overview
• Where Do You Find the Instructions for
Writers (Author Guidelines)
• Where to Find Free (Helpful) Stuff
• Helpful Resources
DEFINITIONS
Hybrid Publication: Some of the ‘traditional’ journals offer an option for authors to make their individual articles freely
accessible to anyone worldwide, in some cases for an additional fee.
While other articles in the journal remain accessible only through subscription.
Manuscript: a fancy word that refers to any work not yet printed or reproduced. The word ‘manuscript” comes from the
Latin meaning: ‘manu scriptus’, -- ‘written by hand’.
Open Access or Open Source: Open access (OA) provides unrestricted (free) online access to peer-reviewed scholarly
research. Open access is primarily intended for scholarly journal articles, but it can also include books, book chapters,
and other scholarly works. Open access articles go through normal refereeing and editorial processes (peer-review).
Learn more about OA publications - Scholarly Publishing @ MIT Libraries: Open Access FAQ.
http://libraries.mit.edu/scholarly/mit-open-access/general-information-about-open-access/open-access-faq/
Peer-reviewing/Peer-reviewed: One of the most acceptable and proven processes used by the majority of well-reputed
international journals. The (review) forum includes experts, those who have common area of interest, expertise, and
experience to evaluate the work to be published.
Learn More about Peer-Review - OMNICS Group (Peer Reviewed Journals)
http://omicsonline.org/peer-reviewed-journals.php
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the copying of ideas, text, data, and other creative work (e.g. tables, figures and graphs)
and presenting it as original research without proper citation.
Whether intentional or not, plagiarism is a serious violation.
The Voice: An International Journal on Research in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching ~ ISSN 2374-5487
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PUBLICATIONS TYPES
There are three major types of publications: Scholarly (Academic, Scientific), Technical or Trade, and Popular.
Scholarly (Academic/Scientific)
Written for: Other authorities and scholars in the field.
Written by: Authorities in the field, such as professors or researchers.
Other: Writing style is formal; sources are cited in a formal style; they are ‘peer-reviewed’.
Technical or Trade
Written for: People who work in the (same) field. Written to offer practical information and news.
Written by: Specialists in the field.
Other: Readers would be expected to understand specialized language in the particular field; sources may be mentioned, but are unlikely to be cited formally (if peer-reviewed, they must be); usually not
‘peer-reviewed’ although many are.
Popular
Written for: General audiences. Usually written to entertain as well as to inform.
Written by: Journalists, staff writers, or freelance writers.
Other: Writing style is informal; sources may be mentioned but are not cited formally; they are not ‘peer-reviewed’.
Learn more about publication types - Scholarly vs. Popular vs.
Trade Publications http://library.weber.edu/il/libs1704/PDFs/scholarlyvspopular.pdf
MANUSCRIPTS - AN OVERVIEW
A scientific paper (manuscript) is a written report describing original research results.
Manuscript preparation tips:
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Manuscripts should be written in English with a concise, direct style.
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The manuscript should present scientific findings which are essentially new and which have not been published
or submitted for publication elsewhere.
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Authors not fluent in English should have their manuscript checked by a colleague who has good command of
the English language.
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The “Author Instructions” or “Author Guidelines” will determine the length of a manuscript.
Parts (Sections) of a Manuscript
A scientific paper should be organized into the following sections:
Research Articles
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Article Title
Authors’ names and institutional affiliations
Abstract and Keywords
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
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Discussion
Conclusions
Acknowledgements (if any)
Statement of Competing Interests
List of Abbreviations (if any)
References
Article Title: Typically about 20 words or less.
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The Voice: An International Journal on Research in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching ~ ISSN 2374-5487
Authors’ names and institutional affiliations: Include first and last names of all authors, their affiliations, and email
addresses. The corresponding author should also be indicated.
Abstract and Keywords: The abstract should be concise and will provide a brief introduction to the study, including the
essential findings, conclusions, and significance. Authors are generally asked to provide 5–7 keywords, which can be used
to describe the content of the paper.
Introduction: Here you will make a case for the study, provide a brief literature review/survey, the background, the
hypothesis, and significance of the present research.
Materials and Methods: Experimental procedures and results should be given in sufficient detail to allow these to be
replicated by other researchers.
Results: The results section should provide details of all of the experiments that are required to support the conclusions of
the paper. The section may be divided into subsections, each with a concise subheading.
Discussion: In this section you will discuss the results, what biological or scientific principles have been established or
reinforced, and what generalizations can be drawn.
Conclusions: This section should bring out the significance of your research paper, show how you’ve brought closure to
the research problem, and point out remaining gaps in knowledge by suggesting questions for further research.
Acknowledgements (if any): Authors should first acknowledge their funding (sources) for the research presented in their
article followed by any personal credits.
Statement of Competing Interests: Include an explicit disclosure of any competing interests (financial or others) that may
have influenced the study or the conclusions drawn from the study. When there are none, you would write: ‘The authors
have no competing interests’.
List of Abbreviations (if any): Define all non-standard abbreviations in parenthesis on their first appearance in the
manuscript as well as provide a list of them.
References: Each source you cite in the paper must appear in your reference list; each entry in the reference list must be
cited in your manuscript text. You should only include published or accepted manuscripts in your reference list.
Citation: As you write your report, you will cite all references in the body of the text as indicated by the “Author Instructions”
or “Author Guidelines”.
REFERENCE (CITATION) FORMATS - OVERVIEW
APA – American Psychological Association:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
CBE – Council of Biology Editors:
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/DocCBE.html
CMS – Chicago Manual of Style:
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/DocChicago.html
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers:
http://www.computer.org/portal/web/publications/style_refs
NLM – National Library of Medicine:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/formats/recommendedformats.html
ICMJE -- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors:
http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/preparing-for-submission.html
Find more information “Style Guides to Consult”:
http://libguides.mit.edu/content.
php?pid=80743&sid=598619
MLA - Modern Language Association:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
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WHERE DO YOU FIND THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS?
All journals or publications have a clear way to locate the author instructions or guidelines.
You would look for one the following phrases:
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Author Instructions
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Information for Authors
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Author Guidelines
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For Authors
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Submission Guidelines
You would then look for one the following:
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Manuscript Submissions
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Manuscript Preparation
Please see images - “Author instructions/guidelines” for examples.
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The Voice: An International Journal on Research in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching ~ ISSN 2374-5487
The Voice: An International Journal on Research in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching ~ ISSN 2374-5487
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The Voice: An International Journal on Research in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching ~ ISSN 2374-5487
Find more examples in “Helpful Resources”.
WHERE TO FIND FREE (HELPFUL) STUFF
College and University Library websites are really good sources of ‘free’ information even if you are not a student
or a faculty member at that particular school. Most all academic and special libraries have ‘Subject Experts’
(librarians) who create and maintain “Subject Guides”, also called “InfoGuides” for each of the disciplines, regarding
research, writing, and resources.
Keep in mind however; you will not be able to access everything you may see within the subject guide pages - if
you are not a student of that institution.
Some of the things you would not be able to access would be:
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Online Journals/Journal Databases
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Online books
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Research Databases
How would I know this?
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If you’ve reached a login page and asked to enter your student user ID & Password.
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The website URL begins with “https://” and contains the word(s) “proxy” and/or “login”.
An example: https://login.libproxy.uthscsa.edu/login?qurl=http%3a%2f%2fjama.jamanetwork.com
A little known secret.
Did you know you are able to go (in person) to any ‘public’ university or college in your state of residence? Most likely
you will be required to show some form of (Photo) ID to enter and each school will have their policies and procedures for
public access. It may be a good idea to call in advance to see what type of identification they accept or require and hours
of operation.
You will not be able to borrow books or other materials (if you’re not a student), or have access to all the services
available to students, faculty, or alumni. If you are in the library, you most likely will be able to access electronic
journals and databases from a library computer (not from your home computer though).
Most all libraries (regardless if you are affiliated or not) charge for photocopying and for printing from a library
computer printer. Each library will have its own policies and procedures.
If you are currently in school, take advantage of ALL the resources and assistance the library offers. If you are alumni, be
sure to find out what library services and resources are available for alumni. They will not be the same as a student or
faculty member but access to some of them can still be very helpful.
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HELPFUL RESOURCES
The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
https://owl.english.purdue.edu
Writing a Research Paper (See more resources on side-bar)
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/01/
This is an excellent resource, one of the best! The website isn’t ‘pretty’, but it has just about everything you could possibly
need and more! (Purdue University, English Department)
Writing Sources - Getting Started
http://libguides.stkate.edu/writingresources
Resources that can help with writing papers, essays, lab reports, memoirs, and test questions. (St. Catherine’s University.)
CUNE Research Toolkit
http://wp.cune.edu/libraryresearchhelp/toolkit/
The CUNE Research Toolkit is a collaborative project of the library and instructors serving as a research workspace for
students, librarians, and others. (Concordia University, Nebraska)
Research and Documentation, Online. 5th Edition. Glossary of Research Terms
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/glossary-of-research-terms.htm - RES5e_Gloss_L0003
Online resource with much more information than just the Glossary. Take a look around in the resource; parts of this online
book may require paid access. However, I was able to view a lot of material on the website for ‘free’.
Research Guides and Expert Librarians
http://libraries.mit.edu/experts/
MIT Libraries (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Additional Examples - Where to Find Author Instructions
Guide for Authors - Author Information Pack
http://www.elsevier.com/journals/journal-of-substance-abuse-treatment/0740-5472/guide-for-authors
Science - Information for Authors
http://www.sciencemag.org/site/feature/contribinfo/index.xhtml
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. - For Authors
http://www.liebertpub.com/forauthors/journal-of-palliative-medicine/41/
* All links in this Help Guide are current/accurate, 9-8-2014.
Karen Estrada, M.S. | Military Health Matters, LLC. | [email protected]
www.militaryhealthmatters.com | www.karenestrada.com
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The Voice: An International Journal on Research in Peer Recovery and Addiction Recovery Coaching ~ ISSN 2374-5487