Drafting the New Author Guidelines

Michelle: Hi Sam and Samantha. We desperately need to revise our journal style guidelines for case report submission before the next appraisal cycle. Let's tighten the prose together.
Sam: Good idea, Michelle. Our current guidelines are far too wordy. We should set a strict word limit of two thousand words for any new manuscript we receive.
Samantha: Agreed. Authors must write up their cases with extreme clarity. I often see submissions with a very conversational and informal style, which we must completely avoid.
Michelle: Exactly. We must encourage the use of nominalisation to achieve a formal style. For example, instead of 'we decided', they should write 'the management decision was made'.
Sam: Yes, 'the decision to operate' is much better than 'we decided to operate'. It helps to condense the text and keeps the focus on the clinical course.
Samantha: Let's also address authorship. The corresponding author must ensure all co-authors have contributed significantly to the literature review and discussion section of the manuscript.
Michelle: Absolutely. And they must submit a signed consent for publication. Without proper patient anonymization, we can't accept any case, no matter the clinical educational value.
Sam: What about the structure? We need clear sections: atypical presentation, investigation findings, differential considerations, and final diagnosis. This is our clear benchmark.
Samantha: Excellent. Let's make sure they describe the troponin levels if they suspect a silent heart attack. We've seen too many dismissive write-ups lately.
Michelle: True. Some reviewers are quite condescending about simple cases. We must set priorities for novelty. The manuscript must offer something genuinely unique to our readers.
Sam: Now, about the new rule we discussed. We need a dedicated section in the clinical course detailing the patient's own perspective of their hospital care.
Samantha: Ah, the 'Patient's Voice' section! I love that. There's an incredibly touching story behind why we're introducing this rule now, isn't there?
Michelle: Indeed. Last year, a patient read a published report about her own case. Although the anonymization was perfect, she recognized her atypical presentation immediately.
Sam: She was upset not because of the exposure, but because the authors wrote that she was 'highly anxious and uncooperative' during a silent heart attack.
Samantha: It turned out she was actually in severe pain, and the clinical team was just dismissive of her symptoms. It was a huge eye-opener for us.
Michelle: Exactly. Her formal complaint became a key performance indicator for our editorial board's revalidation process. We realized we lacked basic empathy in our reports.
Sam: So, the new guideline forces authors to ask the patient: 'What did you actually think and feel during this management decision?' It adds immense educational value.
Samantha: It really does. It prevents condescending descriptions. Instead of 'the patient's refusal to cooperate', we might read about their genuine fear of the procedure.
Michelle: Precisely. It changes the whole tone from a dry clinical course to a holistic, educational story. Let's write this clearly in the submission guidelines.
Sam: For the layout: 'Authors are required to submit a paragraph summarizing the patient's perspective, written in a formal style but retaining subjective experience.'
Samantha: Perfect. Let's also remind authors to tighten the prose in this section too. We don't want a long, emotional essay; clarity is still paramount.
Michelle: Let's set a strict word limit for that specific section—maybe one hundred and fifty words max. That should keep it focused and professional.
Sam: Agreed. 'The patient's perspective must be condensed to ensure it meets our journal style guidelines.' That sounds professional and clear.
Samantha: I can see this becoming a benchmark for other medical journals. It's a real novelty in the world of academic publishing!
Michelle: It is. It shows we prioritize patient-centered care over pure clinical detachment. I'll update the manuscript template on our website tonight.
Sam: Great. I'll prepare the announcement for our regular newsletter. This will definitely be a highlight for our next professional appraisal.

Read again and choose the right answer

What is the primary motivation for introducing the new 'Patient's Voice' section?

• To encourage patient-centered care and avoid clinical detachment.
• To increase the word limit of the manuscript.
• To avoid the use of any technical terms in the report.

Why did the patient in the story lodge a formal complaint against the journal?

• Because she felt the clinical team's characterization of her behavior was unfair.
• Because her real name and address were published in the report.
• Because she did not agree with the diagnosis of a silent heart attack.

What is suggested to improve the formal style of the submissions?

• Using nominalisation, such as writing 'the management decision was made'.
• Removing the discussion section entirely to save space.
• Using conversational phrases to sound more friendly.

What is the specific word limit chosen for the 'Patient's Voice' section?

• One hundred and fifty words.
• Two thousand words.
• Fifty words.

Sources: photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels