Navigating Your Career

Typical Structure of A Manuscript

23 June 2025

Navigating Your Career

Typical Structure of A Manuscript

Every journal has specific policies for the preparation of a manuscript for submission and possible publication. However, a general, common structure is generally shared among publishers and journals. This article serves as a list of suggestions that I consider to be best practices. For this, I merged the instructions to authors of five high-impact journals in my research field (Hydrogeology Journal – Springer; Hydrology and Earth System Sciences – Copernicus; Journal of Hydrology – Elsevier; Water – MDPI; Water Resources Research – Wiley) with some suggestions and remarks of mine. Title page The title page includes the following. A concise but informative title. Abbreviations and formulae should be avoided if possible. Authors’ names. Different research groups use different policies, but my opinion is that the list of authors should include those who contributed significantly to the work. In other words, those whose work has not been essential to obtain the results shouldn’t appear in the author list. Also, different policies might be used for the list, For example, alphabetical order, authors who gave a major contribution first, etc. If the manuscript has been co-authored by a large team, the team name could be indicated in the author list on the title page and then a specific section can be added to provide the names and affiliations of all authors. The affiliations and addresses where the work was carried out should be included. Then, present or permanent address could be added if relevant. Clear indication of the corresponding author. This is the person who will handle correspondence for the article at all stages of the process (as well as post-publication). This responsibility includes answering any future queries about results, data, methodology, and materials. Highlights Highlights are a small collection of short bullet points, usually 3 to 5 points. These are usually less than 90 characters. They should capture the novel results of the research, as well as any innovative methods used. I recommend to avoid repeating sentences in the abstract. This isn’t as useful and doesn’t really help to attract the readers’ attention. Index terms and/or keywords Index terms, which refer to disciplinary lists, or free keywords can be given. These are often used for online searches. The maximum number of index terms or keywords usually varies according to the journal. Usually, it’s between five and seven. The best keywords are a good compromise between generic and specific keywords. Graphical abstract The inclusion of graphical abstracts depends on the format of the publication. It is usually optional. A graphical abstract should be a high-quality, well-designed, self-explaining picture that summarizes the content of the manuscript. Preparing a good graphical abstract is not easy. Most of the graphical abstracts are usually obtained by putting together a few pictures from the manuscript, but they do not grasp the attention of potential readers Abstract An abstract should be concise. It should be easily understood without needing to read the text. The abstract is not a summary of the manuscript. It should briefly state the research question, the principal results, and major conclusions. An abstract should not include references to figures and tables. While citations should be avoided, if the manuscript is heavily dependent on (or directly related to another paper) they might be needed. Abbreviations should not be included without the term in full. Main Text Coming to the main body of a manuscript, it is divided into sections and subsections. These are numbered, unless a journal does not permit this. Figures, tables, and equations will be addressed in a future article. Introduction This section should lead the readers to understand the research question. And its relevance in a relatively broad context. Discussing the general relevance of the work should be avoided. This is often trivial and not important from a scientific point of view. Scientists know the social and economical impacts of their research field, as do most well-educated stakeholders. As such, there is no need to spend time doing this. Instead, it is crucial to provide a good summary of the state-of-the-art. This way, the open research question can emerge in a clear way. The introduction should include a clear definition of the research question and of the methods used to address it. This should be done in such a way that the innovative content of the work is apparent. Materials and methods The second section is usually devoted to a description of materials and methods used. Here, the authors should provide all necessary information for other researchers to replicate the results. It is fundamental to clearly and thoroughly state the assumptions and the approximations upon which the work is based. This issue is often underestimated, but is crucial for a proper illustration of scientific results, especially in physical and natural sciences and in engineering. New methods and protocols should be described in detail. Well-established methods can be briefly described (and appropriately cited). In the latter case, references to textbooks are very appropriate. For experimental work, it is necessary to describe all the preparation steps and the conditions under which the tests were conducted. For modeling work, all the details about the computer codes and the input parameters should be given. This may yield a long list of technical information. As such, it is good practice to provide such information with a thorough description in an appendix or as supplementary material. Generally, many scholars strongly recommend to separate the methods from the results. In other words, the methodologies should be described in a way that is independent of the specific tests that were conducted. This allows to assess the validity of applied methods. Results This central section is devoted to a concise, but thorough and precise description and interpretation of the results. Discussion Authors should discuss the results and how they can be interpreted under the light of previous studies. They should also discuss the working hypotheses and any assumptions and approximations introduced in the materials and methods section. This is crucial to emphasize the strength and weaknesses of the work. Conclusions This last section should highlight how the results are in agreement with the expectations. Namely, if the approach proposed solved the open research question or not. If yes, with which limitations. If not, why. Some authors tend to use this section also to suggest future research directions, but this often remains wishful thinking, and therefore I would discourage this. Appendices Appendices can be very useful to provide details about experimental methods, data, and mathematical manipulations, which could make it difficult to follow the workflow if left in the main text. These can include additional figures, tables, as well as technical and theoretical developments. They might not be critical in supporting the conclusions of the paper, but can provide extra details useful for replicating the results. References Different formats are given by different journals for citations and references. The following are only some general remarks. The list of references should include all papers that are cited in text or in captions of figures and tables. When well-established methods are used, I’d recommend references to the original works where the methods were proposed. Every reference must be available online or in print, and full details should be given in such a way that everybody can easily find the paper, the book, or the map (online or in libraries). For this, a DOI is strongly encouraged by many journals. Citations to papers in languages other than English should be limited, and the translation of the title in English should be added if necessary. There is no common format for web references currently. However, the minimum information is the full URL and the date of access. Further information may be less relevant. Author contributions For research articles with several authors, a section specifying individual contributions must be provided. Most journals recommend using the CRediT contributor roles taxonomy. In particular, the considered steps are the following, in alphabetical order: conceptualization; data curation; formal analysis; funding acquisition; investigation; methodology; project administration; resources; software; supervision; validation; visualization; writing—original draft; writing—review and editing. A fair description of the roles played by each author is very important, as this is becoming crucial in enrollment procedures in the academic world. Funding All sources of funding of the research should be disclosed in a specific section or in the acknowledgements section, depending on the journal’s policy. It is very important to mention the funds received to cover any article processing charges (APC) and/or publication costs. Of course, the sentence “This research received no external funding” can be used if there is nothing to disclose. Open Science statements (data and software availability) The increasing role of open science causes many journals to request Open Science statements. These refer mostly to data and computer code availability. Details about where data supporting the results are stored and how they can be retrieved should be given. Basically, the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse) principles should apply, unless there are strong reasons to keep a dataset confidential. Very similar principles also apply to software. If original software is developed in the work, it is also very important to provide tutorials, which can help other researchers to use the computer codes. Acknowledgments This section should be focused on acknowledging any support not covered by the author contributions or funding sections. This may include administrative and technical support, or acknowledgement of discussions with colleagues who helped to trigger some of the ideas on which the work is based, but whose contributions are not so relevant to include them as authors. In the future, the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) may become more relevant. I expect that a specific statement along one of two possible paths will be required. Authors may be asked to declare that no GenAI tool has been used in the research and in the preparation of the manuscript; otherwise the authors may need to specify where and how GenAI has been used (writing text; drawing graphics; data collection; analysis and interpretation of the results), and all the details should be given. When GenAI is accepted by publishers and used by authors, it will nevertheless be mandatory to include disclaimers stating that the authors have reviewed and edited the work and take full responsibility for its content. Acknowledgements could also include information on patents, submission for publication in special issues, submission by invitation, or other such things. Conflicts of Interest Authors must identify and declare any personal circumstances or interest that may be perceived as influencing the representation or interpretation of reported research results. Particular care should be given when funding agencies or private companies supported the work and had some roles in the research design and realization—or worse, in address the conclusions. A statement of absence of conflicts of interest can apply in many cases. Something like, “the authors declare no conflict of interest” would be sufficient. If some authors are members of the editorial board of the journal to which the manuscript is submitted, this should be explicitly stated. Supplementary material Supplementary material can provide details which would make the text excessively long, or which could interrupt the flow. These are similar to appendices, it is very important for authors to consider what is more appropriate: appendices or supplementary materials? Remember that supplementary materials are available as additional material in the online version of papers, whereas appendices will be part of the published text. Therefore, appendices should strictly respect the lengths and formats required by a journal, whereas supplementary materials usually allow the author more freedom. Supplementary materials can also include audio and video materials. All supplementary files should be cited in the manuscript text. I hope that you have found some useful information that you can use in the preparation of a manuscript. In the future, we will discuss specific items like figures, tables, equations, measurement units, and significant digits. Disclaimer The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of MDPI or its employees. MDPI takes no responsibility for the content or ideas expressed in this article. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Mauro GiudiciMauro Giudici
Mauro Giudici

3328

Virtual Networking with Academics

15 May 2025

NetworkingNavigating Your Career

Virtual Networking with Academics

Networking has long been an important part of having a professional career. Today in 2026, virtual networking in particular has become an important part of building connections in academia. Virtual networking platforms help academics meet, share ideas, and stay connected with each other. An academic-focused site like SciProfiles provides scholars with a community gathering space. This article will explore virtual networking with academics. Why is it worth investing your time and putting yourself out there? We will discuss how online networking can facilitate engagement with other scholars and strengthen professional opportunities moving forward. From in-person to virtual academic networking In general, networking is a part of many different professions and industries. An academic career requires a significant commitment, with many teaching and research responsibilities and institutional obligations. Building professional networks both in person and on virtual networking platforms allows scholars to share their ideas with a wider audience. With an increase in scientific communication and open access publishing, a strong network can help to extend the reach and impact of academic work. Virtual platforms make it more possible to communicate with people from other institutions, different geographic locations, and in various time zones. It also facilitates the development of academic collaborations and creates interdisciplinary connections that otherwise might not be possible. A significant shift we have seen post-COVID-19 is the use of virtual tools and virtual networking platforms for professional activities like academic conferences. As a result, more opportunities now exist to meet and interact with scholars both other scholars in person and on virtual networking platforms. The advantages of academic networking online Virtual academic networking is a way to connect with other scholars that can positively impact your career. To be sure, online networking can create opportunities for people to meet that may not exist otherwise. These virtual networking platforms allow scholars to meet and discuss ideas in both formal and informal ways. There are advantages to virtual networking, which add to the opportunities already available in person. For scholars who are on the shy side or who may struggle to connect in person, virtual networking can equalize the field a bit. And for those who are more outgoing, online communication is quick and easy, with lots of options. Depending on your personality, academic experience, and comfort with technology, networking online can provide the space for you to share more about your work. And the practice of having an online or hybrid event offers more accessible spaces for those who cannot attend in person. Many in-person networking events can be adapted to an online version. Different aspects of virtual academic conferences, for example, can be organized for various group sizes. Another option is using breakout rooms for more personal engagement, like virtual editions of meet and greets, virtual coffee chats, or “speed” introductions. Hopefully some of these initial encounters will develop into a future collaboration. The more collegial and intentional you can be as you interact with others, the better chance you’ll have to make lasting relationships. No matter your level of engagement, there are always new and different ways to connect. And you are likely already networking in different ways, even if they may seem small. Establishing a virtual network Now that you better understand the question of “Why network?”, let’s consider how to establish an academic virtual network. Joining academic virtual platforms like SciProfiles is a good first step to online networking. Here, you can post content and interact with others. This helps to get a sense of the different ideas and perspectives in the field. It can also be a good place to make first contact or follow up with someone via direct message. Virtual academic networking complements and extends the impact and potential of in-person academic events. And there are plenty of other ways to connect with others through online networking. You can start by, for example, posting a comment on another academic’s page. Attend a virtual academic conference and formal networking events. At the next virtual panel or roundtable you attend, speak up during the Q&A and then follow up with a speaker whose work you are interested in. And more social events like virtual meet and greets or virtual coffee chats are a good way to introduce yourself. You can then arrange to have some one-on-one time at a later date, whether virtually or in person. You can also consider reaching out to your existing network about scholars you would like to connect with. It very well may be that someone you already know can make an introduction. After some initial virtual discussion, scholars could plan for a future opportunity to connect, like at an upcoming academic conference. The great thing about networking is that it can expand like a “snowball” as you connect with more people in different areas of academia. This means that one event or introduction can lead to more opportunities within that network of people. “Dos” and “Don’ts” As you continue on to different stages of your career, your relationships with colleagues will likely change and grow. During this time, there are a few things to keep in mind when pursuing online networking: Do: Pursue and be open to multiple opportunities. Reach out and follow up with connections. Be honest about your experience and capacity. Don’t: Let opportunities pass you by. Spam someone if they don’t reply or are not interested in connecting further. Inflate your skills, experience, and academic accomplishments. The more you interact with others in different ways, the more you will be able to share your work and have your ideas be heard. With so many professional obligations to juggle, it can be difficult to prioritize virtual networking. Allow yourself to start small and build toward bigger goals. Getting more connected with your academic community can enhance all aspects of your professional life. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Zoë GrossZoë Gross
Zoë Gross

2058

How to Promote your Academic Paper and Reach a Wider Audience?

12 May 2025

Navigating Your Career

How to Promote your Academic Paper and Reach a Wider Audience?

The publishing process transforms academic research from a potentially isolated endeavor into a publicly available and critically evaluated contribution to the collective knowledge of various domains. After publication, the research value should be powerfully confirmed by dissemination, validation, impact, and archival process. Starting your academic paper A high-quality academic paper represents a substantial investment of time, effort, and intellectual energy. It involves numerous aspects, as follows: Extensive research, thorough literature reviews, data collection, and analysis. Critical thinking by developing original ideas, formulating hypotheses, and constructing logical arguments. Rigorous methodology through designing and implementing research methods that meet the highest academic standards. Clear communication, by writing and editing, conveys complex ideas concisely and interestingly. Peer review, through passing the often challenging peer review process and addressing reviewer comments. Manage time, balance research activity and other professional responsibilities, and meet deadlines. Overcoming setbacks: research doesn’t always go as planned, and unexpected challenges can arise. Dealing with uncertainty: research often involves exploring the unknown, and there are no guarantees of success. Maintaining motivation: the long and often solitary nature of research can be demanding, and it’s essential to stay motivated. Publishing an academic paper is significant, representing an incontestable recognition of the authors’ efforts. After publication, promoting academic papers is essential to maximize the impact of their work and reach a wider audience. Promoting Academic Papers Strategies Promoting an academic paper requires a multi-faceted approach that focuses on increasing its visibility, ensuring its accessibility, communicating its key findings effectively, strategically engaging with relevant networks, and leveraging available institutional and journal resources. By addressing these needs, researchers can maximize the reach and impact of their valuable academic work. Several strategies for effectively promoting academic papers are displayed below. Optimizing online presence tools Different tools can have different impacts at different times. Understanding how these tools all work and how they can help you and your career can make a big difference. ORCID ID: Creating and maintaining an ORCID iD is necessary because this unique identifier ensures the accurate attribution of personal work. Google Scholar Profile: Setting up a Google Scholar profile is essential for showcasing academic publications and tracking citations. ResearchGate and Academia.edu: These platforms allow users to share their work, connect with researchers, and participate in discussions. LinkedIn: Sharing the most recent publications and communicating with professionals in the field is essential. SciProfiles: Developed by MDPI, it is a central hub for managing and displaying a researcher’s contributions and impact. Institutional Repository: Depositing the paper in the institution’s repository increases its visibility. Personal Website/Blog: Creating a website or blog could be another effective manner to highlight personal research and provide links to all publications. Leveraging social media Social media can be a powerful tool to help promote your work. Here are some ways to use them effectively: Twitter: Sharing the paper, using relevant hashtags, and engaging with other researchers. Other platforms: Facebook could be a practical choice. Video abstracts: Short video abstracts could be another way to present the currently published studies. Engaging with the academic community The academic community is very large, so there are many different ways in which you can connect with peers. Learning how to do this can help lead to success. Conferences: Presenting the research at conferences is essential to share the findings and network with peers. Email networking: Reaching out to colleagues and researchers for sharing the most recent work. Collaborations: Collaborating with other researchers may expand the academic network and reach a wider audience. Increasing discoverability As the internet evolves, new tools become available to everyone. Learning how to apply these tools can help your work reach more people. Keywords and metadata: Relevant keywords in the title, abstract, and metadata can improve search engine visibility. Open-access publishing: Publishing in open-access journals ensures the free availability of the scientific work. Lay summaries: Writing lay summaries of the research makes it accessible to a broader audience. Using institutional resources Your own institute may have many options that can assist you. Don’t forget to see which of these tools might be of benefit to you and your career. Press office: Contacting the institutional press office to promote the research to the media. Newsletters: Sharing the publications through the institution’s newsletters. Implementing these strategies can effectively promote an academic paper, increasing its impact within the scholar community and beyond. Social media usage in a nutshell Considering the professional platforms and social media networks as the most eligible tools to promote an academic paper, the most used ones are ResearchGate, LinkedIn, and Facebook. ResearchGate is the most effective platform for reaching fellow researchers and sharing publications. LinkedIn is preferred for building professional connections and connecting with the industry. Facebook can be a helpful tool for broader public outreach and for communicating research findings to a general audience. The best approach often involves combining these platforms to maximize the individual research reach and impact. However, their efforts sometimes appear insufficient, and researchers need more help to increase the discoverability and credibility of their work. At this point, SciProfiles can be a powerful, friendly, and helpful authority. I experienced the difference and was very impressed by the SciProfiles Editors’ work; now, I want to highlight some essential aspects of SciProfiles’ multifaceted role. SciProfiles Multifaceted Contribution to Promoting Academic Work SciProfiles promotes academic work in multiple ways, including as a digital stage and networking hub for researchers. The researchers’ profiles are integrated across MDPI’s journal publishing website, conference platform (Sciforum), preprint server (Preprints.org), encyclopedia (Encyclopedia.pub), book store, and literature database (Scilit). The publications can be automatically imported via ORCID, simplifying profile management. The key functions of SciProfiles are displayed below. SciProfiles enhances visibility and discoverability Centralized Showcase: It provides a dedicated online presence where researchers can consolidate and showcase their diverse academic outputs in one place. This makes their work more easily discoverable by other researchers, potential collaborators, and even individuals outside academia interested in their field. Beyond Publications: Unlike traditional academic profiles, which often focus solely on journal articles, SciProfiles allows researchers to highlight a broader range of contributions, such as conference presentations, book chapters, datasets, software, and even participation in editorial boards or organizing committees. This offers a more comprehensive view of their scholarly activity. Lay Summaries: Including lay summaries for publications makes complex research more accessible to a broader audience, potentially increasing its reach and impact beyond the immediate academic circle. Keyword and Subject Tagging: Researchers can tag their profiles and contributions with relevant keywords, improving their discoverability through searches within the platform and potentially even external search engines. SciProfiles facilitates networking and collaboration Social media is a tool that can help foster connections. Using SciProfiles to increase your chances to connect with new people and collaborate on new projects is a great idea. Connecting with Peers: SciProfiles makes it easier for researchers with shared interests to find and connect, fostering potential collaborations. Following Research Activities: Users can follow the profiles of researchers whose work they admire or work in related areas, staying updated on their latest publications, projects, and conference activities. Direct Communication: The platform likely offers features for direct communication between researchers, enabling them to discuss ideas, ask questions, and explore potential collaborations. Identifying Expertise: Researchers can easily identify experts in specific areas by browsing profiles, facilitating the formation of research teams, or seeking advice. SciProfiles aims to increase impact and recognition The goals of SciProfiles are to help authors increase their reach. With this powerful tool, users can showcase their work, track engagement, and increase their social reach. Endorsements and Recommendations: The endorsement system allows peers to recognize and recommend specific publications or the researcher themselves, adding a layer of community-driven validation and potentially increasing their work’s perceived authority and impact. Showcasing Reviewing Activities: Recognizing peer review contributions on a profile encourages and values this essential part of the academic process. SciProfiles provides a dynamic and updated platform Because SciProfiles is updated constantly, there are useful tools to help stay on top of changes. Real-time Updates: Researchers can easily update their profiles with new publications, projects, and activities, ensuring their online presence is current and reflects their ongoing work. News Feed: The personalized news feed keeps researchers informed about the latest work of their connections and developments in their fields, potentially inspiring new research directions or collaborations. SciProfiles and social media platforms Not all social media platforms are the same. SciProfiles leverages other platforms to help increase your reach. LinkedIn: The official SciProfile page can be found by searching for “SciProfiles MDPI” or using this link: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sciprofiles-mdpi/. Here, SciProfiles shares updates about the platform, new features, blog posts, and other relevant information about researchers’ profiles and their most recent works. Facebook: The official Facebook page is “SciProfiles MDPI” and can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/SciProfiles/. The page shares updates, highlights research, and engages a broader audience. X (formerly Twitter): SciProfiles also has a presence on X as “SciProfiles MDPI”; the link to Sciprofiles X profile can be found here: https://x.com/SciProfiles. Being present on these social media platforms, SciProfiles aims to: Facilitate networking and collaboration among academics. Share updates and news about the SciProfiles platform. Engage with a broader audience interested in scientific research. Increase the visibility of researchers and their work. MDPI also encourages authors to share their articles on various social media platforms to augment the reach and impact of their work. Therefore, SciProfiles’ intervention in promoting academic work has a powerful effect on social media platforms by confirming the authors’ credibility and significantly increasing the audience. Researchers can follow these pages to stay informed about the latest developments in SciProfiles and the broader academic community. Essential considerations Overall, SciProfiles is a valuable tool for researchers to build their professional online presence, connect with the global academic community, increase the visibility and impact of their work, and stay informed about the latest research trends. It successfully moves beyond traditional metrics factors by providing a more comprehensive and community-driven approach to showcasing and recognizing academic contributions. The SciProfiles Editors’ willing, warm, and friendly communication, ensures a more open, collaborative, and thorough way for researchers to connect and share their work. Disclaimer The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of MDPI or its employees. MDPI takes no responsibility for the content or ideas expressed in this article. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Violeta PopoviciVioleta Popovici
Violeta Popovici

7441

Considerations for Writing and Submitting A Manuscript

19 March 2025

Navigating Your Career

Considerations for Writing and Submitting A Manuscript

This post is devoted to some thoughts and ideas about what one should think about before submitting a manuscript to an international scientific journal or a conference presentation. Why should I publish a paper? Historically, before the 20th century, the scientific community was quite small and almost entirely composed of men working in Europe or North America. At that time, scientists exchanged information and knowledge through personal letters, meetings at scientific academies, research visits, and printed books. Papers in scientific journals started to appear and gain relevance later. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is claimed to be the world’s first scientific journal (see, e.g., https://royalsociety.org/journals/publishing-activities/publishing350/history-philosophical-transactions/), launched in 1665. For at least a couple of centuries, scientific journals had been published by academies; the papers were mostly texts of lectures and conferences or were “presented” by one of the members of the academies. For instance, W.O. Kermack and A.G. McKendrick published their seminal paper “A Contribution to the Mathematical Theory of Epidemics”, which is the basis of many models of epidemic spread were successively developed, in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character, on August 1, 1927. The subtitle of the paper states: “Communicated by Sir Gilbert Walker, F.R.S.-Received May 13, 1927”. Peer review started in the 20th century when the scientific community increased its size. For some decades, the peer review system had been forcing scholars to prepare manuscripts and submit them to international scientific journals, only if their results were innovative. In the last few decades, things have changed. Scientists are presently “obliged” to publish for different reasons, mostly related to their careers. Some universities require that Ph.D. students publish a minimum number of papers in international scientific journals before admitting them to the final defence of their Ph.D. thesis. Moreover, in several cases, Ph.D. theses are nothing but collections of published papers. Early-stage post-doc researchers are forced to publish their results because their career depends on the increase of the bibliometric indicators of their scientific production. Senior researchers are forced to keep the bibliometric indicators of their scientific production high enough in order to compete for research grants and to guarantee that the institutions where they work can be highly ranked. I am simplifying things here, but I think it is not too far from the truth of the remark that nowadays, the submission of manuscripts is aimed more at supporting researchers’ careers and institutions’ rankings than at disseminating innovative results among the scientific community. Which kind of paper should I publish? Different scientific journals publish diverse kinds of articles. Some types are very specific for some research fields, e.g., clinical tests in medical sciences, and case or law commentaries in legal science. But, if the focus is on natural or “hard” sciences, the following kinds of papers are generally published. Research articles are papers that convey innovative results of general interest. In particular, such papers should propose new methods to solve open scientific questions. Technical notes should be short articles that describe practical aspects for the application of a methodology or minor developments and improvements of an already published methodology. Reports show case studies, where conventional, well-established, or recently proposed methods are applied or tested, possibly in complex conditions. This is a kind of papers which could be promoted by international journals to disseminate experimental results or monitoring data that can provide insights (confirmation or possible rejection) on fenomenological laws or theories. Review papers provide a comprehensive description of a research field or theme. Recently, I have been asked to review manuscripts that were submitted to be published as review papers; unfortunately, they often were nothing but a list of papers on a relatively specific topic. Instead, review papers should provide an innovative view of the treated subject, or should clearly emphasize the strengths and weaknesses of the methods proposed for the solution of scientific problems. Essays propose authors’ views on scientific problems and approaches or topics related to science policies. Somehow, the content of this blog includes possible essay subjects! Finally, comments and replies are very short discussions related to an article published in scientific journals. It would be very important—I would say, mandatory—for every journal to provide an open discussion of published papers. There are several examples when such discussions led to the discovery of plagiarism, fixing formal or trivial mistakes, or enriching scientific knowledge, as well as providing different views on a research topic. Due to the continuous growth of scientific fields , it is very important that researchers, when preparing a manuscript, first of all, consider whether their work can be considered for publication as a research paper, or, rather, as a technical note or a report. My personal experience is that many, possibly most, of the manuscripts that I am asked to assess as a referee are indeed either technical notes (where the authors propose specific improvements of a methodology already developed) or reports (devoted to applications of well-established or even recently published methods to a specific data set, or to a specific study case). Therefore, it would be a good practice to carefully answer the following questions, before submitting a manuscript for publication: Is the manuscript describing a truly innovative approach? Is the work incremental? Is the work an application of consolidated methods? If the manuscript is intended to be a review paper, does it provide an original view on the topic, or is it merely a list of relevant papers? Sincere answers to these questions could help the authors to write manuscripts in a better way, submit them in the most appropriate form, and, as I discuss below, to the most appropriate journal. Where should I publish? Everybody wants to publish in high-quality journals. So, which tools or procedures should be applied to assess a scientific journal’s quality? Several bibliometric indicators are commonly used to rank scientific journals in different disciplines or among multidisciplinary journals. These indicators are often considered measures of the reputation of a journal. But, in a more rigorous sense, they are indicators of the exposure of journals in the scientific community. When I try to assess the quality of a journal, I check if the editorial board includes colleagues who I consider to be top scientists in our research field, and I check the quality of its published papers. Another aspect that should be considered when submitting a manuscript is the connection between the topic of the work and the scope of the journal. Unfortunately, I am often asked to review manuscripts that deal with topics in my research field or that apply methods and techniques that I know very well within particular conditions, but that are submitted to journals whose goals are quite far from that. In most of these cases, the manuscript is masked under the guise of being an interdisciplinary work. I strongly appreciate interdisciplinary research, but that is another story. Those papers often show that the authors either have a poor knowledge of the applied techniques or use those tools and methods in an uninformed way. Basically, those manuscripts would be rejected by high-quality journals that use researchers with strong experience and knowledge of the applied methods, but are submitted to other journals with the hope of finding referees who are indulgent or not very critical. Therefore, selecting the best journal to which a manuscript is submitted requires the following: Checking the aims and scope of the journal; Assessing the quality of the journal, based not only on the bibliometric indicators, but also on the quality of the published papers and the international recognition of the editorial board; Performing a sincere and genuine assessment of the innovative content of the work to be submitted; Checking the types of papers that are published by the journal. The best choice can be based on a serious and careful application of this procedure. Disclaimer The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of MDPI or its employees. MDPI takes no responsibility for the content or ideas expressed in this article. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Mauro GiudiciMauro Giudici
Mauro Giudici

3593

Scientific Publications through the Lens of a “Practical” Professor

21 February 2025

Navigating Your Career

Scientific Publications through the Lens of a “Practical” Professor

Some remarks about the effects that bibliometric indicators have on science advancement and communication. Early-stage researchers are often pushed to publish papers in international scientific journals so that their individual bibliometric indicators increase. Such indicators are often considered crucial aspects of a career in the academic and research sectors. They are used by panels for the assessment of candidates for the enrollment of researchers and professors at universities and research centers. Some PhD schools even require that a student publishes a minimum number of papers in international scientific journals before admitting him or her to the final exam. Bibliometric indicators are often examined also to evaluate the scientific curriculum of the PI of a research proposal or a funding application. Therefore, the number of submissions to international journals is increasing. Not only that. The number of scientific international journals is increasing. And many publishers offer open-access options to publish papers in their journals, a strategy that is expected to support “open science”. In my experience and opinion, this trend creates big problems for the advancement of science at the global level. The number of published papers is so big that it is becoming very difficult to complete bibliographic research and find the most relevant publications on a given scientific argument. It is more and more difficult to find good reviewers for submitted manuscripts. High-quality researchers are overwhelmed by research, teaching, and bureaucratic duties, so they can rarely serve as reviewers. Not to mention poor ethics of some reviewers: self-promotion through the request of citation of papers published by the reviewers, even if those papers have very limited relevance with the topic of the manuscript under revision; an excessively favorable attitude toward manuscripts written by authors who are considered to be leaders in their research field or who had past working relationships with the reviewers; an excessively negative attitude against authors who do not belong to the dominant circles or with whom the reviewer had dissenting opinions; etc. As a consequence, editors are sometimes obliged to rely on reviewers with limited experience or without enough time to carefully read and comment on a manuscript. As an effect, it is not uncommon to find imprecise statements, or even mistakes, in published papers. Notation, figures, use of measurement units, and many other formal aspects are often poorly considered and this dramatically reduces the quality of published papers. The pressure to publish induces many researchers to submit manuscripts that are nothing more than technical reports of case studies. In the last few years, I have been asked to review manuscripts that described works where standard techniques and methods were applied to specific case studies, without any innovative content. Sad to say, it is also quite common to review manuscripts that show that the authors have good skills in the use of technology and computer programs, but do have not a deep knowledge of the basics of the disciplines (physics and mathematics, in my research field) behind the applied methods and tools. When a paper with innovative results is published, the authors often submit a series of papers, which basically present modest or limited improvements with respect to the original work. Moreover, for research projects that require huge infrastructures, it is quite common that the results are published in papers with a long list of authors. The contribution of each author is rarely clear. Furthermore, bibliometric indicators increase in a much easier way for big research teams than for individual researchers. In other words, there is often a bias in bibliometric indicators in favor of researchers working in large teams. What you will read in future posts. In the next series of posts on this blog on SciProfiles, I intend to provide my view on these aspects. I will try to make a positive contribution through some personal opinions and suggestions for good-quality publications. I am not an expert in the history and philosophy of science. I am not an expert in the design of R&D projects. I am not an expert in scientific communication. I am a professor, who has been working at a University since 1991. So, in these posts, you will not find scientific results on the social impact of science. Nor on the development and strategies of the scientific publishing industry. You will not find a deep analysis of the best way to communicate scientific results. In these posts, you will read some opinions of mine about these topics. As such, they will be very debatable and open to discussion and criticism. In these posts, I will discuss best practices (or, at least, what I consider to be best practices) to write and review scientific manuscripts. My research field is geophysics. My research is focused on hydrology, mostly groundwater hydrology, with specific attention to the dynamics of fluids in porous media, mathematical modeling, and inverse problems. Of course, my academic background and my knowledge will mean that the opinions that I will share in these posts are biased. I hope that such opinions will nevertheless be useful for young researchers who are starting their scientific careers. Stay tuned! Disclaimer The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of MDPI or its employees. MDPI takes no responsibility for the content or ideas expressed in this article. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Mauro GiudiciMauro Giudici
Mauro Giudici

2742

Selecting the Right Journal for Your Research

30 October 2024

Navigating Your Career

Selecting the Right Journal for Your Research

Publishing for the first time or getting back into it after not publishing for a while may make it difficult to navigate the journal selection process. One may find this task to be a burden since there are many different journals and options to choose from. Being able to determine the right journal for your research project requires some important considerations. It is important to first view the big picture, and this begins with a discussion of the tiered system. Since journals are ranked differently, there is a distinct top tier. The well-known journals forming this class include Science and Nature, among others, which all have strong impact factors. These journals have also been around for many years and are here to stay. To have an article accepted to these top-tier journals, authors are required to submit a manuscript showcasing research of very high impact in their field. The research must be original, the manuscript should be written for a wide readership, and the English language writing needs to be flawless. The peer-review process will then proceed through a critical assessment by expert reviewers. The middle tier encompasses a vast majority of highly respected journals that belong to the main publishing groups around the world. Their readership is usually emphasized to be within one’s specific field of research and involve a strong peer review. In these cases, the research is original and its impact is generally strong. I have typically noticed impact factors ranging from 2.0 to 14.0 for middle-tier journals and this may be field-specific. Two fields of research that I am part of are Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry. The lower tier of journals categorizes a vast number of journals, and they are in this category for various reasons. Firstly, they may not be very prestigious. Some journals in this category have articles published with very poor-quality figures and/or containing grammatical errors in the writing. I have also observed articles that report on findings that do not contribute much to science. Other journals may have excellent standards but they are simply too new to be judged by the impact factor scale. Impact factors for this tier are usually less than 2.0 or do not have an impact factor at all. The reality is that no one really desires to publish in the lower tier, but often, it may be unreasonable to expect to always publish in the top tier based on one’s research findings. Thus, I believe the middle tier is a starting ground for many researchers. I have read various LinkedIn posts about the importance of not embracing the impact factor as a true judgment of the tier of a journal, and I agree that one should not embrace it solely. I believe that the impact factor is a very good metric, though. Folks writing these posts usually focus on the fact that some journals that are not that prestigious have somehow become of high value. They also argue that low impact factor values could be assigned to a journal that has historically been prestigious. I know of some journals that used to be above a value of 2.0 but have now fallen below that number after the COVID-19 pandemic. One journal in particular still has high-quality editors on its editorial board but the reason they are below 2.0 seems to be rooted in the types of papers that are being accepted and that researchers in the community are simply not citing them that frequently. Or, it could be associated with the pandemic. These are some gray areas when we think of impact factors. It is very important to pay attention to the prestigious journals in your field and to be able to understand their impact factor values as well. First, I recommend reading through the journal’s scope to verify whether your study meets the criteria set forth by the editor-in-chief that are important to successfully publish with that journal. Then, I recommend skimming through various journals and taking a closer look at the kind of quality of articles that are being published. You should ask yourself if you can imagine your work being side by side with these kinds of research articles. Finally, it is also important to ascertain if the journal could possibly fold in the future. For new journals, this can certainly be a possibility and a lot of heavy thought should go into making this decision. One can submit their non-peer-reviewed manuscript to a preprint server, such as bioRxiv.org or preprints.org, to create a safety net in case a new journal may fold in the future. If this happens, you can send the preprint in for consideration to another journal. An open access movement has ramped up efforts in recent years, which differs from the subscription-based model. Historically, authors would submit their manuscript to a journal, and once it has been accepted, the journal would publish the article under the subscription model, where readers would need to pay for access. The open access model is more appealing in my opinion because, even though a premium must be paid upfront (by the authors), it enables anyone across the world to view the research. It can be frustrating to not have access to certain articles when performing an online literature search and then having to wait several days to obtain the article through an interlibrary loan. These options are controlled by the publisher and some publishers may offer one or both models. The cost for open access can vary depending on the journal as well. Usually, the fee increases when the journal is distributed to many online servers, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, etc., whereas the more affordable fees are assigned to journals that are not available on that many servers. This is where it becomes important to determine whether affordability matches good servers for distribution. In conclusion, the upper-tier, middle-tier, and lower-tier journals can be a publication home for the work produced by a given researcher. This determination circles back to the study itself and how impactful it will be in one’s field of research. As an example, in the Medicinal Chemistry field, I often study inhibition constant (Ki) values for enzyme–inhibitor interactions. In the case of finding strong inhibitor potency, if an inhibitor binds to an enzyme and has a Ki value in the hundreds of micromolar range (e.g., 500 μM), it is not considered that strong of an inhibitor. If the Ki value is in the tens of micromolar range (e.g., 50 μM), the inhibitor displays a modestly strong inhibition, but if the Ki value is found in the nanomolar range (e.g., 500 nM), it exhibits strong inhibition. In my field, I pay attention to this parameter because it is one criterion that helps me to determine which tier of journal I should publish in. Finally, another important factor is that if an article is published in a lower-tier journal, it should not be something to look down on. When an author publishes their work, they are showing that they have been able to carry out the study and reach conclusions in science. This has important implications for students who are applying to industry or higher levels of academia. Hiring managers are focused on whether job applicants have published because they understand that they could carry out a project in its entirety. Disclaimer The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of MDPI or its employees. MDPI takes no responsibility for the content or ideas expressed in this article. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Edward L. D'AntonioEdward L. D'Antonio
Edward L. D'Antonio

2950

How to Write a Good Lay (Plain Language) Summary

10 October 2024

Navigating Your Career

How to Write a Good Lay (Plain Language) Summary

Imagine the exhilaration of seeing your research finally published after countless hours of dedication and hard work. The sense of accomplishment is immense. But as the initial excitement wears off, a sobering realisation sets in: your study is just one among thousands, buried in the vast ocean of academic literature. The question then arises: how can you ensure your research breaks through the noise and resonates with a broader audience, making a tangible impact beyond scholarly circles? A lay summary, also known as a plain-language summary, is a powerful solution. What is a lay summary (plain language summary)? A lay summary, used interchangeably here with a plain language summary, is a concise, easy‑to‑understand explanation of a research article written for non‑experts. These summaries translate complex academic content into clear, everyday language, making your work accessible to individuals from non‑scientific backgrounds who are curious about your topic. Unlike traditional abstracts, which often rely on technical terminology and discipline‑specific phrasing, lay/plain language summaries focus on clarity, simplicity, and relevance. They explain: Why the research was conducted What the researchers discovered Why the findings matter Their purpose is to make research more discoverable, more understandable, and more meaningful to the wider public. Given that scientific papers are often difficult for non‑specialists to interpret, these summaries play a crucial role in promoting transparency, accessibility, and public engagement in science. Why choose a lay (plain language) summary? As the scientific community increasingly embraces openness, lay summaries are becoming essential to research communication. Major funders such as the American Cancer Society, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Patient‑Centered Outcomes Research Initiative require general‑audience summaries as part of their grant applications. Many journals and institutional review boards also mandate summaries written specifically for non‑specialists. For example, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute requires an abstract “readable by non‑specialists as well as by experts,” and the Annals of Behavioural Medicine includes lay/plain language summaries as a standard requirement. Benefits of writing lay/plain language summaries Enhanced Visibility: Clear, accessible summaries help your research stand out. They can attract attention from journalists, policymakers, educators, and community organisations, increasing your academic visibility among peers and beyond. Increased Accessibility: Your research achievements are no longer confined within academic walls. A broader community, including patients, caregivers, students, and the general public, can learn about and appreciate the impact of your work. Funding Opportunities: Funding bodies increasingly value public outreach and accessible communication. A strong lay/plain language summary can strengthen your grant applications by demonstrating your commitment to sharing knowledge widely. To further improve engagement, you can include summary images or summary pictures that visually highlight key findings. Visuals make your work even more discoverable and easier to understand at a glance. Lay/plain language summary example Here is a simple lay/plain language summary example: Researchers studied how daily walking affects stress levels in adults. They found that people who walked for at least 30 minutes a day reported lower stress and improved mood. This suggests that a simple, low‑cost activity like walking can support mental wellbeing and may be recommended as part of everyday health routines. This example shows how plain language summaries can be written without changing the content or purpose of the research.  How to add a lay/plain language summary on SciProfiles SciProfiles allows you to add lay summaries to your publications, making them more visible to readers interested in your research. Steps to add a summary: Sign up or log in to SciProfiles Open one of your publications Find the Lay Summary section Click Add New Write or paste your summary and upload it Tips for writing effective lay/plain language summaries Writing a good plain language summary takes practice, but several steps can be followed to express your research effectively: Know Your Audience: Tailor your language to readers with no scientific background. Avoid Jargon: Use plain language and explain any necessary technical terms. Be Clear and Concise: Follow a logical structure and keep sentences short and direct.  Register to join SciProfiles and explore lay summaries from academics in fields similar to yours. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Zoë GrossZoë Gross
Zoë Gross

1956

What is ORCID (and Why Should You Use It)?

11 July 2024

Navigating Your CareerPlatform Features

What is ORCID (and Why Should You Use It)?

Since the ORCID program was launched in 2012, it has become an essential resource for academic publishing. With over 14 million registrations currently, ORCID has increased digital accessibility, enabling more streamlined management of scholarly communication across disciplines. While you may be generally familiar with the term, you might still be wondering, “What is ORCID exactly?” This article will define and explain more about what the ORCID iD is and the benefits of registering. It will also provide a step-by-step guide to signing up and linking your OCRCID to your SciProfiles account. What is ORCID? The amount of academic research available online is tremendous. Especially with the mainstreaming of open access academic publishing, scholars need tools to help store and manage their own academic materials and to make them accessible to others. The ORCID system is a centralized catalogue that allows readers to easily access research from throughout a scholar’s career. Essentially, it helps others to find your academic research and you to find theirs. ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID, or ORCID iD) is a free, unique, persistent identifier that stores an individual’s academic outputs, all in one virtual location. The Open Researcher Contributor Identification Initiative was developed to ensure that credit for academic work is attributed properly. In particular, the repetition of names in the academic community globally can make it very difficult to distinguish whose work is whose. In addition, any name changes during a person’s lifetime, which can happen for a lot of different reasons, can further the confusion. Registering ensures that the same ORCID iD follows you, even if you change names, institutions, or geographic locations. This way, the system ensures that the right people are getting credit for their work. You don’t have to worry about trying to keep track of everything manually or about transferring over your information if you change affiliations. Why should you use ORCID? Now that we’ve answered the question of “What is ORCID?”, we will consider why you register for one and use it in your scholarly communications. Given the acceleration of open science and open access publishing globally, academic research is more accessible to the public than ever. With increases in open access mandates from governments and publicly funded research institutes, more people than ever are engaging with scientific research. The ORCID system ensures that authors can be properly identified and their work attributed to them. Once you register, you will receive an ORCID iD number that you can share with others. The ORCID system makes academic research more accessible and discoverable, which enhances potential reach and impact. In addition to your digital name identifier, with your registration, you will also receive an electronic ORCID record. This is like an extended CV and includes, for example, a short biography, education and employment history, publications, professional activities and associations, and funding received. The record is a living document of your career that you update as you gain experience and achievements. Using your ORCID account also reduces the labour of manually filling out forms and sharing data between different documents and datasets. It helps you to manage your work across different institutions, workflows, and online platforms. Register with ORCID If you are a scholar publishing in your field, you’ll know that getting your work out into the world is an exciting and challenging process. Linking your research to your professional webpage and social networking sites is a simple way to ensure that your work is accessible. It’s quick, easy, and free to register. Link your ORCID iD to SciProfiles Once you have registered, you can begin linking your ORCID to the different platforms you use. To include ORCID on your SciProfiles page specifically, use the simple steps below: Log on to SciProfiles. Click on the small gear icon (⚙) at the top right corner of the screen. Choose “Edit My Profile” to go to your Basic Info page. Click “Verify ORCID”. Log in to your ORCID account and authorize MDPI to access it. Your ORCID is now linked to your page, like a “one-stop shop” for your research materials. As you continue with your academic and publication journey on SciProfiles, this will make it easier for others to follow along and access your work. And, if others ever ask you, “What is ORCID?”, now you can share what you know. Last updated on: July 25, 2026
Zoë GrossZoë Gross
Zoë Gross

1313

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