STEP 8: Writing the manuscript

Once data is analyzed and discussed with supervisor(s) and potential co-authors, researchers are set to outline their results in a comprehensive manuscript (Mensh & Kording, 2017). In this context, they need to determine a target journal for their manuscript. This journal should ideally be related to the research question, and will subsequently influence the scope of the paper (e.g., audience, article structure). Various criteria can guide the journal selection (Salinas et al., 2014). Criteria like impact factor (see Table 1) and journal prestige may be critical for more senior researchers who need to build-up a reputation, whereas criteria like acceptance rates and turn-around times may be more important for ECRs who need to complete their academic training within a limited amount of time.

The decision for a target journal is usually taken together with the project team (i.e., supervisor, collaborators, and co-authors, see also Step 1; ➜ Journal-Author-Name-Estimator), and will often specify the sections to be included, how many words to write, how many figures or tables to include, and whether there is space for supplementary materials. For example, writing a manuscript with the results directly after the introduction as opposed to after the methods will substantially change the way the whole manuscript needs to be organized. Moreover, journal choice will directly affect how the article can be accessed (e.g., open-access or paywall) and whether and how pre- and postprints can be shared with the scientific community (see Table 1). Authorship of the manuscript should be offered to individuals who agree to make substantial scientific contributions to the project (see APA Ethics Code Standard 8.12a, for example; see also Step 1). These include, but are not limited to, conceptualization, data collection, data analysis, writing, funding, or supervision. However, the status and order of authors varies strongly depending on the scientific discipline (Pain, 2021). In human neuroscience and psychology, the order of authorship usually reflects the relative contributions of the researchers involved (e.g., ➜ Credit Author Statement, and ➜ Tenzing). While the first author is typically the person who has contributed most to the project (e.g., the graduate student), the person who is supervising the project often appears last (“senior author”) (see Table 1; Pain, 2021). The other authors are named in between, usually in descending order of decreasing contributions. Other fields may opt to include people with minor contributions or choose an alphabetical author order (Pain, 2021).