Social media and the rise of predatory journals: A case report - Volume 30, Issue

This is a report of our experience with a predatory journal that invited us to join them after having seen our winning essays on how to identify predatory journals. We applied the system we recommended therein to investigate the true nature of the…

Good clinical practice (GCP): A universal call for ethics in biomedical research - Volume 23, Issue

Today, the principles of good clinical practice (GCP) form such an integral part of the development of new medicines that they could easily be taken for granted. Yet, the road to a universal code of ethics in human experimentation is paved with…

Letter from the Editor - Volume 25, Issue

A step – no a leap – forward In 2012, the journal’s precursor, The Write Stuff, became Medical Writing under the guidance of then Editor-in-Chief Elise Langdon-Neuner. The Write Stuff had been managed almost single-handedly by Elise, and the shift…

Journal Watch - Volume 21, Issue

Readability of informed consent forms, sponsor participation in industry trials, and conflict of interest disclosure. Informed consent is a crucial feature of clinical research trials. Guidelines on developing an informed consent form urge writers…

Your professional association: A great way to expand your skills and advance your career - Volume 22, Issue

Many medical writers and translators are not members of professional associations. While online networking is clearly accepted as a key element for success in business, the benefits of joining associations are still not obvious to all, even though…

Good Writing Practice - Volume 21, Issue

The Good Writing Practice initiative was launched in the December 2010 issue of TWS1 by Alistair Reeves and Wendy Kingdom. The aim is to go beyond the classic style guide and provide advice on practical aspects of writing that make texts easier to…

Identifying appropriate journals in which to publish original research on vaccines against human infectious diseases - Volume 21, Issue

The most effective way of communicating new research findings is by publishing them in a peer-reviewed journal which is widely read and highly respected. To ensure that important new data are shared with the appropriate audience in a timely manner,…

In the Bookstores - Volume 22, Issue

The Spirit Level

Ever had a ‘ping’ moment? This book might have been mine. I'm not a natural pessimist, but Western society today seems less cohesive and people more materialistic, stressed, unhealthy, and unhappy than in times gone by. Wealth and s…

Message from the President - Volume 21, Issue

Dear Medical Writers Top of Form Bottom of Form The last time I wrote to you I briefly introduced myself and outlined some of the plans that I hope to realise during my year as president. However, as president I am only one of the members of the…

A checklist to improve your writing - Volume 26, Issue

In this article, I provide a checklist of eight items to improve your writing. Several of the checklist items are discussed in detail in other articles in this issue of Medical Writing, although I provide explanations and  examples for each item. I…