Free recommended resources on writing a paper for a peer reviewed journal. To learn more about the PREPSS full training program on scientific paper authorship, visit our Author Training Program page.
Grammarly - For those looking to refine the English grammar in their scientific writing, the free version of Grammarly provides basic writing suggestions and detects the tone of language used. Paid versions offer additional features.
The Pathway to Publishing: A Guide to Quantitative Writing in the Health Sciences is an open-access guide designed to help early-career scientists—especially those with English as a second language—improve their manuscript writing skills. Organized around common writing errors, the book offers practical examples and revision tips, making it a valuable resource for both students and mentors in health sciences research.
How to Write and Publish a Research Paper for a Peer‑Reviewed Journal by Busse and August (2020) offers a clear, practical guide to scientific writing, covering the structure of each key section—from title selection to discussion—along with common pitfalls and strategies to avoid them. It also provides advice on tailoring manuscripts to target journals, establishing authorship roles, and navigating the submission process, with an annotated exemplary article included as a resource .
“A Guide to Backward Paper Writing for the Data Sciences” (Patterns, 2022) introduces a reverse-engineering approach to scientific writing, encouraging authors to write the results and discussion sections first. This method helps researchers clarify their analytical goals earlier and produce more focused, well-structured manuscripts in data science fields.
The EQUATOR Network is a global initiative that aims to improve the quality, transparency, and reliability of health research publications. It offers a comprehensive library of reporting guidelines like CONSORT and PRISMA, provides educational resources and toolkits for researchers and editors, and supports the development and implementation of new guidelines. Through these efforts, EQUATOR helps ensure that health research is accurately reported and accessible to both scientific and public audiences.
The JBI Critical Appraisal Tools are checklists designed to assess the quality and reliability of various types of research studies, including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and qualitative research. These tools help researchers systematically evaluate the methodological rigor and risk of bias in studies. They are widely used in evidence-based healthcare to support transparent and trustworthy decision-making during systematic reviews.
This study aimed to identify and describe existing tools for assessing the quality of peer review reports in biomedical research. The authors conducted a systematic review and found a lack of standardized, validated instruments for evaluating peer review quality. They emphasized the need for better tools to ensure transparency, consistency, and improvement in the peer review process.