Editorial Style
Writing for Research
Faculty, residents, fellows, staff and students at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall Health Network should reach out to their marketing & communication representative when they:
- are preparing to present significant research findings
- receive notice that a significant publication has been accepted for publishing
- want to discuss external communication strategies for a particular project or program (e.g. clinical trials, public service activities, etc.)
- achieve a significant milestone in their work (e.g. professional award, significant new development, etc.)
- are contacted by a member of the media about their work and want to consult on whether and how to engage
- seek to write an opinion or commentary piece for a mass media outlet
- are contacted about communications by a journal, funding source, agency, professional society or advocacy group
Please take into account embargos or other restrictions on publication dates. Share the embargo date and/or any other relevant guidelines (typically provided by the publisher for medical journals, etc.) with your marketing & communications representative.
These are excellent opportunities to showcase the expertise housed within Marshall Health Network and the School of Medicine. The marketing & communication team is available to guide you through this process.
Grant & Funding Announcements
New grant and funding awards are significant achievements that should be celebrated. Much of the information needed is often found in the application abstract. The lay summary is also a good resource for communicating research in a way that the general public and members of the media understand. Establishing relevance is key. To prepare your news for an internal and/or external audience, please provide:
- Name of funding agency and grant number
- Award amount
- Length of grant
- Description of the study (study design, key objectives)
- Significance of study (what you hope to achieve, importance to Appalachia/field of study, School of Medicine mission, etc.)
- Biographical info on researcher (name, title, areas of interest, education, etc.) and/or research team and their roles/titles within the study.
Citing publications, funding, collaborators
Beyond the initial grant announcement, when communicating about research (findings, clinical trials, etc.), it is important to recognize the funding source and other collaborators on the project.
- Name the funding source(s) and grant number – Federal agencies specifically ask academic institutions to include the grant number in communications. For example, “NIH 1R15MH126345-01.”
- Consult with the marketing & communication team and your award’s terms & conditions for any special disclosure requirements (e.g. required language or prior agency approval)
- For research publications, include the DOI, which is the unique identifier that stays the same no matter where the paper is published
- Names and affiliations of first and senior authors
- Key findings
- Description of study
- Next steps in your research
Conflicts of interest
Any communication product from a unit of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine or Marshall Health Network that relates in any way to the outside interests of a faculty or staff member must include a disclosure statement about that interest.