Concise Recommendations for EDitorials: Enhancing Narratives and Composition Effectively (CREDENCE).

Area of Science:

• Scholarly Communication
• Academic Publishing

Background:

• Editorials offer expert views and critical analysis on timely topics.
• They can comment on published papers, reflecting author or journal perspectives.
• Editorials are crucial for disseminating expert insights and fostering scholarly discourse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive primer on writing effective scholarly editorials.
• To offer a practical checklist for authors to follow during the editorial writing process.

Main Methods:

• The article outlines the expected structure of an editorial, including introduction, critique/analysis, and conclusion.
• It emphasizes the importance of objectivity, evidence-based arguments, and relevant references.
• Key principles of academic writing and conflict of interest declarations are discussed.

Main Results:

• The primer details different types of editorials (critical, explanatory, commendatory) and their purposes.
• It highlights the necessity of a clear aim, balanced critique, and concise take-home messages.
• The importance of supporting arguments with references and declaring conflicts of interest is stressed.

Conclusions:

• Adhering to established principles ensures editorials are objective, informative, and contribute meaningfully to scholarly conversations.
• The provided checklist serves as a tool to guide authors in producing high-quality editorials.
• Effective editorials enhance the dissemination of expert knowledge and support ongoing academic discourse.