Beginner Writers' Guide Toward Scientific Publication: Habits and Principles Behind Written Words

Research studies, evidence-based practice, or continuous quality improvement projects are an integral part of everyday rehabilitation nursing practice. Patients, third-party payers, and accreditors demand clinical practice based on research results and/or project evidence. Rehabilitation nurses need to consider that the only way to build nursing science is to convey their work to others through scientific publication.

The purpose of this article is to share a beginner writers' guide with 12 writing habits set on six principles that are behind or underlies written words, leading toward manuscript preparation/publication.

Rehabilitation nurses who are clinicians, leaders, and managers at all educational levels and in all practice settings with completed research or projects have potential to become authors.

Writers can acquire these habits and principles for success that increase or refine their skills to author scientific publications, supporting and advancing nursing science.

These 12 writing habits based on six principles for being successful in publishing scientific work are a learned process. Publications enhance care provided and quality of life for those affected by disability and chronic illness.

All writers will find these habits and principles helpful in constructing a scientific manuscript suitable for publication.