





































 V37 N2 / 2022 

©2022 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved.  
ISSN 2163-5315

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A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO MANUSCRIPT 
EDITING
Speakers 
Loretta Bohn, ELS, Senior Editor/Writer, RTI International, 

Research Triangle Park, NC

Kelly Schrank, MA, ELS, Freelance Medical Editor, 

Bookworm Editing Services, LLC, Elberton, GA

By Christine Holzmueller, MS
Loretta Bohn and Kelly Schrank share their experiences “in 

the trenches” when managing manuscripts, including edit-

ing and submitting to peer-reviewed journals. As experi-

enced manuscript editors, they believe the overarching goal 

is to “shine the best light” on the research and the authors. 

To expand beyond their own experiences, the speakers also 

surveyed editors to learn what they look for when editing a 

manuscript and reported their findings (Figure).

 Checklists can be used for a single manuscript and can 

also serve as a dashboard to manage multiple manuscripts 

simultaneously. Bohn notes that checklist use shows your 

clients or employer that you are a professional and doing 

what you can to minimize errors on your part. Schrank 

shared her checklist as an online supplement on the con-

ference platform. Also available to AMWA Journal subscrib-

ers, the checklist has sections for tracking/metrics, common 

manuscript features, abbreviations used, author instruc-

tions from the journal, notes, and final checks of the edited 

paper. A valuable tip when scanning the paper for the final 

check is to use “No Markup” in track changes to make issues 

visible (eg, extra spaces, typos).

Noted advantages of using a checklist when editing:

• Consistency—of acronyms, abbreviations, phrases 

or terms, nomenclature for key concepts, and other 

information

• Structure—ensures requirements from the particular 

journal are met, sections are in correct order, and the 

right data/information is in the correct section

• Productivity—keeps you on task, avoids wasted time 

scrolling pages to check for consistency, reminds you 

of where you left off

• Tracking—deadlines, authors' return of information 

you requested, metrics to estimate time required for 

future editing projects

Author Instructions Are a Gold Mine of Information
Bohn stresses the importance of abiding by the author 

instructions in manuscript preparation. Instructions can 

cover everything from the article categories accepted and 

word count limits to formatting of references and figures.

Several tips:

1. Add the URL to the author instructions in the 

manuscript checklist (or in your bookmarks for that 

client).

2. Thoroughly read the instructions.

3. If another person is formatting the manuscript, copy 

and paste pertinent instructions in an email to save 

them from sifting through information.

Session Reports 

2021 CONFERENCE

Figure. What are editors looking for…
aAn 8-item survey was developed by Kelly Schrank and Loretta Bohn; 
it was posted on AMWA Engage and LinkedIn and emailed to the 
Board of Editors in the Life Sciences’ mailing list and RTI Internation-
al employees. 

Manuscript Editing Checklists Are a Valuable Tool
A good checklist can help editors develop a plan, stay orga-

nized, and be more efficient when editing manuscripts and 

submitting them to journals. A highly recommended book 

that describes compelling reasons that checklists are valu-

able is The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, 

a renowned surgeon.1

What are editors looking for… (N = 12a)

…in each section?

Editing standards (eg, grammar, punctuation, syntax, readability, 
and spelling) are met.

Content addresses the intended purpose of that section.

Section contains the components specified in journal guidelines.

…when evaluating the manuscript as a whole? 

Terms and definitions are consistent.

Information flows coherently and logically.

Research methodology demonstrates good science.

Journal requirements are met (eg, word limit, reference format, 
title page components).

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AMWAJournal.org     15Session Reports

 Look for author instructions on the journal’s home 

page, which may be in a tab near the top or a link along the 

side or near the bottom of the page. Note that submission 

instructions are usually different from author instructions. 

Submission instructions include the platform for uploading 

your manuscript files, any publication fees, and other rele-

vant information.

Common Features of Manuscripts
Schrank toured the common features of modern manu-

scripts, showing both organization and what information 

goes where. Journals do vary in placement for some infor-

mation; here are common things to check:

• Information required on title page

• Specific subheadings for abstracts

• Acknowledgements section—thank contributors (eg, 

statisticians, medical writers)

• Source(s) of funding

• Conflicts of interest—sometimes duplicated

Dummy Submissions Allow Editors to Discover What 
the Journal Requires
If the target journal is known, start a dummy submission 

in the online portal using the login ID and password of the 

submitting author. Gathering all information and materials 

from your authors ahead of time will avoid delays when it is 

time to submit the manuscript. Once you start the dummy 

submission, read the instruction prompts carefully for any 

surprises (eg, a cover letter is required and authors have not 

written one).

Common information requested on submission:

• Email addresses for all authors

• Biography of each author

• Suggested peer reviewers and email addresses; some 

journals require it and want up to 3 names

• Conflicts of interest/wording of statement for no 

conflicts

• Open access fees (do authors know this and want to 

pay for it?)

• Summary Box/Key Messages of the research

 Once the manuscript is submitted, it will follow 1 of 3 

paths (Table), and some authors will also engage the editor 

in this phase.

Christine Holzmueller is a Senior Technical Writer at the Johns 
Hopkins University Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and 
Quality, Baltimore, MD.

Author declaration and disclosures: The author notes no 
commercial associations that may pose a conflict of interest in 
relation to this article.

Author contact: cholzmu@gmail.com

Reference
1. Gawande A. The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right. 

Metropolitan Books; 2009.

* * *

WHERE DATA, DESIGN, AND TECHNOLOGY MEET: 
EFFECTIVE INFOGRAPHIC STRATEGIES FOR 
HEALTH COMMUNICATION
Speaker 
Kathleen Walker, Content Strategist, Communicate Health, 

Fort Worth, TX 

By Sunali Wadehra, MD
What is an Infographic, and Why are They Important?
An infographic is a graphic visual representation of infor-
mation, data, or knowledge that is intended to present com-
plex information quickly and clearly. Slick graphics and data 
visualization are used to engage the audience, and visual 
storytelling is used to convey a concept. A well-designed 
infographic helps people find what they need, understand 
what they find, and remember what they read. Note that not 
just any chart or graph qualifies as an infographic; it must 

represent this criterion.

Table. Three Paths of a Manuscript

Path Role of the Editor

Accepted Read the article proofs carefully for issues introduced 
by the journal editors (eg, typos) and for behind-the-
scenes comments that should have been removed

Respond to queries/comments addressed to the 
authors

Deter authors from requesting new revisions, as this 
could be costly (if it is allowed) 

Revise and 
Resubmit

Ensure response letter is polite; thank the  
reviewers for suggestions (even if slightly off base)

Help author pick the important battles; yield to sug-
gestions and points when ethically possible

Ensure that the revision is better, not worse, than 
the original text

Explain to the reviewer what was changed and why

Follow instructions for how the editor wants to see 
changes to the manuscript (eg, track changes visible, 
detailed cover letter) 

Rejected Submit to another journal 
Rework manuscript then submit elsewhere

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