How to Write a Paper. 3rd ed.
Ed George M Hall. Pp 175; £16.95. London: BMJ Books, 2003. ISBN 0727917285
This multiauthored book is a must for both aspiring authors and those who think they can already write. The book is very easy to read, informative, and amusing. Why all should read it is because it informs of the processes involved in publication, the role of editors and assessors and, of course, publishers; thus, the book increases the understanding of what happens behind the scenes. Other chapters are equally important, presenting a common theme—how to captivate the reader. The book assists in helping authors write abstracts, introductions, best ways to present results, and how to generate informative discussion. In all chapters the approach emphasises brevity and how to get the audience interested from the very beginning. There is even a chapter on titles! Remember, as the book also says, most readers do not read the whole paper, if you are lucky they may read just the title. If you want your work to be read make it short and interesting from the very beginning. This book will help authors achieve their desired result.
