Publication & Valorization

  • WMO
  • Non-WMO

Once the results of the analyses are available, they can be published in various ways. Amsterdam UMC facilitates and encourages collaboration between academic researchers and external stakeholders to accelerate the translation of scientific findings into innovations and insights that benefit society - a process known as valorization.

Protecting your research

Although it may not be the first thing on a researcher’s mind, there are several reasons why it may be necessary to protect ideas, knowledge or findings before making them public. Most importantly, it prevents others from commercially exploiting your idea without authorisation. In case of existing or potential future collaborations with third parties, filing a patent may be necessary to protect your intellectual property. For more information, visit the website of Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA).

Valorization & Patenting

If you want to commercialize or patent your study results, publishing too early could jeopardize your chances to successfully do so. If the study results may lead to a product, innovation, technology, etc. relevant to society, public health and/or research, please contact (your business developer at) IXA before publishing.

IXA offers support throughout the entire valorization process and helps researchers identify the best valorization strategy for your product, innovation, technology, etc.
Their services cover activities ranging from patenting of inventions and negotiating research/licensing contracts with industry, to creating start-up companies based on UMC technologies and facilitating research collaborations with external partners.

Reporting guidelines

Scientific journals require clear and thorough reporting of research, so that readers understand the study design, implemented methods and the results that are presented. It is recommended to follow established guidelines developed by experts (e.g. epidemiologists, methodologists, statisticians). Reporting guidelines for different types of research designs are available through the EQUATOR network. EQUATOR also offers a practical tool to help select the correct guideline for your study.

Presenting your results

Presenting results in a clear and well-organized manner in tables and graphs significantly improves the understanding and visualization of your manuscript, poster, or presentation. Whether to use a table or graph depends on the aim, number of variables, analysis methods, and personal preference. For guidance, refer to http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2017-311581 and http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213396.

Affiliation of your paper

When submitting your scientific article, it is very important that your (Amsterdam UMC) affiliation is complete and correct. More information is available via the Medical Library.

Review process

Once an article has been submitted, it will be assessed by the editor and peer reviewers. Peer review means that a colleague evaluates readability, originality, writing quality, and scientific content of the article.

It is customary to only submit the article to one journal at a time. The review process by an editor and a peer reviewer is time-consuming and, therefore, journals require exclusivity.

After review, the article will be returned to the author together with an overall assessment. Possible outcomes include:

  • Direct rejection;
  • Revision required based on the reviewers comments/feedback;
  • Conditional acceptance, provided that minor adjustments are made;
  • Direct acceptance without adjustments (this hardly ever occurs).

It is important to keep in mind that publishing an article is a lengthy process. Timelines vary depending on the discipline and the journal.

Authorship

According to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), authors should meet the following four criteria:

  1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
  2. Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
  3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
  4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated or resolved.

    Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research group alone do not justify authorship. All individuals designated as authors should qualify for authorship, and all those who qualify should be listed. Excluding someone who qualifies as an author or not giving someone the opportunity to qualify (f.e. by not asking for input on drafts of the article) is a breach of research integrity.

    The Amsterdam UMC Research Code (Section 6) addresses the importance of arranging (co-)authorship and the order of authors for a publication as early as possible, preferably before the actual writing of the article begins.

    PURE

    PURE is the Current Research Information System (CRIS) of Amsterdam UMC used for research management and reporting. Amsterdam UMC researchers can register and showcase their research output, which is visible in public portals and websites. Administrators can use the PURE data for internal reporting, including annual reports.