title: Characteristics and analysis of scientific articles submitted to the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate characteristics, suggested modifications and reasons for rejection in scientific articles submitted for publication in the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study analyzed the flaws noted by reviewers in 52 scientific articles submitted to the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases between August 31, 2014 and February 28, 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen flaws concerning content and 7 concerning form were identified. In more than 25% of submissions, major flaws were noted: purely descriptive paper; lack of contribution to existing state of knowledge; failure to define a clear study objective and/or analyze the impact of major variables; poorly structured Materials and methods section, lacking description of study population, objective and/or variables; lack of or inappropriate statistical analysis; Introduction verbose and/or misrepresenting the literature; excessively heterogeneous and/or poorly described study population; imprecise discussion, straying from the point, overstating the significance of results and/or introducing new results not mentioned in the Results section; description of the study population placed in the Results section instead of under Materials and methods; serious mistakes of syntax, spelling and/or tense; and failure to follow the Instructions to Authors. After review, 21.1% of articles were published, 65.3% rejected and 13.4% non-resubmitted within 3 months of review. On univariate analysis, the only variable increasing the percentage of articles accepted was the topic not being devoted to head and neck surgery (P=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results document the excessive flaw rate still to be found in manuscripts and demonstrate the continuing need for authors to master and implement the rules of scientific medical writing.
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France. Electronic address: ollivier.laccourreye@egp.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Laccourreye
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonfils
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Denoyelle
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garrel
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkas
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makeieff
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Righini
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Editorial Board of the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, c/o Elsevier Masson, 92442 Issy-les-Moulineaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards*; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Medical writing; Otorhinolaryngology; Scientific report