Second set of 25 weekly tips on writing and publishing. Our thanks to Bernard Appiah for preparing the tips and to Alejandra Arreola-Triana for compiling the set. Original dates of posting: 24 May through 8 November 2011.

Application instructions for grant to attend summer 2012 intensive course in research writing, to be held at Texas A&M University. To see the syllabus for this course, please go to http://www.authoraid.info/resource-library/syllabus-2012-intensive-course-in-research-writing. To complete the grant application form, please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/authoraid_2012_summer_course_grants.

Website providing information on aspects of writing a paper and publishing it in a journal. Includes sections on choosing a journal, structuring a manuscript, overcoming language barriers, submitting a manuscript, and related topics. From the publisher Springer and the editing company Edanz.

Draft of syllabus for 3-week intensive course to be held in summer 2012 at Texas A&M University. As in past years, the course will focus mainly on writing journal articles but also will address other aspects of research communication. Please be watching the AuthorAID website for information on scholarships to attend this course.

From the Eastern Mediterranean Association of Medical Editors; published by the World Health Organization.

PDF of PowerPoint presentation. Topics include reasons for doctoral students to review the literature, purposes of the literature review section of a dissertation, and advice for preparing the literature review section of a dissertation.

Video of presentation on preparing the literature review section of a thesis or dissertation. One of the most popular videos on our online research writing courses

A short article presenting advice on designing figures (such as diagrams and graphs). Authored by a scientist and 2 design specialists. Appeared in 2011 in the journal Advanced Materials. Much of the advice applies to figures not only in the sciences but also in other fields. Likewise, much of the advice also applies to figures in other forms of communication, such as presentations.

This report provides guidance on what to include in methods sections of journal articles reporting animal research. In particular, it states types of information to provide about the research animals, their environment, and the experimental methods. This report, which is openly accessible, is from the US National Research Council. It appeared in 2011.

Helps researchers learn to be good referees (peer reviewers) by reading what bad referees do. By Mohammad Sal Moslehian, a mathematics professor at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. (Please note that because different journals have somewhat different requirements for peer reviews, reviewers also must read the instructions from the journal.)