Preparation

• Decide on and use reference management software. See Reference management tool comparison.
  
  
• Follow appropriate reporting guidelines eg
  
  • PRISMA, CONSORT, STROBE - these are all available via the Equator network
  • Cultural Identity Interventions Systematic Review Proforma. For development of the proforma see MacLean S, Ritte R, Thorpe A. Assessing compliance with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research guidelines within systematic reviews. Australian Indigenous Health Bulletin 2015; 15. http://healthbulletin.org.au/articles/assessing-compliance-with-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-health-research-guidelines-within-systematic-reviews/
  • ENTREQ for qualitative research.
  • ARRIVE  - Animal Research: Reporting of in vivo experiments
  • NIH Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives: By Organization
  • PLOS Reporting guidelines
    
    
• Follow the author guidelines of the journal you propose to submit to for publication. Take particular note of the word count.
  
  
• When writing up your article prior to its final formatting it isn't necessary to write in the strict order prescribed by the journal. A useful writing order for drafting your paper is:
  Methods > Results > Introduction > Discussion > Abstract
  You can then order and format your final draft for submission.