Publishing in Academia: Woes of Authorship, Figures, and Peer Review

Publishing in academia today is more challenging than what our predecessors experienced 20 years ago. Today, publishing an academic manuscript requires command of what it means to be an author, the concerns over digital information related to figures, and the peer review process. Issues concerning authorship can be readily addressed and corrected by adherence to a set of guidelines such as ICMJE. The advent of powerful software programs has allowed rendering of publication-quality images, but these programs are easily susceptible to presenting data in a more favorable light, whereas they should not affect the integrity and data represented. The peer review process provides germane critiques to screen out substandard manuscripts; however, it can be imperfect, which requires further review and study. Successfully publishing in academia requires much specialized knowledge, as well as a firm grasp of authorship, figures, and peer review.