Editing Jorge Cortez Campaña's heartfelt Cancer Chronicles article, "Reflections on My Journey With Cancer—Unexpected Insights From Game Night," was an illuminating journey into the profound realms of personal narratives. In navigating the delicate balance of preserving the author's authenticity while ensuring clarity, my role was one of suggestion rather than transformation. Jorge's chosen words, "Rebirth, love, and lucky," encapsulate the positive spirit radiating through his journey. As an editor, it was a privilege to contribute to the wider dissemination of his story—a tale not just of illness but of resilience, love, and unwavering optimism.

As the clock ticks toward 2024, Jennifer Clare Ball unveils a curated world of intellectual delights. From the poignant memoir "In Pain" to the seismic revelations of "The Really Big One" by Kathryn Schulz and the multimedia brilliance of John Branch's "Snow Fall," this reading list is a key to unlock the doors of curiosity. This isn't just a reading list; it's an odyssey for curious minds.

The integration of AI language models into the medical field has opened new avenues for research, communication, and patient care. Recently, I had the opportunity to edit an article published at the JAMA Network that explored the preferences of independent evaluators when comparing the quality and empathy of ChatGPT responses to physician responses on a public social media forum. This editing experience shed light on the careful selection of terminology and adherence to ethical guidelines when discussing AI language models in the medical literature. In this blog post, we will delve into the nuances and considerations that emerged during the editing process.

Scientific articles play a crucial role in shaping public health policies and practices. They are the building blocks of scientific knowledge and can influence the treatments available for diseases. However, sometimes scientific articles need to be retracted due to issues such as plagiarism, falsification of data, negligence, or an honest mistake. Retraction is an important part of the scientific process, serving as a system of checks and balances to ensure the accuracy and integrity of published research. A review of retracted articles in PubMed found that fraud or suspected fraud accounted for the majority of retractions, followed by error and plagiarism. While retractions can be damaging to the reputation of authors and institutions, they ultimately serve to uphold the credibility and trustworthiness of the scientific enterprise.

In the field of medicine, precise language is essential in communicating information accurately to both medical professionals and patients. With the emergence of post–COVID-19 condition (PCC), there has been a need for clear and consistent terminology to describe this condition. Last November, an update was made to Chapter 11 of the AMA Manual of Style to provide guidance on the appropriate use of terminology for PCC.

This blog post discusses the importance of disclosing conflicts of interest in scientific publishing, with examples from a manuscript editor's perspective. It provides tips for authors on how to disclose the right amount of information and emphasizes the importance of transparency in research. Contact Compose & Consult to learn more about best practices for disclosing conflicts of interest in your medical articles.

Discover how the hallucination effect impacts AI platforms like ChatGPT, leading to inaccurate content generation. Learn what causes the effect, how it can mislead users, and how to mitigate its impact.

Language is a powerful tool that shapes our perceptions and attitudes towards the world. It influences how we think, communicate, and relate to one another. In the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB), language is especially important because it affects how we understand and talk about the natural world. However, some language can perpetuate biases and exclude certain groups, leading to a lack of diversity and inclusion in these fields. To address this issue, the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Language Project has come out with a list of problematic words and guidelines for more inclusive language.

Learn why patient-centered language is crucial in medical writing and how it can promote empathy and improve patient outcomes. Explore the power of patient-first language, why "subject" should be avoided, and the difference between "cases" and "patients". Discover how using patient-centered language can help establish trust and promote better patient-clinician relationships.