Young Scientists Need Emotional Support and a Framework When Drafting Scientific Articles

Abstract

Introduction. When teaching young scientists to write scientific articles, it is important to consider several aspects of learning including intrinsic motivation, since the scientific work can be demanding in a different way than routine clinical work. The aim of this study was to investigate young scientists’ experience of the process of writing research articles with focus on motivating factors and the feeling of success, in order to improve the process. Methods. This was a qualitative study using focus groups to explore young scientists’ feelings and motivations regarding the process of writing scientific articles. Participants were young scientists including young medical doctors and medical students spending dedicated time on research. Content analysis was used to analyze the focus group interviews. Results. Sixteen informants participated in the study in three groups. Two major themes were identified: emotional support and setting and framework. Emotional support covered three subthemes: support from peers and supervisors, appearances, and motivation. The setting and framework theme covered four subthemes: deadlines, retreats, consciousness, and expectations. Conclusion. We found emotional support, frame-setting, and the avoidance of failures to be important factors for the feeling of success when young scientists are in the process of learning how to write scientific articles.