Update from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Writing for Scientific Impact

Brief Summary
This Roundtable discussion has several purposes. First, it will provide an Update from MMWR.  This update will include a summary of: 1) contents published in 2012 by topic, report category and by the source of the report, including those from state/local health departments; 2) the initiative to revamp the Surveillance Summaries; 3) efforts to measure scientific impact of MMWR contents; and 4) efforts to engage partners and improve publication processes.  Participants will be asked for feedback on their experience with MMWR and ideas for making it more useful for states.  Second, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain practical tips on how to write articles for publication in the MMWR.  Practical tips will focus on how to write a Blue Summary Box and an introductory paragraph, how to ensure timely clearance, review and publication of reports, and how to work effectively with MMWR Editors.  Finally, participants and MMWR editors will discuss the scientific impact of articles published in the MMWR with the goal of increasing understanding of how such impact can be measured and how the capacity to communicate scientific information can be increased at the state level.