CIRSE JOURNALS SCIENTIFIC WRITING PROGRAMme

The CIRSE Journals scientific writing programme offers a comprehensive learning path through the essentials of academic publishing, directed to early-career researchers eager to enhance their scientific writing skills. Across four interactive online sessions, you’ll gain valuable insights into crafting and revising your manuscript, mastering statistical concepts, and engaging with the peer-review process.

You can register for free individually for each session listed in the program overview below. We encourage you to join all sessions to gain the most comprehensive experience and earn a certificate of completion of the program, issued to participants who will complete all sessions. 

Date and time: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 14:00 - 15:35 (CET)

Location: Zoom (Online)

This session will include a brief introduction to the CIRSE family of journals followed by a deep dive into the key steps of turning your research idea into a polished manuscript. Learn how to ensure data quality, draft a cohesive paper, and navigate the intricacies of research writing through a practical, step-by-step demonstration using a sample study. We'll also explore crucial topics like publishing models, ethical practices, and must-know publication guidelines.

Programme

14:00 - 14:05│Introduction & welcome words

T. Bilhim, R. Morgan, T. Helmberger

14:05 - 14:15│The CIRSE Journal Family introduction
T. Bilhim, R. Morgan, T. Helmberger

14:15 - 14:30│Paper Idea and writing a paper
S. Duvnjak

14:30 - 14:45│Structuring a paper and publishing guidelines
P. Haage

14:45 - 15:00│Ethical publishing
J.Y. Chun

15:00 - 15:15│Promoting a paper
M. Arabi

15:15 - 15:35│Publishing a paper as a young author
G. Heymann

Date and time: Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 14:00 - 15:35 (CET)

Location: Zoom (Online)

This session will introduce attendees to basic statistical concepts and methods, focusing on their application in research and paper writing. The session will also cover key principles of meta-analysis, highlighting their role in synthesizing research findings. As this instalment of the programme will aim to equip participants with the foundational skills needed to critically analyze and present data effectively in scientific papers, it can be attended even if you did not attend the first session.  

Programme

14:00 - 14:05│Introduction & welcome words

T. Bilhim, R. Morgan, T. Helmberger

14:05 - 14:35│Basic statistics

T. Boeken

14:35 - 15:05│How to prepare a systematic review and meta-analyses
I. Díaz-Lorenzo

15:05 - 15:35│Statistics for meta-analyses
B. Zeka

Date and time: Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 14:00 - 15:30 (CEST)

Location: Zoom (Online)

This interactive session is designed to give you a hands-on experience of the peer review process.

Before the workshop, all registered participants will receive access to Editorial Manager, the platform that CIRSE Journals use to manage manuscript submissions and peer-review comments.

In May, registered participants will be invited to review a dummy paper in Editorial Manager - a real manuscript previously submitted to a CIRSE journal, anonymized and repurposed for educational use. They will act as a reviewer and be asked to submit their review within 14 days of invitation, simulating a real editorial workflow.

During the live workshop, the reviews will be discussed by experienced editors from CIRSE journals, providing feedback and insights on how to conduct high-quality peer reviews. Participants will learn how manuscripts are evaluated, with discussions on decision types (minor/major revisions, accept/reject) and how to respond to reviewers.

Programme

14:00 - 14:05│Introduction & welcome words

T. Bilhim, R. Morgan, T. Helmberger

14:05 - 14:15│Addressing reviewers' comments

S. Spiliopoulos

14:15 - 14:25│Performing a review

K. Kreiser

14:25 - 15:25│Dummy paper review feedback
K. Kreiser, C. Mosconi

15:25 - 15:30│Q&A
T. Bilhim, R. Morgan, T. Helmberger, K. Kreiser, C. Mosconi, S. Spiliopoulos

Date and time: Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 14:00 - 15:30 (CEST)

Location: Online via Zoom

In this final session, participants will be able to submit their own manuscripts prior to the session date. From these, one submission will be selected for live discussion, allowing its authors to receive expert feedback in real time during the webinar.

The session will begin with an opening talk on a key topic in today’s scientific landscape: the role of Artificial Intelligence in scientific writing.

At the end of this session, participants who have attended all the other sessions of the programme will receive a digital certificate of completion.

• Expert advice from leading researchers in the field.
• Practical tips to structure and polish your manuscript.
• Insights into navigating the peer-review process.
• An understanding of key statistical concepts and meta-analysis.
• A chance to apply what you’ve learned to your own research.

For more information, contact the CVIR Editorial Office at: [email protected]