2.2 Read some example take-home messages from published papers
Different journals have different ways of asking Authors to present the take-home message of their paper.
The Journal of Adolescent Health, for example, asks Authors to write a segment entitled Implications and Contribution, of no greater than 50 words, in addition to the Abstract. This segment is then published near the Abstract. Below is an example.
This study demonstrates that the GEM Scale is a quantitative tool that can be successfully used to measure views toward gender norms among both male and female youth in Uganda aged 10–24 years. Results highlight the need to implement gender-transformative programs and especially to expand their typical audience to 10- to 14-year-olds, in Uganda and similar contexts, ultimately preventing associated negative social and health outcomes.
Vu L et al Journal of Adolescent Health 2017 Inequitable Gender Norms From Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood in Uganda: Tool Validation and Differences Across Age Groups
Photo by Esteban Castle on Unsplash
See how the take-home message is like a portal that takes you immediately to the heart of the paper and its most important points? It gives you a snapshot of the most important WHY, WHAT and HOW.
Not all journals have segments dedicated to the take-home message of the paper, as you’ll see in the next example.