2. Identify a "take-home" message or teaching point from the case. Why is this case important? 

3. Choose a journal appropriate for publishing the case report. 

4. Obtain the journal's "guidelines for authors." 

5. Enlist a medical student, resident, or colleague to help spread the work load. 

6. Perform a literature search of journals, textbooks, and electronic media. 

7. Compile all source articles in a file. 

8. Assign a reference number to each source in the order obtained and write this number in the right upper corner of each article's front page. 

9. Write up the case and discussion in the required format using assigned reference numbers to identify sources of information. 

10. When the article is finalized, renumber sources in order as they appear in the paper. 

11. Mail to the journal your manuscript with cover letter providing correspondence address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. 

12. If the article is not accepted by the journal, obtain reviewers' comments. 

13. Revise paper using reviewers' comments and the guidelines for authors of another appropriate journal. 

14. Submit article to the second journal.