Writing for publication
Learning objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- assess the importance of journal publications for your academic career
- choose the right journal
- write your article so as to maximise the chances of acceptance
- maximise the impact of your article.
Writing journal articles
You don't need to wait until the end of your studies to begin publishing. A list of prior publications can often assist you to obtain your first job, or a grant. If you are competing with other well-qualified candidates, a good publication record will often give you the winning edge.
It is crucial to publish in a peer-reviewed journal if your intention is an academic or technical career.
Some first-time postgraduate authors prefer to write book reviews or shorter articles. Others are a little more ambitious. If you feel confident, there is little doubt that a substantial article will yield better results in terms of your future career prospects than a review or a short opinion piece.
Think about what you have read and discovered so far. Is there anything that might make a good journal article?
Once you have an idea for an article, you need to find the right journal. It is often best to write your article with a specific journal in mind. This will increase the likelihood of publication, as you can match the contents of your article to the preferences of the journal's editors and readership.
Finding the right journal
Consider the journals that you read often. Look at the articles in recent issues. What types of research are represented? What types of book review or short articles do they publish?
Many journals have well-defined editorial policy. This is often printed on the inside cover of each issue. Editorial policies are also posted at the journal's Web site. Become familiar with a journal's policy and you will often save yourself from disappointment.
Some journals will only publish short articles. Others prefer longer items. Many journals have strong preferences regarding the type of research they publish. Some publish on a broad range of topics within a particular field and others restrict themselves to highly specialised areas. Become familiar with these preferences.
If a particular journal encourages contributions from new researchers, it is likely to be a better bet than one which only publishes work by established scholars. Even if such a preference is not clear from the editorial policy, it is often evident from the details which a journal includes regarding contributors.
Making the final choice
Ideally, you should publish in the journal with the highest academic standards. An easy way of identifying premier journals is to look at the publications of the experts in your field. Which journals do they prefer? Another approach is to go about systematically identifying the top journals in your field using the techniques discussed earlier in the section on journal quality.
However, you must be realistic. The higher the reputation of the journal, the greater the competition in terms of the number and quality of submissions from other potential authors.
Consider open-access journals, if peer-reviewed. Such journals can enjoy wide circulation and the best have excellent reputations.
If you feel that you need further assistance, ask your supervisors for advice regarding the best journals to consider.
Journal styles
When you have found the right journal, find out all you can about the j ournal's rules for contributors. These provide guidelines regarding article format, the preferred referencing style, how to submit tables and figures and any other special requirements.
Rules for contributors are usually available:
- in the inside cover of each issue
- on the journal's Web site
- by writing to the journal editor.
UlrichsWeb usually provides you with contact details for a journal editor.
Read the guidelines for contributors and follow them exactly. Following the rules will increase your chance of being published and reduce the amount of time spent rewriting.
 | Knowing the ropes Keith Dowding, Publishing in academic journals, London School of Economics, September 2002. Professor Dowding is a Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics (LSE) and an Editor of the Journal of Theoretical Politics. If you are seriously interested in publishing in an academic journal, you should read his paper, which is full of practical advice. |
A common complaint among first-time authors is that the advice regarding referencing and bibliographies provided for contributors doesn't cover all types of publications. This shouldn't be a problem: look through past issues of the journal and work out the journal's rules from examples in the actual articles.
If you use EndNote, you will often be able to locate a manuscript template for the particular journal. If the journal is in EndNote's list of journal titles, EndNote's styles will allow you format your references to reflect the preferences for that journal.
Finally, send your paper only to one journal at a time. Journals review articles on this basis.
Dealing with the editorial responses
It is common for a successful author to receive an acceptance letter which includes a request for rewriting. This is a normal part of the peer-review process.
If your article is rejected, don't be discouraged. It may be worth setting your sights a little lower and trying another journal, perhaps one where the competition is not so intense.
Where the editor has given reasons for the rejection, read these carefully and consider whether or not you can improve your article to improve its chances next time.
Some more sage adviceDr Berenika Webster, a Visiting Researcher at University College, London, has some recommendations for authors wishing to increase the impact of their publications. At a seminar presented in Sydney in February, 2007, she gave the following advice:
If you are just beginning your academic career, it is unlikely that you will have the opportunity to edit a journal. Otherwise, consider her advice carefully. Each of these factors has been shown to have an effect on the impact of articles published in academic journals. |
Summary
This module dealt with the following topics:
- the importance of early publication to your career prospects
- finding the right journal
- submitting an article for peer-review
- maximising the impact of articles you write.
 | Self-test Try these quick self-test questions to assess what you have learnt from this module. |