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How to get published. Professor Jennifer Rowley Professor in Information and Communications Manchester Metropolitan University and Editor, Journal of Further and Higher Education. Themes/Stages. Why publish? What to publish? Where to publish? Working with a journal Peer review
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How to get published Professor Jennifer Rowley Professor in Information and Communications Manchester Metropolitan University and Editor, Journal of Further and Higher Education
Themes/Stages • Why publish? • What to publish? • Where to publish? • Working with a journal • Peer review • Knowing your own limitations
Why publish? • To enhance your visibility and networks in the academic/education community. • To share your ideas, and participate in research and practitioner communities • To receive feedback, critiques and endorsement, and to enhance your learning. • To enhance your practice, through research or reflection • To enhance your CV and career prospects
What to publish? • What have you done, do you know, or have you researched that might be of interest to other people? • Who would be interested? – other teachers, researchers, students, or the general public? • Questions to ask: • Should I write a magazine article for other practitioners? • Could I write a book that would be different and inform people and help them to learn? • Do I have a research-based paper, or a theoretical analysis, or an opinion piece?
Where to publish? • Assuming that publication in an academic journal is the appropriate way forward: • The next step is to select a journal • Identify the journals in your field, and their aims and scope. • Consider: • Ranking (e.g. ISI, ERIC) • Publisher • Editorship and Editorial Board Membership • Authors • It is unlikely, but not unknown that you will be able to publish your first piece in a top ranking journal – be realistic • The objective is to: learn to write for an academic journal
Working with a journal 1 • The Journal community • Journals have communities – editors, editorial boards, referees, and authors. • Most of these people are busy volunteers (academics and practitioners). • They are experienced and have seen a lot of articles, but are often sympathetic to newcomers. • If your supervisor or someone you know can advise, consult. • Getting an article accepted is about joining the journal community – and a member of the community will look at your work and decide that it is good enough to allow you to join.
Working with a journal 2 • Play the game • Check that your paper is within scope for the journal • Adhere exactly to the author instructions (especially word length, and reference format) • Master the manuscript submission system (and take time to write a short covering letter to the editor) • Don’t expect too fast a response, but enquire politely if you do not hear anything after 3-4 months. • Respond constructively and politely to any comments from the editor or referees. • Seek out opportunities to learn and ‘give back’ by refereeing or writing book reviews.
Peer review 1 • The Process: • Submission • Editor desk review • Acknowledgement • Manuscript sent to 2/4 referees • Editor Decision • Revision • Re-submission • Acceptance (hopefully!)
Peer review 2 • Review criteria • Within subject scope for the journal • Of potential interest to the journal readership • Clear identification of contribution and significance – what does the article offer that is new? • Academic style • Readability, inc structure, focus, proofreading etc • Length
Peer review 3 • Typical outcomes: • Acceptance – very rare on first submission • Minor Amendments – Basic research and arguments are good, but a few additional details are necessary, or the writing needs sharpening up – likely to be accepted – revise and explain. • Major Amendments – The editor thinks that the article has potential, and is encouraging the author, but there are some quite significant problems – the editor is suspending judgment – acceptance depends on author’s response to referees’ comments – revise and hope! • Reject – Usually on the basis of one of more of the criteria on the previous slide – think about these criteria and revise and submit to another journal.
Knowing your own limitations • Some common challenges for new academic authors: • Being clear about your contribution • Understanding the difference between writing a thesis and writing a journal article • Writing an abstract, and the first section of the introduction. • Writing recommendations. • Keeping to word limits • Getting the title right • Version control • Dealing with some referees’ comments