1 / 20

Publishing your PhD as journal articles Authoring a PhD and Developing as a Researcher: the Endgame

Publishing your PhD as journal articles Authoring a PhD and Developing as a Researcher: the Endgame. 10 November 2009 Gita Subrahmanyam. In today’s workshop we will …. Consider publishing journal articles: why and how Hear from the experts: academic journal editors

jace
Download Presentation

Publishing your PhD as journal articles Authoring a PhD and Developing as a Researcher: the Endgame

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Publishing your PhD as journal articlesAuthoring a PhD and Developing as a Researcher: the Endgame 10 November 2009 Gita Subrahmanyam

  2. In today’s workshop we will … • Consider publishing journal articles: why and how • Hear from the experts: academic journal editors • Look at the work you’ve brought along and support each other in developing effective abstracts and strategies

  3. Why publish in journals? • To publicise your research results • Journals are a depository of knowledge • They indicate the state of the discipline • The publication process includes vetting and peer review • To develop a publications profile … to get jobs!

  4. Where to publish 2 basic types of journal • OMNIBUS or GENERAL JOURNAL covers whole discipline; often run by professional body; hence wider print readership within one country; strong competition to get in; often top-ranked journal in country + field; good for citations if paper is spotted • SPECIALIST JOURNAL focuses on one sub-field; often commercially produced; small print readership; more intense readers with citation circle features; medium citations for successful papers; sometimes hidden cultural/ ideological barriers or editorial processes

  5. Where to publish (2) • There is a hierarchy of journals within each discipline • A journal’s position in the hierarchy depends on a number of factors • Refereeing systems (top is ‘double blind’) • Citation scores • Circulation and journal types • Received wisdom (ask people in discipline) • Aim high but be realistic – and make sure you do your research on the journal prior to submitting an article

  6. Targeting specific journals • What kinds of articles does the journal publish? Make sure your article ‘fits the bill’ • What are the submission guidelines, formatting instructions and other procedures? Most editors will not consider articles that do not follow the criteria • Read editors’ reports to discover the ‘turnaround time’ from receipt to review to decision, acceptance rates and other relevant information • You may want to assess your chances of getting accepted against the time it takes to get a decision

  7. Group exercise 1 Working in groups of two, discuss: • The choice of journal – has the author chosen the correct journal for his/her article? • Risk assessment - what is the journal’s ranking? What is the turnaround time? What are the author’s chances of getting the article accepted?

  8. The publication process • You submit your paper to one (and only one) journal at a time (submission details listed in the journal) • An editor will seek advice from 1 – 3 referees • or reject your submission outright • Referees write a report for you (the author) and a confidential letter to the editor • Editor decides to accept, reject, or return your paper for revision (acceptance rates 5 – 20 %) • If rejected, take comments to heart and send your paper to another journal • Whole process takes several months … or longer

  9. What gets published? Key qualities of a publishable article: • Originality – new knowledge or theoretical development • Scholarship and accuracy • Good quality writing • Interest and importance

  10. Structuring a good article • Aim for c.8000 words (check rules of journal) • Five sections or fewer • Deliver one key message: don’t over-complicate • Front-load the argument and key message (don’t keep readers guessing)

  11. Getting articles out of your thesis • Present findings you plan to publish at seminars/conferences for feedback • A thesis chapter will need (substantial) re-working to be able to stand alone as a coherent article • Target the ‘right’ journal: what journals do you read and admire; get advice supervisor and other academics on what level to pitch at

  12. Journal editor’s perspective • Professor Simon Hix, co-editor European Union Politics

  13. The importance of the abstract • Key point of sale’ for all Internet readers • most won’t have Library access • time window = 1 minute (if they’re already keen from the title alone) • Abstract and title should form close correspondence • Both should contain: • keywords that appear in internet searches • clear and comprehensive information about what is being covered • subject, methodology and/or geographic region(s)

  14. MOTIVATION FOCUS/SCOPE/ RESEARCH PROBLEM METHODS FINDINGS/DATA/ EVIDENCE/ ANALYSIS BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSION and IMPLICATIONS ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE TECHNICAL JOURNAL ARTICLE

  15. MOTIVATION FOCUS/SCOPE/ RESEARCH PROBLEM METHODS FINDINGS/DATA/ EVIDENCE/ ANALYSIS BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSION and IMPLICATIONS ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE TECHNICAL JOURNAL ARTICLE • ATTRACTOR, • MICRO SALES PITCH • Why should the reader • bother to read the article? • Mini-origins – why I was • interested in the topic? • (If you’re not, no one • else will be) • Why is the article • interesting or important?

  16. MOTIVATION FOCUS/SCOPE/ RESEARCH PROBLEM METHODS FINDINGS/DATA/ EVIDENCE/ ANALYSIS BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSION and IMPLICATIONS ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE TECHNICAL JOURNAL ARTICLE • “NEED TO KNOW” • CRITERION • Given the type of journal and its professional audience, • what do potential readers really need to know?

  17. MOTIVATION FOCUS/SCOPE/ RESEARCH PROBLEM METHODS FINDINGS/DATA/ EVIDENCE/ ANALYSIS BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSION and IMPLICATIONS ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE TECHNICAL JOURNAL ARTICLE • RESIDUE PITCH • (‘Take-away’ message) • Why should I remember • this article or message? • Should I copy the article or • incorporate it into my work? • Why should I cite it? • (maybe without reading it • any further) • Should I put the article on • my course reading list?

  18. ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE DISCURSIVE/ THEMATIC ARTICLE • FRAME, MOTIVATION – 1 or 2 sentences • BODY – one sentence each for 3, 4 or 5 substantive sections of the paper (Never have more than 5 sections – over-signposting for standard 8,000 word paper) • OVERALL KEY FINDING – one sentence • IMPLICATIONS – one sentence

  19. Group exercise 2 Working in groups of two, discuss: • Do the title and abstract match up? • Your abstracts – does it follow our template? Does it match with the proposed structure? • Outline – does the outline structure follow the abstract in a logical or chronological way?

  20. ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE TECHNICAL JOURNAL ARTICLE ABSTRACT SEQUENCE FOR A MORE DISCURSIVE/ THEMATIC ARTICLE • FRAME, MOTIVATION – 1 or 2 sentences • BODY – one sentence each for 3, 4 or 5 substantive sections of the paper (Never more than 5 sections) • KEY FINDING – one sentence • IMPLICATIONS – one sentence • MOTIVATION – mini sales pitch 1 or 2 sentences • FOCUS/SCOPE/ RESEARCH PROBLEM – focus on what readers need to know • METHODS • FINDINGS/DATA/ EVIDENCE/ ANALYSIS • BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSION + IMPLICATIONS

More Related