Writing for Publication

1
Writing for Publication

• Sharan B. Merriam
• University of Georgia

2
Types of Articles

• Practice
• Literature reviews
• Data-based research
• Theoretical think pieces

3
Locating a Journal

• Who is the audience?
• What types of articles do they publish?
• What is the tone/style of the journal?
• Chatty, informal, conversational?
• Formal researchese?
• Have other articles in your area been published
  in this journal?
• What is the layout of the articles? Subheadings?
• What is the editorial style? (most will be APA)

4
The Review Process

• Manuscript is submitted according to author or
  submission guidelines
• The editors may do a pre-screening for
  appropriateness of the ms. for the journal
• Ms. is sent out for review to 2 or 3 reviewers
  the review is blind in that the author does not
  know who is reviewing the ms., nor do the
  reviewers know who the author is
• Reviewers return review to the editors who then
  make a final judgment on its status

5
Review Process Cont

• Author is notified with a cover letter from the
  editors and comments from reviewers
• An accepted decision almost always requires
  some revisions
• Author makes revisions and returns ms. to the
  editors with a cover letter saying what revisions
  were done
• Author receives page proofs for editing.

6
Increasing your Chances

• Present your work at a conference or
  workshop/brown bag session for feedback before
  writing the article
• Ask colleagues, professors, friends, to read a
  draft of your article
• Develop a writing/reading group to help each
  other
• Make a careful selection of the journal before
  you write the article
• Follow author or submission guidelines and
  format according to the journal
• Submit to one journal at a time After 3 months
  query the editor about the status of your
  manuscript.

7
Reasons for Rejecting a Ms.

• Lack of a theoretical framework work needs to be
  situated in the literature
• Tries to do too much, cover too many topics with
  the result no depth
• Focus of ms. is unclear, and/or inconsistent
  throughout the manuscript
• Implications not explicit or well developed
• No support for sweeping assertions.

8
Book Publishing

• Outline your idea sketch out topics that might
  become chapters
• Edited or single authored?
• Look for a publisher that has published other
  books in your field
• Contact the publisher and/or series editor about
  your idea Follow proposal guidelines

9
The Writing Process

• Freewriting
• Outline
• First Draft
• Revising

10
Tips for Writing up your Work

• Determine the type of physical environment you
  need to be productive
• Determine the time of day when you write best,
  and the length of time needed
• Talk your way through. Describe to yourself or
  to others what you intend to write
• Before stopping, list what you intend to do
  during the next writing session

11
Tips, (continued)

• Set aside what you have written and reread after
  some time has lapsed
• Dont get bogged down in the technical aspects of
  writing such as spelling and grammar these can
  be corrected later
• Expect there will be times when conditions are
  perfect, but you still cannot write do something
  else and try again later.

12
For More Engaging Writing...

• Narrative of some personal experience ( or from
  media)
• Open or close with a quotation
• Use humor
• Begin with a controversial or debatable
  statement
• Use metaphors (implied comparisons)