First Steps to Publishing as a Doctoral Student

 

By Lilian H. Hill

As a new doctoral student, getting started with publishing can be an essential step in building your academic career and contributing to your field of study. Yet, the pathway to publishing can feel mysterious. You may think you have nothing to offer or do not know how to start. Nevertheless, it is best to get started early in your program. If you need an incentive, nothing is as exciting as seeing your name in print (Levasseur, 2006).

 

Do not be Intimidated

Your professors may have shared one of their publications as a class handout, and you were impressed. Journal articles can be long and employ the extensive vocabulary of the academic discipline you are learning. A published academic article is the polished product of multiple months or even years of effort.

 

Perhaps you viewed the curriculum vitae (CV) of one of your professors and have been intimidated. CVs can be many pages long and serve as a chronological record of an individual’s career, including their degrees and other credentials, publications, grants, teaching, and service activities. If you are more accustomed to the limitations of a 1–2-page résumé, the length of an accomplished professor’s CV can be overwhelming. You may have no idea how the professor created that extensive CV, but you can recognize that they have had years to acquire the accomplishments documented in the CV.

 

Remember several things:

·       You are just beginning to learn the ropes of publishing.

·       You have something to offer.

·       You do not have to learn about publishing alone.

 

Simple Ways to Begin

Here are simple ways to start publishing:

 

1.   Write reviews of academic books. Book reviews tend to be short, between 500 – 1200 words. Most academic journals have a section called resources or book reviews. The journal will have a book review editor who usually has a list of books they want reviewed. You can contact the editor by email to volunteer and request a book you can review. You can also suggest a book for review in the academic discipline. Reading published reviews in your selected journal to understand the format and style expectations is wise. Typically, book review editors will advise you about how to revise your review to be ready for publication.

 

2.   Present Your Research at Conferences. Presenting your research at academic conferences allows you to share your findings and provides opportunities to network with other researchers and potential collaborators. Some conferences also offer peer-reviewed proceedings or opportunities to publish extended abstracts.

 

3.   Submit to Student Conferences. Many academic disciplines have conferences or conference sections specifically for graduate students. These platforms provide a supportive environment for early-career researchers. You will meet students at other universities who share your research interests and may forge continuing relationships that benefit your career.

 

4.   Write Literature Reviews or Conceptual Papers. Literature reviews or conceptual papers can be a good starting point for publishing as they allow you to demonstrate your understanding of existing research and contribute new perspectives to the field. You may be able to adapt a class project that received positive feedback from the instructor. Be sure to follow the journal’s guidelines for authors. Not abiding by these guidelines can result in immediate rejection, no matter the quality of the submission.

 

5.   Consult with your advisor. Your advisor can provide guidance and support as you begin publishing. Before submitting your work for publication, seek feedback from your supervisor, mentors, or peers. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improving your manuscript. Professors may ask you to join them in a research project if you are lucky. Collaborating on research projects or co-authoring papers with faculty members is a valuable way to gain experience with the publishing process (Tennegard & Wegener, 2016).

 

Things to Know

Very few academic articles are accepted for publication on the first submission. The polished product you read in a journal is often the result of multiple rounds of revisions. Judicious editing and revision are part of the publishing process and result in better publications.

 

Publishing can be lengthy, so it is important to be persistent and patient. Do not be discouraged by rejections; use feedback from reviewers to improve your work for future submissions. Academic disciplines have multiple journals, so you can submit to a different journal if your first submission is rejected. Just do not make the mistake of submitting the same paper to multiple journals simultaneously.

 

Publishing as a doctoral student is a learning process, and each publication contributes to your development as a researcher. Stay proactive, seek collaboration and feedback opportunities, and continue refining your writing and research skills.

 

References

Levasseur, R. (2006). Student to scholar: Getting published as a doctoral student. Mindfire Press.

Tennegard, L., & Wegener, C. (2016). A survival kit for doctoral students and their supervisors. Travelling the landscape of research. SAGE.

What Journal Authors Wish that Authors Knew

 

By Lilian H. Hill

 

Journal editors are often frustrated by receiving manuscript submissions unrelated to their journal’s purpose and that do not meet the journal’s manuscript submission guidelines. It is disappointing to find that what at first glance appears to be a credible manuscript cannot be considered because it is unrelated to the journal’s purview and guidelines, does not meet style guidelines, is plagiarized, or greatly exceeds the length of articles the journal publishes. Editors recognize how disappointing it can be to have a manuscript rejected before it is sent to reviewers, yet failure to follow submission guidelines is a major reason why this occurs. Therefore, we provide some advice for authors wishing to publish their work.

 

Carefully Select a Journal

 

1.  Be very careful to select journals that match your manuscript’s topic, purpose, methods, and conclusions. 

 

a.  One source of information about journals is Cabell’s Scholarly Analytics which you may be able to access through your university library databases. Other sources include your colleagues, as well as the journals cited in your reference list. 

 

2.  Once you have identified relevant journals, it is to your benefit to carefully study each journal’s Authors’ Submission Guidelines to determine whether your article is a good fit for the journal. This information is easily accessible because almost all journals now maintain a web presence.

 

3.  Read articles published in past issues of the journal(s) to which you contemplate submitting your manuscript. Gaining a perspective on the articles that a journal accepts for publication provides guidance for authors about the focus of the journal and the type and caliber of articles accepted for publication. 

 

4.  It is not required to include a citation from your selected journal in your manuscript; however, if a pertinent citation exists, citing it reflects your understanding of the scope of the journal and your manuscript’s connection to previously published work. 

 

Review Submission Guidelines

 

Credible journals provide guidance to authors regarding:

a.  The purpose, subject area, emphasis, and scope of the journal. 

 

b.  Types of articles published and their length parameters.

 

c.  Requirements regarding the use of style guidelines (such as APA, MLA, Chicago, Medical Style).

 

d.  Current and past issues so that you can access previously published articles.

 

e.  Ethical requirements, and guidance regarding avoiding plagiarism.

 

f.   Impact factors, indexing, and distribution.

 

g.  Editorial standards, board members/reviewers, and publisher.

 

Prepare and Submit Your Manuscript Adhering to the Style Guidelines

 

Carefully read the author’s guidelines to determine the:

1.  Items to submit, including the abstract, keywords, manuscript, and reference list (aka, Bibliography).

 

a.  If applicable, follow the directions to submit any tables, figures, or other images. Typically, these items must be “camera-ready,” meaning clear and of sufficient resolution to be ready for publication.

 

b.  You may also upload a brief letter to the editors.

 

2.  Required Style Guidelines (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, Medical Style). These provide guidance regarding document formatting, citation, and references. 

 

a.  Do not format your manuscript to look like articles that have been published in the journal; not only is this presumptuous, but it also raises questions about previous publication and plagiarism.

 

3.  Length requirements for the types of articles a journal publishes. 

 

4.  Authorship information, including name, institution, and contact information for each author; authorship order; and identification of the contact author. 

 

5.  Sources of Funding, if applicable.

 

6.  Conflict of Interest Statements.

 

Failure to follow the journal’s submission guidelines can result in your manuscript being rejected, no matter its content, quality, or importance.

 

Follow the Ethics of Manuscript Submission

 

1.  Most academic journals use an anonymous peer-reviewed process (often referred to as double-blind peer review), meaning that authors and reviewers will not know each other’s identity. Therefore, be sure that you do not include any personally identifying information in the manuscript itself, including institution, program name, or author(s) name. If needed, this information will be reinstated during the final copy-editing process should your manuscript be accepted for publication.

 

2.  It is expected that you submit your manuscript to only one journal at a time.

 

3.    Do not submit previously published work.

 

a.    If your work is based on a published conference proceedings article, your manuscript submission must be sufficiently different to merit additional publication. You must cite the proceedings in the new manuscript. 

 

b.    If the work you are submitting is based on a dissertation, you must also cite the dissertation.

 

4.  Journal editors and reviewers are not intended to serve as copy editors. Be careful to submit work that is grammatically correct and factually correct and ensure that your references and citations match. If a manuscript has many errors, it will be rejected and returned to the author. 

 

5.  Respond graciously to reviewer and editor responses, even if you disagree with their conclusions. 

 

a.  Typically, your manuscript can be improved by following the recommendations of reviewers and editors.

 

b.  If you feel that something you submitted was misunderstood or misinterpreted, or if the reviewer recommendations contradict each other, it is allowable to communicate with the editors to clarify your meaning. 

 

Following these guidelines will increase your chances of successful academic journal publications.

 

Six Tips for Publishing on the Special Issue on Blended Learning Technologies in Health Professions Education

  

This episode focuses on a publishing opportunity with eLearn Magazine for educators in the health professions. Dr. Anita Samuel provides six tips for publishing on the Special Issue on Blended Learning Technologies in Health Professions Education. Follow up with the issue editor, Dr. Samuel (anita.samuel@usuhs.edu) on how you can submit a strong paper for the special issue. Join in the discussion to ask questions or post comments.

Listen to the Podcast

 

 

Getting Published! Episode 3 Transcript

Publishing Strategies to Reach a Broader Audience

 

 

Are you interested in publishing an opinion article? This episode is an interview with Dr. Dante Salto about his process for publishing an opinion paper about distance education in Latin America during COVID-19 pandemic on eLearn Magazine. He provides three strategies for incorporating evidence into the opinion article to reach a broader audience and the impact of the article for readers.  

 

Listen to the Podcast

 

Getting Published! Episode 2 Transcript

Publish for eLearn Magazine

 

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Welcome to Getting Published!

Publishing is not an easy task. It requires attention to detail, understanding publication guidelines and expectations, and an open mind when receiving feedback. 

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