Helen Fallon takes us through how to write for academic publication in this first workshop on the topic. She gives tips on every aspect of writing a piece for an academic publication.

1. Writing for
Academic
Publication
Workshop 1
Helen Fallon
Deputy Librarian,
Maynooth University
Helen.b.fallon@mu.ie
@helenfallon

2. Learning Outcomes
www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
• Develop confidence and motivation to write
• Learn techniques for overcoming writers block
• Identify publishable material from practice/research
• Understand the different requirements for different
types of publications
• Be aware of different abstract formats and know how to
craft an abstract
• Develop a structure for a chapter/article and begin
writing the article
• Draw up a writing plan

3. Topic
Chapter/article needs to relate to Professional
Development and/or some aspect of the Professional
Development Framework and their engagement with
that aspect
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4. Task Writing to Prompt
Write for ten minutes, in sentences not bullets,
using one of the following prompts
– I am interested in writing about…
– An area of my experience which I would like to write
about is…
– A really interesting project that I think people would
be interested in reading about is…
– I feel at my most creative when I’m writing about…
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5. Clustering
Clustering, sometimes called mapping, is a
brainstorming technique that generates
categories and connections
Maimon, E (2003) A Writer’s Resource: A Handbook for Writing and Research,
p. 38-39
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6. Clustering
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7. Task
• Write a topic relating to an aspect of the
professional development framework in the centre
of a piece of paper, and draw a circle around it.
• Surround the topic with subtopics. Circle each and
draw a line from it to the centre circle.
• Brainstorm more ideas. As you do this, connect each
new concept to a subtopic already on the sheet, or
make it a new subtopic.
• You will probably find there are many angles to your
topic. Pick one specific aspect/angle. Writing
projects often fail because they are too broad.
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8. Inspiring Quotes
If you’re clear in your mind about what you are going
to paint, there is no point in painting it (Picasso)
I have to start to write to have ideas (Françoise Sagan)
Writing is a process of discovery. Sometimes you don't
know what you know. You may know it but have no idea
how it fits together (Alice Walker)
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9. Task
• Write a summary of the topic in no more
than 50 words
• Explain the topic to a colleague
• Note any questions/comments your
colleague has
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10. Task
What evidence do you have that could
underpin your piece of writing?
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11. What evidence/data do you have?
• Your practice
• Literature review
• Library statistics
• National/International statistics
• Survey
• Interviews
• Evaluation forms
• Quotes
• Photographs
• Reflective journal
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12. Titles that get noticed
• Stimulate reader’s interest
• Working title/final title
• Attract and inform the reader
• Stand out
• Be accurate
• Facilitate indexing
e.g. Self and Peer Assessment as a method of
improving quality: the Maynooth University
Library experience
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13. Task
• Give your chapter/article a working title
• Allocate three keywords to help people retrieve
your article
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14. Outlining
• Most academic writers work from an outline
• Allows you view the structure at a glance and dip into
various sections when you have a short amount of time
• helps sift and eliminate ideas
• Writing a 5,000 word piece can be daunting. Breaking it
into sections can make the process more manageable
The reason many aspiring authors fail is that they throw themselves immediately into
the activity of writing without realizing it is the forethought, analysis and preparation
that determine the quality of the finished product
Day, A. (2007) How to Get Research Published in Journals. Burlington, VT.: Ashgate. P. 9
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15. Professional Journal
Professional journal
Generally draws on practice
Articles typically between 1,000 and 2,000
words
References/bibliography not essential
Editor decides on content, guided by editorial
board
examples: SCONUL Focus, Irish Archives Bulletin
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16. Peer-Reviewed Journal
Academic/Scholarly articles
May draw on practice but must have a research
context
Articles typically 5,000 words plus
Literature review and references
Peer reviewed
examples: New Review of Academic Librarianship,
Library Management Journal, All Ireland Society for
Higher Education Journal (AISHE-J)
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17. Outlines
• who, what, when,
where, why, how
• What happened?
• What was my role in it?
• What was the
outcome?
• Title
• Introduction
• Context/Background
• Description
• Evaluation
• Reflection
• Conclusion
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18. Outline
• Title
• Keywords
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Background/Context
• Literature review
• Method/Approach
• Results/Analysis
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References
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19. Journal Article Abstract
• Normal in peer reviewed journals
• Details essence – tells what the article is going to do
• Length determined by journal
• Generally around 200 words
• informative or structured
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20. Informative Abstract
This article explores the integration of a Special Collection –
the Ken Saro-Wiwa Archive -into the undergraduate
curriculum at Maynooth University (MU). Following
background information on the archive, the Development
Theories module on the BA in Community Studies is briefly
described. The rationale behind the decision to use the
archive in the module is presented; learning outcomes are
given; the content of the module is described; student
feedback is presented and the method of assessment
outlined. The article concludes with a discussion on how
Special Collections and Archives might be further integrated
into the undergraduate curriculum.
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21. Structured Abstract
• Purpose
• Design/Methodology/Approach
• Research limitations
• Practical Implications
• Originality/Value
• Paper type
• Keywords
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22. Verbs
• Consider the verbs you use
Addresses, argues, asks, concludes, covers, demonstrates,
describes, discusses, elucidates, enhances, evaluates,
examines, expands, explains, explores, identifies, maps,
outlines, presents, proposes, reports, reviews, shows,
suggests, summarises, surveys, synthesizes, touches on
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23. Task
• Write an abstract using one of the following
models
– Informative
– Structured
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24. Task - Peer Review
Exchange your abstract with a colleague and
give feedback using the following guidelines
• Is the text easy to read and does it make sense?
• Does the abstract explain what the piece is going to
do?
• Does the abstract contain more than one main
topic/theme?
• Does the abstract tell what methodology is going
to be used
• Is the topic interesting?
• What do you like best about it?
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25. Task
• Draw up an outline for your chapter/article and begin
each section with “This section will cover…”
OR
Write your chapter/article as a story with a beginning,
middle and end in no more than 500 words
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26. Task
• Write a section of your chapter/article
• You can start at any point - generally not the conclusion
• Scientists often start with results – could start with case
study and build chapter around it
• Background/Context often a good starting point
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27. Task
• Exchange your draft with a colleague and give
feedback using the following guidelines
– Is the text easy to read and does it make sense?
– Does one sentence follow logically from another?
– Does the piece contain more than one main idea?
– Is it interesting?
– What do you like best about this piece of writing?
– How might it be developed?
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28. Writing
• Don’t look for perfection, just write!
• Give yourself permission to write badly
• All writing is rewriting
• Writing is a craft not an art
• Style doesn’t come in first drafts
• If possible write full article without editing
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29. Writing as Storytelling
• A Story should have a beginning, a middle and an end,
but not necessarily in that order
• How do you create impact/get the attention of the
reader
Unlike presenting at a conference, with writing there is
no opportunity to ask for clarification
• Decide what to include and what to exclude
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30. Style in Writing
• Style and voice rarely come through clearly in early
drafts
• Trying to polish too early may hamper the ideas phase,
the early drafts when you are chopping and changing
and just trying to get ideas down on paper or a PC.
• Style is multifaceted and made up of many elements
• headings & subheadings, sentences, paragraphs
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31. Headings & Subheadings
• Headings & subheadings act as signposts, breaking up
text, making the structure clearer and allowing the
reader see at a glance the main themes of the paper
• Headings help to effectively organise ideas
• Headings create connections between the different
parts of the paper and can also make a manuscript
visually more attractive, as does the white space before
and after paragraphs
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32. Signposts
• Endings of sections that hark back to what has gone
before or opening sections that indicate what is to come
act of unofficial signposts
• Transitional words help maintain flow of thought. These
might be time links (then, next, after, while, since),
cause-effect links (therefore, consequently, as a result),
addition links (in addition, furthermore, similarly) and
contrast links (but, nevertheless, however, although).
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33. Sentences
The best writing is always the simplest and the clearest. When you use a word of three
syllables or more, check yourself. Is there really a reason to use that longer word? The best way
to avoid using the wrong word is to keep your words as simple as possible. (Day, p. 105, 2007)
Avoid complicated sentence structure and long sentences linked
by the word “and”
Read aloud to get a sense of the sound of your text. If a sentence
seems “clunky” or unnatural when you read it aloud, check the
grammar and punctuation. If a sentence seems too long see if
you can shorten it without changing meaning. It may be
appropriate to divide it in two. If words are repeated and the
sentence sounds unprofessional as you read it aloud, then
rephrase.
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34. Paragraphs
• New paragraphs begin each time you move from one
clear idea to another or change direction
• The first sentence or two usually present the topic or
theme and the following sentences develop this
• Each paragraph should relate logically to the previous
paragraph, as well as to the overall theme of the article.
If a paragraph contains more than one main topic divide
it
• Do the paragraphs and sections flow easily or do they
jolt from idea to idea? If your writing jolts consider
having linking sentences
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35. Tense
• Forceful writing results from writing
concisely, actively and positively. The
present tense is usually more active and
therefore more forceful than the past
tense.” (Henson, K. Writing for Publication: Road to
Academic Advancement, 2005, Boston: Pearson, p. 48)
• Discipline style and tense
• Different tenses
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36. Moving the story along
• Keep related material together and have a logical
movement from sentence to sentence, paragraph to
paragraph and from section to section
• Remember you are a storyteller
• Does each sentence moves the story along? Do the
paragraphs and sections flow easily or do they jolt from
idea to idea?
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37. Task
• Write a paragraph describing how you are going to
develop your piece over the next six weeks. Be as
specific as possible
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