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Get yourself heard: writing for publication
Helen Fallon Maynooth University/IReL Anyone can write for publication. Whether you’re aiming at a peer-reviewed article, a practice-based piece, or writing a regular professional blog, getting your ideas and experience out into the wider world is a great way to engage with your professional community and beyond. Publishing can also enhance your career opportunities. This workshop will give you the confidence to start writing for publication. It will cover some key techniques to get you started and to keep going right through to publication. Helen Fallon is Deputy University Librarian at Maynooth University. She is on the editorial board of “New Review of Academic Librarianship” and has published extensively
Get yourself heard: writing for publication
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- 2. Get Yourself Heard: Writing forPublication Helen Fallon Deputy Librarian, Maynooth University Helen.b.fallon@mu.ie @helenfallon
- 3. • What canyou write about? • Who is your audience? • What is the purpose of your writing? • Where can you publish? • How do you write the piece? • How can you find time to write? • How can you promote your publishing? www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library Your story
- 4. Inspiring Quotes If you’reclear 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) www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 5. What can youwrite about? • Your practice/everyday work/a project you were involved with • Your research/thesis • Topic that interests you/topic you know a bit about • Other – book you read, conference you attended, course you undertook etc. • Consider what information you have • Consider what topics are popular www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library Literature review Statistics Survey Quotes Feedback forms Photos Reflective journal
- 6. Professional Journals Practice-based Monthly/ bimonthly 500 to 2,000 words Short lead-in time Editor/editorial board make decision www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 7. Peer reviewed Journals Academic/Scholarly Articles 5,000words plus Literature review (research context) Quarterly/ bi-annually Lead-in time Peer Review Process www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
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- 9. Layout and structure ProfessionalJournal Peer review journal Title Title and keywords Introduction Abstract – informative or structured Background / Context Introduction What happened? Background / context Outcome / results Literature review Reflection Method / Approach Conclusion Results / analysis Possibly some references Discussion Often include case studies Conclusion References www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 10. Writing prompts www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library Write forfive 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…
- 11. Writing - Outlining •Work from an outline – model your article on an article in your target journal that works well • View structure at a glance • Order ideas/ Sift & eliminate ideas • Contextualise/Give framework www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library 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
- 12. Writing • Adhere tojournal guidelines • Read some articles in recent issues of your target journal/Look at structure as well as content • Write from your outline • Write in sections – look at your outline • Include headings and sub-headings • Consider tense • Consider Voice – active or passive • Style isn’t evident in first drafts www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 13. Writing • Don’t lookfor perfection, just write - Give yourself permission to write badly • All writing is rewriting • You are a storyteller – what are the elements of good storytelling? • Draft and redraft • Read aloud • Put aside for a week then reread • Let go! (80%) • Refer to your query e-mail in your submission www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 14. Peer Review • DoubleBlind • Accept as is • Accept with minor changes • Accept with major changes (revise and resubmit) • Reject • If rejected, need to reconsider and possibly rewrite to some degree to match new journal style/guidelines for authors www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 15. Responding to PeerReview • Do not despair! • Acknowledge receipt • Go systematically through suggested changes • Make changes where feasible • Reread complete article • Resubmit explaining changes you have made and explaining why you have not acted on certain suggestions www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 16. After Publication • CheckSherpa for journal guidelines on depositing in an institutional repository http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/ • Accepted Manuscript Online (AMO) • Free downloads (50 T&F) • Social media - Tweet link to your article/create link in your e-mail signature • Altmetrics • Can you develop this topic further? • Celebrate success www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 17. Moving on WithYour Writing • Time – snack or sandwich writing • Set goals • Look for collaborators – within and outside your discipline • Collect data – your practice • Describe, but also reflect and evaluate • Read & discuss www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
- 18. Books & Articles •Day, Abby (2017) How to get research published in journals. 2nd ed. Gower. • Fallon, H. (2011). The Academic Writing Toolkit http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/1387/1/HFSconul20.pdf • Kitchin, R. & Fuller, D. (2005) The Academic’s Guide to Publishing. London: Sage • Morris, W (2018) Superhero Writing Tips for Librarians http://bit.ly/2zxwFIn • Murray, R. (2006) Writing Articles, Books and Presentations IN Gilbert, N (ed.) From Postgraduate to Social Scientist: A Guide to Key Skills. London: Sage, p. 149-170 • Murray, R. (2009) Writing for Academic Journals. 2nd ed. McGraw Hill/Open University More resources on getting published including a comprehensive bibliography are available on my blog www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library
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- 20. Thank you! Helen Fallon,Deputy Librarian, Maynooth University Helen.b.fallon@mu.ie @helenfallon @library_MU www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library