The document provides guidelines for writing an author biography for a journal publication. It recommends including an author's name, qualifications, current position, research interests, and a short list of achievements. The biography should be written in the third person and be concise, typically no more than 50-200 words. Examples of short author biographies from various journals and publications are also provided.

1. Wednesday, 22 February, 2017
Atiqa Ijaz Khan

2. Author Biography | Atiqa Ijaz Khan
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Main Points: In a Glance.......................................................................................................................2
1.1. General Steps ................................................................................................................................2
2. Words Count.........................................................................................................................................2
3. Important Point .....................................................................................................................................3
4. Avoid Unnecessary Information ...........................................................................................................3
5. Examples...............................................................................................................................................3
6. Samples.................................................................................................................................................6
References.....................................................................................................................................................7

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WRITING AN AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:
JOURNAL
Author biography is important as it impacts the reputation directly.
1. MAIN POINTS: IN A GLANCE
Although, different publications and companies have varying setups and outlines for writing a biography.
But following are few main points that should be considered while writing a biography, or for a journal:
 Write in a Third person tone.
 Write for your readers, not for yourself.
 Portray your credibility (by your qualification, in a refined form, so they know why they should trust
you).
 Explain what you do (job, academics etc.).
 Be relevant to your concern field.
 Add little history of yourself and achievements (depending upon for a book or a journal).
 Keep it short and precise (unless stated).
 Write it in professional way as that of in your field.
1.1. GENERAL STEPS
Few things are generally included while writing a biography for a journal:
 Author full name
 Qualification and academic history
 Current status and position (technical and academic)
 Awards and achievements
 Research field/article interest
 Picture (if required)
2. WORDS COUNT
Although, it is limited or according to the demand. But generally:
 Short: 35 – 50

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 Medium: 100 - 200
 Long: 200 - 400
3. IMPORTANT POINT
1. It is always good to observe the biographies by other authors in your respective journal/discipline to
know the acceptable style for them as well as readers.
2. Keep the writing within:
a. Context: Journals, conference proposals, publications, books, institutional websites,
portfolio, academics, professional websites, etc.
b. Audience: teaching staff, students, outside from your field, academic committee members,
professional, clients etc.
c. Purpose: Why you are writing this particular biography.
4. AVOID UNNECESSARY INFORMATION
There are few things that should not be a part of an author biography or atleast avoided unless required:
 Don’t write too long unless it is stated (may be for books, portfolio etc.).
 Much older books you read or awards.
 Don’t add irrelevant achievements and stuff.
 Don’t add extra personal details.
 Any previous rejection.
 It is not necessary to inform readers always, if this is your first time, unless required.
5. EXAMPLES
1. Suzannah Windsor is a Canadian writer currently living on the Australian coast with her husband and
young children. Her short fiction appeared in the 2011 issue of The Sand Hill Review, and was
nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from The University
of Windsor, and a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University.
(https://writeitsideways.com/how-to-write-your-bio-for-a-byline-or-query/)
2. Lynn Vincent is the New York Times best-selling writer of Heaven Is for Real and Same Kind of
Different as Me. The author or coauthor of ten books, Lynn has sold 12 million copies since 2006. She
worked for eleven years as a writer and editor at the national news biweekly WORLD magazine and is
a U.S. Navy veteran.

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(http://bookinabox.com/how-to-write-your-author-bio-and-why-it-matters/)
3. "Kathryn Saclarides is a second-year social administration student at the University of Chicago School
of Social Service Administration. She received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and Spanish from
Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in bioethics from La Universidad Pontificia de Comillas
in Madrid, Spain. Her current field placement is with the National Alliance of Latin American and
Caribbean Communities (NALACC). She is interested in migration patterns, ethnic neighborhoods, and
transnational communities."
(http://www.ssa.uchicago.edu/examples-biographical-statement-and-abstract)
4. Dr. Min Liu obtained his doctor's degree from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences,
Wuhan University, China. He has coauthored over 10 publications
including Biomaterials, Bioconjugate Chem., J. Mater. Chem., Macromol. Biosci., Polymer. Dr. Liu
is a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Zhijun Zhang's group. His current research focuses on using
functionalized graphene and carbon nanotubes as gene and drug delivery systems.
(http://www.thno.org/v02p0283.htm#coraddress)
5. Dr Ashish Diwan heads the Disc Biology Group, which focuses on understanding the molecular
mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration. The group is housed in the Orthopaedic Research
Institute, St George Clinical School which is part of the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Dr Diwan is a leading and internationally respected orthopaedic surgeon and research scientist with
awards for outstanding and innovative research, including the prestigious Merrill Lynch Global
Innovation Distinguished Award and grant in 2000 for pioneering works applying molecular biology
to fracture healing. His team has received many awards recognising the excellence and innovation of
the work: 1) Best Poster Presentation award, ISSLS, Geneva 2008; 2) Lyman Smith Award for Best
Scientific Work - the Intradiscal Therapy Society Annual Scientific Meeting, June 2007, Albi (Toulouse)
France; 3) Best Presentation award - International Society for the Study of Lumbar Spine- Bergen
Norway June 2006; 4) Finalist Medtronic Best Paper Award - Spine Society of Australia, April 2006;
5) New Investigator Research Award - Finalist - The Orthopaedic Research Society - Chicago 2006;
6) Orthotec Best Poster Award - Spine Society of Australia April 2005. The group formed in 2000 and
established an extremely fruitful collaboration in 2003 with Prof. David Ma's Stem Cell Biology Group
in St Vincent's Hospital Sydney in order to better pursue aspects of stem cell therapy for intervertebral
disc degeneration.
(http://www.ijbs.com/v05p0192.htm#headingA7)

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6. Dr. Yar hold Ph.D from Tallinn University of Technology, double master’s degrees, M.Sc in Computer
Engineering from Mid Sweden University, M.S in Information Technology and a Bachelor’s degree B.S
in Computer Science. Dr. Yar works in University of Tartu as faculty member and has several years
work experience in the areas of teaching, research, administrative (Head of Program BSMS
computing), programming, student’s affairs and arranging/organized research conferences, seminars,
workshops, events. Dr. Yar has several research publications in well-known international Journals and
conferences. He received a Young Investigator Award (YIA), which was awarded by Springer and
IFMBE at 16th NBC 2014, Sweden and he was runner-up for the Best Paper Award (BPA) in the 26th
ISSC 2015, Ireland. Dr. Yar has also been engaged to create linkage between industry and academia.
He associate with IEEE, he served as IEEE Student Branch Counsellor and Chairman and currently
he works as Vice Chair IEEE IM/ED/EMB Joint Chapter and IEEE Student Activities Officer at IEEE
Estonian Section.
(http://www.springer.com/?SGWID=0-102-2-1528345-0)
7. Jane Smith is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Virginia. She received her
doctorate in Anthropology from Indiana University. Her recent publications include Tibetan Art (Jaca
Books, 1999) and “The Vajravali Mandala of Shalu and Sakya: The Legacy of Buton (1290-
1364),” Orientations (May, 2004). Her research interests include the grazing patterns of sheep in
western Tibet, and she is currently completing a translation and study of Ippolito Desideri’s Historical
Notes on Tibet.
(https://collab.itc.virginia.edu/wiki/toolbox/Brief%20Abstract%20and%20Brief%20Biographical%20Stat
ement.html)
8. Bhim Singh (SM’99) was born in Rahamapur, India, in 1956. He received the B.E.
degree in electrical engineering from the University of Roorkee, Roorkee, India, in 1977,
and the M.Tech. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, India, in 1979 and 1983, respectively.
In 1983, he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Roorkee, as a
Lecturer, and in 1988 became a Reader. Since December 1990, he has been with the Department of
Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi, where he was an Assistant Professor, became an Associate Professor in
1994, and a Professor in 1997. His current research interests include power electronics, electrical
machines and drives, active filters, flexible ac transmission systems, high-voltage dc, and power quality.
Dr. Singh is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering; the National Academy of Science,
India; the Institution of Engineers (India); and the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication

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Engineers (IETE). He is a Life Member of the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), the System
Society of India, and the National Institution of Quality and Reliability.
He was the General Chair of the IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Drives and Energy
Systems (PEDES 2006) held in New Delhi. He was the recipient of the Khosla Research Prize of the
University of Roorkee in 1991, the J. C. Bose and Bimal K. Bose Awards of the IETE for his contributions
to the field of power electronics in 2000, the Maharashtra State National Award of the ISTE in recognition
of his outstanding research work in the area of power quality in 2006, and the PES Delhi Chapter
Outstanding Engineer Award for 2006.
(http://www.info-optim.ro/down/IEEE_biography_samples.doc)
6. SAMPLES
1. [[Name]] is a [[Position]] in the [[Department]] (with a specialization/concentration in
[[Specialization]]) at [[Institution]]. S/he is interested in [[research/teaching interests]]. (Or, her/his
research/pedagogical interests include…) More specifically, her/his work examines (or other such verb)
[[fill in the blank]].
(http://www.gradhacker.org/2011/09/23/narrating-your-professional-life-writing-the-academic-bio/)
2. [Name] was born in [City, Country], in [Year] and, received her Bachelor’s degree in [Degree] from
[Department, University], in [year]. She has completed M.Phil. in [Degree] from [Department,
University], in [year], with major in [thesis main theme].
In [Year], she started her professional career as [1st
position] in [Department, Company]. She excelled
in technical field through ongoing projects of national and international repute including, [Project
Names].
Since [Date, Year], she started working as a [Academic Position] for journals, [Journal Names] etc. Her
current research interests include, [Current Research Topics].
(Personal experience)

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REFERENCES
1. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-a-bio#sm.0000y2k1ch14dkdozqsczpet9w8gi
2. http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/77959/how-to-write-a-brief-author-biography-for-a-
journal-article
3. http://blog.bookbaby.com/2014/03/how-to-write-a-great-author-
bio/?utm_campaign=BB1411&utm_source=BBeNews&utm_medium=Email
4. https://writeitsideways.com/how-to-write-your-bio-for-a-byline-or-query/
5. https://writeitsideways.com/how-to-write-your-bio-for-a-byline-or-query/
6. http://www.ssa.uchicago.edu/examples-biographical-statement-and-abstract
7. http://www.gradhacker.org/2011/09/23/narrating-your-professional-life-writing-the-academic-bio/
8. http://www.medsci.org/ms/author
9. http://www.thno.org/v02p0283.htm#coraddress
10. http://www.ijbs.com/v05p0192.htm#headingA7
11. http://www.springer.com/?SGWID=0-102-2-1528345-0
12. https://collab.itc.virginia.edu/wiki/toolbox/Brief%20Abstract%20and%20Brief%20Biographical%20
Statement.html
13. http://www.info-optim.ro/down/IEEE_biography_samples.doc