1) The document provides a step-by-step strategy for getting published in a peer-reviewed journal, beginning with identifying a novel topic and choosing the right journal, and including developing a writing plan, ensuring originality, conducting quality assurance reviews, and properly submitting the paper. 2) Key steps include identifying a topic you are passionate about, researching what has already been published on the topic, choosing the right journal based on its aims and scope, developing a writing plan with targets and regular writing sessions, getting feedback from others, and carefully following the journal's author guidelines when submitting. 3) Common mistakes include presenting too much background, overstating problems or solutions, including too many ideas in one paper, and

1. Getting published in a peer-review journal:
planning an effective strategy
Dr John W Albarran Dphil, MSc, PG DipEd, BSc (Hons) Dip N (Lon), RN, NFESC, NFEfCCNa
Co-Editor of Nursing in Critical Care

2. Strategy plan
Identifying a topic area (what is ‘novel’ contribution?)
Choosing a journal
Planning and writing the paper
Strategies for maximising time
Quality assurance

3. Preparatory work phase
Valuing and having a positive attitude to writing

4. Plan: Write about something you know a lot about
• An idea from your area expertise
• Research, an audit or project you completed
• An unusual case study, practice development or clinical
intervention, quality initiative
• Something that is innovative in your practice? (teaching
materials, on-line packages, patient information leaflets,
specialist follow-up service)
• The outcomes of study
Originality, quality, relevance, rigour are essential elements

5. Your strategy must consider, what, who and why?
What am I going to writing about…exactly? (Is it a new
development, research findings, a topical issue, or a reflective analysis?)
Who am I writing for…precisely? (Who is my target audience?
What style/language do I need to adopt)
Why am I telling them this?...interesting (I feel passionate
about the topic. I want to start a debate, to educate, or to analyse policy.
It is part of a dissemination strategy. I want to highlight an example of
innovative practice/achievement)
(Cook 2000;13-15)

6. How else can I prepare?
Review bibliographic databases for topic-fatigue
What types of papers have been published on your topic?
In what ways does your proposed idea stand apart (original)
from published work? Is it different in terms methodology,
type of intervention, offer a fresh perspective?
Do you need to write to the editor*?

7. Plan: have you chosen the right journal?
Choosing the right journal for your paper is critical to
success
Go online or visit your library and identify 2-3 possible
journals
Get into the habit at looking at aims and scope of the
journal, is there a clear statement about what type of
manuscripts are welcomed?
Is there a clear sense of the target reading audience?
*(remember the internet widens the scope of readership
if your search terms are sound)
Examine the editorial board & contributors? Do you
recognise any names?
Check the author/contributor guidelines
• Can be accessible via print version of the journal
• Available at the journal website (instructions for authors)

8. I would rate the formatting and targeting of an article to a particular
journal as the most important factor in successful writing for
publication (Cook 2000; 23)
This kind of activity is very important in pre-writing, as ensuring your
paper meets the aims and scope of the journal together with choosing
the one that reaches the most appropriate audience...essential first
steps to successful publication (Watson 2012; 61)

9. Do you have a realistic writing plan?
Writing takes time- develop and action plan and brainstorm
Ensure you have enough material- Literature, data, and
organise this
Know the journal you are writing for- Get examples and cite
journal
Format journal according to house-style- Follow journal
guidelines
Use the Pomodoro technique- Set a mobile timer go after 20
mins and write! Have a 10 mins break and repeat for at least
three cycles

10.  Set yourself achievable writing targets
• Decide that you want to write
• Develop an action plan with realistic goals and commit to it
• Plan your workload in manageable blocks (writing tasks
/sections)
• Adopt an incremental approach (write regularly and often)
• Set yourself instructions for next writing tasks
• Set time for reviewing and redrafting

11. Spend time in planning the structure of the paper
Top concepts/
messages of
your paper
Top concepts/
messages of
your paper
Top concepts/
messages of
your paper
Identify three factors or concepts to
explain, validate, support the
concept above
Identify three factors or concepts to
explain, validate, support the
concept above

12. How do I demonstrate originality in my work?
• Strong review of the literature which identifies strengths
and weaknesses in subject and methodologically (what is
known)
• In the way the study design and methods are developed
• Results and discussion (review of current data with other
previous research) (what this paper adds)

13. What do productive writers do?
Write a short term goal for your writing period, limit to < 400 words
After completing each writing task, leave yourself instructions for
what points/section you will tackle in next writing section
Write regularly and often
Allocate time to revise and redraft on two occasions minimum
Read, read and read –this will help with conceptual clarity
Collaborate with trusted and respected colleagues

14. What are common novice errors?
• Present a lengthy account of the problem
• Overstate the nature of the problem and exaggerate
solutions
• Overdo the critique of other work in the field
• Writing tends to lack focus so that meaning is lost
• Include too many ideas in one paper

15. Plan a stage of quality assurance review
 Read it out aloud to yourself
 Co-authors to check paper
 Seek a Critical review and consumer’ view (someone will not stroke your ego)
Check for potential signs FFP (Citation and self-plagiarism)
 Reduce, Refine and Rewrite
Check for accuracy of content & grammar
Remove repetitive passages, awkward text, and obscure/dense passages
Format paper as per journal house-style

16. Scientific misconduct: Fabrication, falsification and
plagiarism?
Scientific misconduct damages professions, to individuals and to
society’s trust in science?
Fabrication: includes deliberately making up data or information,
recording and reporting it
Falsification: deliberately manipulating information, processes and
equipment or changing, altering data leading to misrepresentation of
the facts/results (only selecting data/references that support your
argument/hypothesis)
Plagiarism: is the (wilful) intentional use of other’s ideas, concepts,
theories, images and words without fully acknowledging/ crediting
the author/ source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_misconduct and http://publicationethics.org/text-recycling-guidelines

17. Submit paper as recommended in author guidelines
You will be required to submit manuscript online
 Register at the journal’s website
 Log-in
 Follow instructions upload your files
 Title
 Authors & qualifications
 Abstract
 Main body of text and references
 Tables and or figures
 Covering letter confirming authorship
 Suggestions for academic reviewers

19. Final words
• Have a personal reason to write, rather than for others
expectations
• Make writing meaningful to you
• Reward yourself for sacrifices made
• Look after your mental, physical, social and spiritual health
• Identify colleagues with expertise who can motivate and support
you (Murray 2013)

20. Celebrate, be proud and fully
embrace your achievement