The document provides information about publishing research and practice work in journal articles. It discusses the goals of writing for publication which are to increase knowledge of publishing, consider how research and practice can be written up as articles, better understand writing mechanics, and develop confidence in writing. It also outlines different types of publications and journal articles as well as potential sources for writing. Sample nursing journals are listed and tips are provided for identifying appropriate journals, understanding journal guidelines and requirements, drafting query emails, and outlining articles. Finally, it discusses the writing process and structure of research-based and practice-based articles.

1. N U I MAYN O O T H
Ol l sc o i l n a h É i r e a n n M á N u a d

2. Goals of this Session
By the end of the course participants will
• Know more about publishing, particularly in the
journal literature
• Considered how their research and practice might be
written up as journal articles
• Better understand the mechanics of writing
(including structure and style)
• Have developed increased confidence and
motivation to write

3. Different Types of Publications
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Newsletter
Professional magazine
Popular Magazine
Academic (peerreviewed) Journal
• Hybrid Journal
• Poster
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Book Review
Book Chapter
Book (single author)
Book (edited collection)
Other opportunities –
conference
presentation, radio
broadcast, television,
social media

4. Types of Journal Articles
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Research Articles
Evidence-Based Practice Articles
Clinical Articles
Other – case studies, case reports, articles on
wide range of topics relating to health
care, book reviews, letters to the editor

5. Sources for writing
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Research/thesis
A particular project
Your practice/everyday work
Topic that interests you
A paper you presented
Other
Consider whether you want to collaborate (principal
author)

6. Sample Journals
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International of Urological Nursing (UK):
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/%28ISSN%291749-771X
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Urologic Nursing (US): http://www.suna.org/resources/urologic-nursingjournal/current-issue
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Seminars in Oncology Nursing (US):
http://www.seminarsoncologynursing.com/
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Oncology Nursing Forum (US): http://www.ons.org/Publications/ONF/
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Cancer Nursing Practice (UK): http://rcnpublishing.com/journal/cnp

7. Sample Journals
• British Journal of Nursing (UK):
http://www.britishjournalofnursing.com/
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Journal of Clinical Nursing (UK):
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/%28ISSN%2913652702
• Nursing Standard (UK): http://rcnpublishing.com/journal/ns
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• BJU International http://www.bjuinternational.com/
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• Journal of Urology http://www.jurology.com/
•

8. Identifying Appropriate Journals
• Do a database search on your topic to see where else articles
on this topic have been published
Pubmed Central
http://europepmc.org/
Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)
(Ebscohost)
Nurse Author & Editor
http://www.nurseauthor.com/library.asp
• Search on Google Scholar
• Directory of Open Access Journals – DOAJ.org
• Who is your audience? What is the purpose of your piece of
writing?

9. Journal Information
• Author Guidelines
Topics
Editorial Board and contactsd
Length of articles
Types of article – research, practice, theory, case studies,
commentaries,
Manuscript layout
Peer Review
Citation style
Copyright (www.sherpa.ac.uk)
Impact Factor – Web of Science Journal Citation Reports

10. Drafting a query e-mail
• Before writing/submitting
• Editor
• Single sentences
– I am writing an article on…
– My experience is this area…
– I think that readers of your journal would be
interested in… because…

11. Research-based article
• IMRAD format or adaptation
Quantitative Studies and Qualitative Studies
• Introduction (may include a review of the
literature) – Why was the study done?
• Methods – What was done?
• Results – What did the researcher find?
• And
• Discussion – What does it mean
• Also have acknowledgements and references

12. Sections in Research Manuscript
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Cover letter
Copyright transfer page
Title Page
Abstract (and key words
if requested)
• Text
– Introduction, methods, R
esults, Discussion
• Acknowledgements
• References
• Tables (with titles and
footnotes)
• Figures (with captions)
See Oermann, M. & Hays, J. Writing
for Publication in Nursing, 2nd ed.
New York: Springer, 2011

13. Practice Articles
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Describe practice innovations
Experience/Practice
Lectures/Presentations
Other activities that lead to new information
or different perspective on nursing practice
• Discuss/Share practice
• What is your audience? Specialist or general

14. Practice-based article
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Title
Abstract
Introduction
Text
Conclusion

15. Task – Defining audience and Purpose
• Describe in one sentence the purpose of the
piece you are writing
• What is the specific audience for your article?
• What do they already know about the topic?
• What kinds of things are important to this
audience?
• How will they benefit from your work?
• Where has this topic been covered before?
• What’s your angle?
• Where might you publish it?
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16. Work from an Outline
• Order ideas
• Sift & eliminate ideas
• Contextualise/Give
framework
• View at a glance
• Can work on different
sections – writing is not
a linear process
• Makes the process
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

17. Outlining/Structuring
• There are different ways to structure articles
• Study the structure of articles in your target
journal
• Model articles on other articles that work well
(template)
• Different structures can achieve the same
results ways
• Be aware of your audience

18. Title
• Stimulate reader’s interest
• Working title/final title
• Final title should summarise the main idea of the
manuscript
• Attract and inform the reader
• Stand out
• Be accurate
• Be fully explanatory when standing alone
• Facilitate indexing and retrieval (avoid using abbreviations)
• Suggested length no more than 12 words (APA Publications
Manual)
For more on titles consult
Hartley, J. (2008) Academic Writing and Publishing: A practical handbook. London: Routledge, p. 23-27

19. Author’s Name & Institutional Affiliation
• Use the same form throughout your career
• Omit all titles and degrees (e.g. Dr., PhD)
• Where the is more than one author, names
should appear in the order of their
contributions
• Institutional affiliation should appear under
the author’s name
• Provide an e-mail address for correspondence

20. Abstract
• Generally only required with a peer-reviewed
article
• Two types – informative and structured
• Synopsis – Distils essence
• Length determined by journal – typically range
from 150 to 300 words

21. Structured Abstract
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Purpose
Design
Setting
Subjects
Intervention
Measures
Results
Conclusions
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22. Keywords
• Indexing terms
• The way your article will be retrieved by
databases/search engines etc.
• Avoid unnecessary prepositions especially in and of use library marketing rather than marketing of library
• What terms do you use to do searches on this topic?

23. Introduction
• Introduces the
substantive content of
the paper
• Tells why this
issue/problem is
important
• Sets the scene
• States the purpose
• States the scope
• States how issue is
addressed
• Explains how this work
relates to previous work
in this area
• Usually starts from the
general and progresses
to the specific
• Generally quite brief no more that a sixth of
the total article length

24. Literature review
• Tells what others have
found on the topic
• Provides a context from
which to illustrate how
the work documented in
the rest of the paper
extends or advances
understanding and
knowledge
• Demonstrates that the
author is familiar with
thinking on a topic and
understands where their
work fits
• Highly selective and
specific, referring to
other pieces of work
most relevant to the
argument being made
• Link your findings and
conclusions back to the
literature review

25. Methods
• Describes how the study was conducted/how
research was carried out
• Different types of studies have different
methodologies
• Subsections where relevant e.g. Participant
characteristics, sampling procedures, research design

26. Results
• Summary of collected data
• Analysis of data stating findings and how they are
being interpreted
Where required should supplement the argument
made
with
evidence
e.g.
statistics, tables, charts, maps, or quotes

27. Discussion
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Examine, interpret and qualify results
Draw conclusions and inferences from results
Emphasize any theoretical or practical consequences
Sometimes combined with results section if relatively
brief and straightforward
• Reaffirm how the research advances understanding
and knowledge
• Acknowledge the limitations of research
• Outlines how future studies could build on and extend
the research and argument reported

28. Acknowledgements, References, Footnotes,
Tables & Figures
References
• Follow journal guidelines
• Complete
• Accurate
Footnotes
• Provide additional content
Tables
Figures

29. On Writing
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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30. Writing
• To begin writing you
have to begin writing
• Writing generates ideas
• Don’t look for
perfection, just write
• Give yourself
permission to write
badly
• All writing is rewriting
• Good writing can be
learned
I just put down any sort of rubbish,” a
celebrated critic once remarked about
his first attempts. And putting down
rubbish is good advice…the truth is
that once a sentence is lying on the
page, it is often shatteringly clear
what is right and what is wrong with
it. Put it down, and go on putting
more of it down. Everything can be
mended later
Watson, George (1987) Writing a thesis: a
guide to long essays and dissertations.
London: Longman, p. 39

31. Writing
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Can start at any point, but generally not conclusion
Scientists often write the results section first
Pick a structure to work with
Structure
Narrative /Storytelling
A story has a theme, movement, flow
Something happens/changes
Perhaps try to write your piece from start to finish
before beginning editing

32. Verbs
• Use verbs rather than their noun equivalents
– Discusses rather than provides a discussion of
• Active versus passive verbs
• Don’t bury the main verb – should be close to
subject
• Use strong verbs

33. Verbs
• Study verbs in articles that you think are well
written
Addresses, argues, asks, concludes, covers, demon
strates, describes, discusses, elucidates, enhances,
evaluates, examines, expands, explains, explores, i
dentifies, maps, outlines, presents, proposes, repo
rts, reviews, shows, suggests, summarises, surveys
, synthesizes, touches on

34. Tone
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tense
first or third person
Sentences
Logical movement from sentence to sentence
Paragraphs
Signposts

35. Language
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Cut unnecessary words and phrases
Delete unnecessary jargon and acronyms
Delete repetitive words
Omit unnecessary prepositions – that, on
Delete unnecessary adjectives
– Helpful tips, terrible tragedy
• Delete unnecessary adverbs
– very, really, quite, basically, generally,

36. Positive Language
• Use positive rather than negative
constructions
– The nursing team did not believe the drug was
harmful
– The nursing team believed the drug was safe
– Not important/Unimportant
– Did not remember/Forgot

37. Concise Language
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A majority of
Due to the fact that
At the present time
Are of the same
opinion
• Gave rise to
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Most
Because
Now
Agree
Caused

38. Drafting and Redrafting
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All writing is rewriting
Draft and redraft
Number, date and save drafts
Refer back to your abstract
Ask a critical colleague to read
Revise title, abstract & article
Check references against journal guidelines

39. Drafting and Redrafting
• When finished put aside for a period then
reread
• Spell check
• Date and File preprint (pre-refereeing)
• Let go
• If you have already sent a query e-mail to the
editor refer to that in your submission

40. Submission
• Professional Journal – editor
• Academic Journal – peer-review
• Usually double blind peer review
– Accept as is
– Accept with revisions
– Revise and resubmit
– Reject
Note: some content in academic journals may not be peer
reviewed e.g. book reviews, editorial content, some case
studies

41. Peer review
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Reply to editor indicating what you are going to do
Make changes as quickly as possible
Reread
Resubmit outlining what you have done
If you don’t take particular suggestions on board
explain why
• Keep postprint (post refereering)

42. Becoming a better writer
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Read - first for story then for style and structure
Imitate
Write (keep a notebook of practice, ideas etc)
Describe, reflect, evaluate
Stop waiting for inspiration and a good time to
write
• Talk/Network
• Be strategic – Have a plan – look for
links/connections in what you do

43. Becoming a better writer
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Good writing communicates an idea clearly
Takes time, revision and editing
Cut ruthlessly
Set realistic goals
Give and look for peer support
Consider everything you do as potential
material for a presentation/paper
• Develop a culture of celebration around
publication/presentation

44. Reading
• Holland, K. & Watson, R. (2012)
Writing for Publication in Nursing and
Healthcare: Getting it Right
Oxford: Wiley/Blackwell
Oermann, M.H. & Hays, J.C. (2011)
Writing for Publication in Nursing
2nd. Ed. New York: Springer