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Writing for Academic Writing for Academic JournalsJournals

Dr. Íde O’Sullivan, Patricia Herron, Lawrence ClearyDr. Íde O’Sullivan, Patricia Herron, Lawrence ClearyShannon Consortium Shannon Consortium

Regional Writing CentreRegional Writing Centre, , C-1065, Main Bldg., ULC-1065, Main Bldg., UL

http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Centre%20for%20Teaching%20%26%20Learning/The%20Writing%20Centre

19/04/23 Regional Writing Centre 2

Processes and StrategiesProcesses and Strategies

• Processes: Processes: – WritingWriting– ResearchingResearching– PublishingPublishing

• Strategies:Strategies:– CognitiveCognitive– MetacognitiveMetacognitive– AffectiveAffective– SocialSocial


Writing ProcessWriting Process

• PrewritingPrewriting– Assessing the context into which you writeAssessing the context into which you write– Planning accordinglyPlanning accordingly– Gathering information (research)Gathering information (research)

• Drafting: Methods of DevelopmentDrafting: Methods of Development

• Revision: Global FeaturesRevision: Global Features

• Editing and Proofreading: Local IssuesEditing and Proofreading: Local Issues


The Rhetorical SituationThe Rhetorical Situation

• OccasionOccasion

• TopicTopic

• AudienceAudience

• PurposePurpose

• WriterWriter


The Research ProcessThe Research Process

• Identifying topic and identifying a problemIdentifying topic and identifying a problem• Reading and note-takingReading and note-taking• Identifying discourses and situating them Identifying discourses and situating them

within wider discourseswithin wider discourses• Developing a research project around a Developing a research project around a

problem/question, proposition or problem/question, proposition or hypothesis.hypothesis.

• Pursuing an answer, defence or Pursuing an answer, defence or affirmationaffirmation


The Publishing ProcessThe Publishing Process

• Deciding to submit for academic publicationDeciding to submit for academic publication• Targeting a journalTargeting a journal• Finding a topic and a purposeFinding a topic and a purpose• Drafting, revising and proofreadingDrafting, revising and proofreading• Submitting for peer reviewSubmitting for peer review• Acceptance/rejectionAcceptance/rejection• Responding to feedback/looking for other Responding to feedback/looking for other

venuesvenues


OccasionOccasion

• Why write for publication?Why write for publication?– Internal drives:Internal drives:

• To engage in the discourse on a topic/problem of To engage in the discourse on a topic/problem of interestinterest

• To increase your knowledge in the fieldTo increase your knowledge in the field

– External drivesExternal drives• Research Information Support Systems (RISS) Research Information Support Systems (RISS)

and and expertiseireland.com• Advancement and promotionAdvancement and promotion• NetworkingNetworking


OccasionOccasion

• Once you have decided to writer for Once you have decided to writer for publication in an academic journal, you publication in an academic journal, you need to begin to assess the field.need to begin to assess the field.– How many journals are there in my field? How many journals are there in my field? – Are there interdisciplinary journals where my Are there interdisciplinary journals where my

expertise might also find a home? (Sports expertise might also find a home? (Sports Science and Psychology).Science and Psychology).

– What journals address my area of expertise?What journals address my area of expertise?– What differentiates those journals from one What differentiates those journals from one

another?another?


OccasionOccasion

• Once you have decided to target a particular Once you have decided to target a particular journal or group of journals, you need to review journal or group of journals, you need to review the journals’ conventions:the journals’ conventions:– Get information about the journal Get information about the journal

• Mission/vision of the journalMission/vision of the journal• Identify categories of submission and key subject areasIdentify categories of submission and key subject areas• Select a sample paper from the target journal, check it for Select a sample paper from the target journal, check it for

level of rigour, tone, audience, purposelevel of rigour, tone, audience, purpose• Look at the guidelines for authorsLook at the guidelines for authors

– E-mail the editor about your proposed paper (Murray, E-mail the editor about your proposed paper (Murray, 2005:63)2005:63)


Types of ArticlesTypes of Articles

• Primary Research PapersPrimary Research Papers• Theory PapersTheory Papers• Practice Analysis/Evaluations Practice Analysis/Evaluations • Critical Reviews Critical Reviews • Case Histories/ReviewsCase Histories/Reviews• Opinion PiecesOpinion Pieces• Editorials Editorials • Letters to EditorLetters to Editor• Literature ReviewsLiterature Reviews


Analysing the journalAnalysing the journal

• Develop a profile for your target journal (Murray, Develop a profile for your target journal (Murray, 2005:45).2005:45).

• Generate a list of the important criteria which will Generate a list of the important criteria which will make your writing more effective.make your writing more effective.

• Ask yourself the following questions:Ask yourself the following questions:– How is the paper structured?How is the paper structured?– How is the contribution articulated?How is the contribution articulated?– What level of context is provided?What level of context is provided?– What level of detail is used? What level of detail is used? – How long are the different sections?How long are the different sections?


Analysing the journalAnalysing the journal

• What organisational features/patterns are in evidence? What organisational features/patterns are in evidence? • How are arguments and counterarguments presented How are arguments and counterarguments presented

and structured?and structured?• What types of evidence are important?What types of evidence are important?• What stylistic features are prominent?What stylistic features are prominent?• Is the text cohesive? How does the author achieve such Is the text cohesive? How does the author achieve such

cohesion?cohesion?• What kind(s) of persuasive devises does the author What kind(s) of persuasive devises does the author

employ?employ?• How does the author communicate her authority?How does the author communicate her authority?


Guidelines for authorsGuidelines for authors

• Categories of submissionCategories of submission• Preparation of the manuscriptPreparation of the manuscript

– CopyrightCopyright– EthicsEthics– LayoutLayout– PresentationPresentation

• Submission of the manuscript Submission of the manuscript • The review processThe review process

– Editorial processEditorial process– Editorial decisionsEditorial decisions


Reasons for rejecting manuscriptsReasons for rejecting manuscripts• Discussion not relevant to journal’s converstional Discussion not relevant to journal’s converstional

schemescheme• Methodology or research design problemsMethodology or research design problems• Poorly developed ideaPoorly developed idea• Poor writing skillsPoor writing skills• Poor research skillsPoor research skills• Data interpretation problemsData interpretation problems• Literature review not relevant/comprehensive/up Literature review not relevant/comprehensive/up

to dateto date• Key terms and concepts not clearly definedKey terms and concepts not clearly defined• Failure to consider the journal’s audienceFailure to consider the journal’s audience• Failure to follow the journal’s guidelines Failure to follow the journal’s guidelines


New writers’ errorsNew writers’ errors(Murray, 2005:4)(Murray, 2005:4)

• ““Writing too much about ‘the problem’”Writing too much about ‘the problem’”• ““Overstating the problem and claiming too Overstating the problem and claiming too

much for their solution”much for their solution”• ““Overstating the critique of others’ work”Overstating the critique of others’ work”• ““Not saying what they mean, losing focus Not saying what they mean, losing focus

through indirect writing”through indirect writing”• ““Putting too many ideas in one paper”Putting too many ideas in one paper”


StrategiesStrategies

• You might view your strategies in terms of the goals they You might view your strategies in terms of the goals they are designed to achieve and in terms of the stage in the are designed to achieve and in terms of the stage in the process to which they apply:process to which they apply:– Writing/Research/PublishingWriting/Research/Publishing

• Identifying the key players in a discourse and knowing Identifying the key players in a discourse and knowing how they agree and disagree is a strategy for locating how they agree and disagree is a strategy for locating yourself within the discourse community, a strategy that yourself within the discourse community, a strategy that assures that you achieve your purpose: to persuade your assures that you achieve your purpose: to persuade your audience of your authorial credibility by using good audience of your authorial credibility by using good resources, a writing, research and publishing strategy resources, a writing, research and publishing strategy that belongs to the prewriting stages of the writing that belongs to the prewriting stages of the writing process. process.


Writing StrategiesWriting Strategies

• CognitiveCognitive

• MetacognitiveMetacognitive

• AffectiveAffective

• SocialSocial


Writing TimeWriting Time

• Dealing with issues of timeDealing with issues of time

• Setting goalsSetting goals• ““Binge” and “snack” writing (Murray, Binge” and “snack” writing (Murray,

2005)2005)• Do I need a big block of time to write Do I need a big block of time to write

productively? productively? • ““Short bursts of productive writing” Short bursts of productive writing”

(Murray and Moore, 2006:17)(Murray and Moore, 2006:17)• Outlining (Murray, 2005)Outlining (Murray, 2005)


Research StrategiesResearch Strategies



• Affective Affective

• SocialSocial


Publishing StrategiesPublishing Strategies



• AffectiveAffective

• SocialSocial


Peer reviewPeer review

• Dialogue about writing Dialogue about writing • Getting feedback on writingGetting feedback on writing• Peer-reviewPeer-review

– Generative writingGenerative writing

– The “writing sandwich” (Murray, 2005:85): The “writing sandwich” (Murray, 2005:85): writing, talking, writingwriting, talking, writing

– Writing “buddies” (Murray and Moore, Writing “buddies” (Murray and Moore, 2006:102)2006:102)

– Writers’ groupsWriters’ groups

– Writers’ retreatsWriters’ retreats


A Publishing StrategyA Publishing Strategy

• Is there an established path to Is there an established path to publication?publication?(conference papers, for instance, followed by (conference papers, for instance, followed by

literature reviews, then theory papers and, literature reviews, then theory papers and,

finally, primary research/position papers)finally, primary research/position papers)

• Once I have published once, how can I Once I have published once, how can I assure a steady flow of publications?assure a steady flow of publications?

• What is your publication strategy?What is your publication strategy?


Works citedWorks cited

• Ebest, et al. (2005) Ebest, et al. (2005) Writing from A to Z: The Writing from A to Z: The Easy-to-Use Reference HandbookEasy-to-Use Reference Handbook. Boston: . Boston: McGraw-Hill.McGraw-Hill.

• Elbow, P. (1973) Elbow, P. (1973) Writing without TeachersWriting without Teachers. . New York: Oxford University Press.New York: Oxford University Press.

• Murray, R. (2005) Murray, R. (2005) Writing for Academic Writing for Academic JournalsJournals. UK: Open University Press.. UK: Open University Press.

• Murray, R. and Moore, S. (2006) Murray, R. and Moore, S. (2006) The The Handbook of Academic Writing: A Fresh Handbook of Academic Writing: A Fresh Approach.Approach. UK: Open University Press. UK: Open University Press.

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