Writing for Publication: OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 3 Íde O’Sullivan Regional Writing Centre

Writing for Writing for Publication:Publication:

OT6026 Occupational OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 3Therapy Project 3

Writing for Writing for Publication:Publication:

OT6026 Occupational OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 3Therapy Project 3

Íde O’SullivanÍde O’Sullivan

Regional Writing CentreRegional Writing Centre

Regional Writing Centre 2

Reflection• Why write for publication?• Implications of publishing/not

publishing?• Misconceptions about writing and

publication• Common problems among new

writers• New writers’ worries/fears• Difficulties associated with writing


Difficulties associated with writing

• Anxiety and fear of writing• Lack of confidence and motivation• Cracking the codes of academic writing• Getting started• Lack of guidance, practice and feedback• Misconceptions of writing

– Good writing skills are innate X– Think first, then write X

• The writing process is recursive


The process• Decide on the writing project• Choose a target journal• Get information about the journal

– Mission/vision of the journal– Identify categories of submission– Identify key subject areas

• Analyse the journal• Select a sample paper from the target

journal• Follow the guidelines for authors


The journal• “The British Journal of Occupational Therapy

(BJOT) is the official journal of the College of Occupational Therapists. Its purpose is to publish contributions of papers relevant to theory, practice, research, education and management in occupational therapy.”

• “Vision: A monthly journal presenting high quality international research and practice related papers that informs the knowledge and evidence base of occupational therapy and is easily accessible through online searches.”

• British Journal of Occupational Therapy, February 2008, 71(2): 77


Types of publications• Scholarly Papers• Short Reports• Research Articles/Papers• Practice Analysis/Evaluations • Critical Reviews • Case Histories/Reviews• Opinion Pieces• Editorials • Letters to Editor• Book Reviews• Guest Editorials


Key areas1. Clinical (a) Assessment (b) Adult

Physical (c) Adult Psychosocial (d) Learning Disability (e) Elderly (f) Paediatrics

2. Equipment and Technology3. Education4. Professional Development5. Theory and Philosophy6. Management7. Research Methods and Methodology


Analysing the journal• Cracking the codes• Analysing the genre/text and modelling• Generate a list of the important criteria

which will make your writing more effective

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


Analysing the journal• What organisational features/patterns are

in evidence? • How are arguments and counterarguments

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

achieve such cohesion?• What kind(s) of persuasive devises does

the author employ?• Voice?


Guidelines for authors• Categories of submission• Preparation of the manuscript

– Copyright– Ethics– Layout– Presentation

• Submission of the manuscript • The review process

– Editorial process– Editorial decisions


Key considerations• The Occasion

• The Topic

• Your Purpose

• Audience

• You – the writer

NB: Joining the conversation


The manuscript• Abstract• Introduction• Literature review• Method• Results/Findings• Discussion• Conclusions


Reasons for rejecting manuscripts: Brown, Rodger

and Brown (2005:88)• Methodology or research design

problems• Poorly developed idea• Poorly written• Data interpretation problems• Literature review not

relevant/comprehensive/up to date• Content undocumented • Statistical problems• Term-paper type article• Issues of validity, reliability and

trustworthiness not addressed



and Brown (2005:88)• Poorly referenced• Content not important/significant • Discussion not based on results/findings• Content inaccurate• Content not consistent with journal

purpose• Implications of findings and results on

practice not included • Submission format guidelines not followed• Manuscript too lengthy• Key terms and concepts not clearly

defined



and Brown (2005:88)

• Aim/purpose of paper not clearly stated • Limitations of research study not

included/acknowledged • Content not current or timely• Clinically not applicable • Too technical • Manuscript submitted concurrently to

another journal• Subject/topic covered recently • Content already scheduled for future


Overview: Reasons for rejecting

• Poor writing skills• Poor research skills• Failure to consider the journal’s audience• Failure to follow the journal’s guidelines • Before you start establish familiarity with

– The journal– The audience– The submission guidelines

Strategies to Strategies to Develop Writing Develop Writing

Strategies to Strategies to Develop Writing Develop Writing


Getting started• Writing is a process• Create time and space for writing• Freewriting

– Keep writing non-stop for 5 minutes– Write in sentences– Do not edit or censor your writing

• Prompt– “How I go about writing…”

• How do you feel? • Other prompts:

– “The aim of this research paper…”


Dialogue about writing• Peer-review• Generative writing• The “writing sandwich” (Murray,

2005:85): writing, talking, writing• Writing “buddies” (Murray and Moore,

2006:102)• Writers’ groups• Engaging in critiques of one another’s

work allows you to become effective critics of your own work.


Strategies that work for you

• Writing is a personal process• Learning diary (Moore and Murphy,

2005:61) / Process journal (Elbow and Belanoff, 2003:19)– When do you feel most/least motivated to

write?– What strategies have/have not worked in

the past? • Write a little bit every day (Moore and

Murphy, 2005:117)• Writing can be a positive experience• Get stuck in


Works cited• Brown, T.G., Rodger, S. and Brown, A. (2005) ‘Publication

Practices of English Language Occupational Therapy Journals’, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(2): 85-92.

• Elbow, P. (1998) Writing without Teachers (2nd edition). New York: Oxford University Press.

• Elbow, P. and Belanoff, P. (2003) Being a Writer: A Community of Writers Revisited. New York: McGraw-Hill.

• Moore, S. and Murphy, M. (2005) How to be a Student: 100 Great Ideas and Practical Hints for Students Everywhere. UK: Open University Press.

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

• Murray, R. (2006) How to Write a Thesis (2nd edition). UK: Open University Press.

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

Documents

Writing for Publication: OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 3 Íde O’Sullivan Regional Writing Centre