Writing for academic publication Maynooth University Library Workshop2015

Writing for Academic

Publication

Helen Fallon Deputy Librarian

Maynooth [email protected]

Inspiring Quotes

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)

www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library

http://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library

Learning Outcomes

• Increased confidence and motivation to write• Know what is publishable and where to publish• Understand the peer-review process and the difference

between peer-reviewed and professional publications• Better knowledge of the mechanics of writing• Abstract produced• Outline drafted and piece of writing advanced



Task Writing to Prompt

Write for five minutes, in sentences not bullets, using one of the following promts– I am interested in writing about…– An area of my experience which I would like to write

about is…– A really interesting project that I think people would

be interested in reading about is…– I feel at my most creative when I’m writing about…



Finding topics

• Your practice/everyday work/write what you know about

• Your research• Your thesis• Topic that interests you• Other – book you read, conference you attended,

course you undertook etc.List three issues/topics/themes/experiences you would

like to write about



Task Defining Audience and Purpose

• Answer the following questions in single sentences– Who is the audience for your writing?– What is the purpose of your writing?



Professional Journal

Professional journalGenerally draws on practiceArticles typically between 1,000 and 2,000 wordsReferences/bibliography not essentialEditor decides on content, guided by editorial board

examples: SCONUL Focus, Irish Archives Bulletin



Peer-Reviewed Journal

Academic/Scholarly articlesMay draw on practice but must have a research contextArticles typically 5,000 words plusLiterature review and referencesPeer reviewed

examples: New Review of Academic Librarianship, Library Management Journal, All Ireland Society for Higher Education Journal (AISHE-J)



Titles that get noticed

• Stimulate reader’s interest• Working title/final title• Attract and inform the reader• Stand out• Be accurate• Facilitate indexinge.g. Self and Peer Assessment as a method of

improving quality: the MU Library experience



Task Title and keywords

• Give your article a working title• Allocate three keywords to help people retrieve

your article



Abstract

• The shape an abstract will take is largely determined by what it is for i.e. its purpose

– Conference call for papers A&SL• Case Studies, workshops, posters, 300 word

abstract

– Call for themed issue of a journal• NRAL – 500 word abstract

– Journal article abstract typically 50-200



Journal Article Abstract

• Normal in peer reviewed journals

• Details essence – tells what the article is going to do

• Length determined by journal

• Generally around 100 words

• informative or structured



Informative Abstract

This article explores the integration of a Special Collection – the Ken Saro-Wiwa Archive -into the undergraduate curriculum at Maynooth University (MU). Following background information on the archive, the Development Theories module on the BA in Community Studies is briefly described. The rationale behind the decision to use the archive in the module is presented; learning outcomes are given; the content of the module is described; student feedback is presented and the method of assessment outlined. The article concludes with a discussion on how Special Collections and Archives might be further integrated into the undergraduate curriculum.



Structured Abstract

• Purpose• Design/Methodology/Approach• Research limitations• Practical Implications• Originality/Value• Paper type• Keywords



Structured Abstract• Purpose • This article explores the benefits of a writing support

programme in developing the skills and motivation of librarians to write for academic publication.

• Design/methodology/approach • A brief review of the literature is presented. The model

developed and implemented by this author is outlined. Findings from a survey of participants are discussed.



Structured Abstract• Research limitations/implications • The formal programme commenced in 2007. The

publication process takes time, particularly in the case of peer-reviewed journals. This is exploratory work. It will take time to build up a body of information and a community of librarians writing for publication. Initial evidence indicates there is significant value to the programme.

• Practical implications • The model is transferable and could help in building

skills and confidence in academic writing. In addition academic writing could serve as a bridge between lecturing and library staff, addressing issues of common concern across the academy



Structured Abstract• Originality/value • This is the first formal writing support

programme for librarians in Irish universities. Models exist in the US. A similar model is used in the UK and Ireland to support lecturing staff writing for publication.

• Paper Type • Case Study • Keywords • Librarians, publication, academic writing,

writing intervention



Verbs

• Study abstracts in your target journal. What verbs do they use?

Addresses, argues, asks, concludes, covers, demonstrates, describes, discusses, elucidates, enhances, evaluates, examines, expands, explains, explores, identifies, maps, outlines, presents, proposes, reports, reviews, shows, suggests, summarises, surveys, synthesizes, touches on



Verbs

• Use verbs rather than their noun equivalent– The author makes the suggestion that...– The author suggests that...

Tense• Forceful writing results from writing

concisely, actively and positively. The present tense is usually more active and therefore more forceful than the past tense.” (Henson, K. Writing for Publication: Road to Academic Advancement, 2005, Boston: Pearson, p. 48)

• Discipline style and tense• Different tenses



Task Abstract

• Editorial Team – SCONUL Focus• Selection Panel A&SL or other conference• Blog Team

• What do you like about this piece?• List changes/developments you would like the author to

make to improve the quality of the abstract? What other data/evidence might the author supply?



Task Writing an Abstract • Give your article a working title• Allocate three keywords which you would

expect people would use to retrieve your article• Write an abstract for your article using one of the

following models– Informative (200 word max)– Structured – as per slide– Call for papers/posters A&SL 2016 – 300

word abstract



Outlining• Order ideas• Sift & eliminate ideas• Contextualise/Give framework• View structure at a glance

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



Professional Journal - Structure/Outline

Who, What, When, Where, How, Why

What Happened?What was my role in it?What was the outcome?

Professional journals often use case studies



Professional Journal - Structure/Outline

TitleIntroductionBackground/ContextCase Study (what happened?)Outcome/Results/ReflectionConclusionPossibly some references or further reading



Peer-reviewed journal

Title and KeywordsAbstractIntroductionBackground/ContextLiterature reviewMethod/ApproachResults/AnalysisDiscussionConclusionReferences



What evidence/data do you have?

• Literature review• Library statistics• Survey• Blog• Feedback • Evaluation forms• Quotes• Photographs• Reflective journal



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



Task Outlining• Draw up an outline for an article for a professional

journal and begin each section with “This section will cover…”

ORDraw up an outline for a peer-reviewed journal articleand begin each section with “This section will cover…”

ORWrite your article as a story with a beginning, middle

and end in no more than 500 words



Narrative/Story

• Writing as storytelling• Beginning, middle and end (not necessarily in that

order)• What makes a story interesting?• A story has a theme• A story has movement• A story has a flow• Something happens/changes• Try not to edit, just write• No new stories/just new angles



Writing• Don’t look for perfection, just write!• Give yourself permission to write badly• All writing is rewriting• Writing is a craft not an art• Style doesn’t come in first drafts• If possible write full article without editing–Why not say what happened?



Writing

• Put a fence around your writing – what you leave out is as important as what you put in

• Have one main theme• Always write with the publication/outlet in mind• Look at articles in the journal/blog etc • If an article works well, try to work out why it works

well, is it the content? is it the structure? Is it the style of writing?

• Active or passive voice?



Sentence• There needs to be a unity of thought in a sentence. • This may be achieved with one main clause; generally

there is only one subsidiary clause• e.g. the Library collection was moved to the third floor,

following flooding on the ground floor• If you are new to academic writing, keep sentences short • Place the subject towards the beginning of the sentence,

follow it closely by a verb– The Library introduced self-service borrowing at the

start of the academic year (active voice)



Sentence Check

• To check that a sentence is clear, correct and unambiguous:• Identify each verb (action word)• Identify the subject (the person or thing ‘doing’

the action)•Check the subject and verb agree (singular vs.

plural) and will that each one will make sense to readers



Paragraphs

• A new paragraph signals a move from one clear idea to another or change of direction

• Should relate logically to the previous paragraph and relate to the overall theme of the text

• The first sentence or two usually present the topic or theme and the following sentences expand on this

• Short paragraphs, surrounded by white space, can be very effective in keeping attention and creating a visually attractive manuscript



Task

• Write a section of your article• You can start at any point - generally not the conclusion• Scientists often start with results – could start with case

study• Background/Context often a good starting point



Peer Review• Exchange your draft with a colleague– Is the text easy to read and does it make sense?– Does one sentence follow logically from another?– Does each paragraph contain one main them and does

each paragraph follow logically from the previous one?– Does the paragraph contains more than one main

idea? Does it need to be divided?– Is it interesting?– What do you like best about this piece of writing?– How might it be developed?



Headings and subheadings

• Act as signposts• Break up text• Make the structure clearer • Allow the reader see at a glance the main themes of the

paper • Help organise ideas• Help readers anticipate key points and track the

development of the article



Language• Short sentences• Use positive rather than negative constructions– The lecturer did not believe the test was harmful– The lecturer believed the test was safe– Did not remember/Forgot

• Use concise language– A majority of/most– Due to the fact that/because– Gave rise to/caused



Transitional words

• help maintain flow of thoughttime links (then, next, after, while, since)

• cause-effect links (therefore, consequently, as a result)

• addition links (in addition, moreover, furthermore, similarly)

• contrast links (but, conversely, nevertheless, however, although)

• Provide signposts for readers



Editing• Cut unnecessary words and phrases• Delete repetitive words• Delete unnecessary adjectives e.g.helpful

tips, terrible tragedy• Delete unnecessary adverbs e.g. very,

really, quite, basically, generally



Editing• Date and save drafts• When finished put aside for a period then

reread• Spell check• Date and File preprint• Let Go!• If you have already sent a query e-mail to

the editor refer to that in your submission



Peer Review• Double Blind• Accept as is• Accept with minor changes• Accept with major changes (revise and resubmit)• Reject• If rejected, need to reconsider and possibly

rewrite to some degree to match new journal style/guidelines for authors



Responding to Peer Review

• Do not despair!• Acknowledge receipt• Go systematically through suggested changes• Make changes where feasible• Reread complete article• Resubmit explaining changes you have made and

explaining why you have not acted on certain suggestions



After Publication

• Check Sherpa for journal guidelines on depositing in an institutional repository

– www.sherpa.ac.uk• Deposit post-print in institutional repository• Tweet link to your article• Can you develop this topic further?• Celebrate success



Moving on with your Writing

• Set goals and devote some time to writing• Write from your practice• Write (Describe, reflect and evaluate)• Read (angle?)• Collect potentially useful data• Notebook/Journal – snack & sandwich writing• Collaborate • Give and look for peer support• Keep writing• Check calls for papers etc at

http://academicwritinglibrarian.blogspot.ie/



Writing for academic publication Maynooth University Library Workshop2015

Education

Transcript of Writing for academic publication Maynooth University Library Workshop2015