Publishing Tips

I attended an interesting (for me -- I am a greenhorn in writing and publishing articles) workshop. Here are some things that were discussed (most of them are simply common sense but somebody may find them useful):

Tips from Emerging Scholars

Submit more articles than required.
Don’t be discouraged – conflicting reviews are common.
If guidelines not clear, press on – look for examples, talk to colleagues, etc.
Service – you don’t get any credit usually; so just do the minimum.
Work with good authors – to polish papers, get ideas, etc.
Be humble in your field – there is nothing that has not been studied yet; being humble shows that you respect your predecessors and willing to make your own contribution.
There is always something to learn.
Studying is also a good way to build contacts.
Narrow down your field and build an “aura” – so you are known for this specific area.
Write articles with only one major point – it’s OK to have a short article; people remember them better and appreciate them for being succinct but helpful.
Keep your family on the forefront.
Talk to tenured faculty about what they did to get there.
Quality NOT Quantity; although a certain number of articles is expected.
Peer-reviewed journals – the higher rejection rate of that journal the better.
At least some should be first-author.
National/International journals are preferred.
Make sure there is evidence of a research program.
Examine current periodicals to see trends.
Serve as an ad hoc reviewer – “inside” information on the process.
Discuss research with colleagues to get new angles.
Working on a team leads to more publications.
Schedule time during the week for writing – and don’t accept any interruptions.
Find a place where you won’t be interrupted.
Stagger course assignments so you won’t be stuck with too much grading; when you are writing the paper, one week’s interruption will cause you to forget details and lose concentration.
Early publishers (those who publish before earning a Ph.D.) tend to be more productive.
Don’t be discouraged by reviewers and publishers; sometimes their comments sting -- make changes and try again, in a different journal, if necessary.
Be resilient, develop tough skin, and keep trying until your article is accepted.
When writing a dissertation, think about journals where articles can be published.
When you find an interesting article, file it with an appropriate label for future reference.
When writing an article, create a concept map for a paper and flow of information.
Office is not a very productive space – “hide” somewhere else.
Social functions are important BUT limit to only a few important “shows of face” and concentrate on writing; number of papers is more important than being “very nice.”
Good lit review is publishable.
Read, read, and read! Gather ideas as you are reading and jot down thoughts for further development later.

Tips from Editors

Quality is very important.
Revision, revision, revision…
Start early and publish before you graduate – experience is very important.
Do set pieces aside and come back later to look with a fresh eye.
Check guidelines before submitting – initial impression counts!
Be careful with relying on reported reliability with a measurement; just state it was reliable in a previous study.
AERJ has a review rubric – check and anticipate criticism.
Check guidelines and requirements BEFORE you write the article.
Listen to the editor when deciding about changes to be made – he/she is going to make a decision whether to publish or reject a manuscript. Even though reviewers can make good or bad comments, editor may or may not agree.
Yeah, here it is again – develop a thick skin and persevere.