There may be a paper somewhere in the garage of a mad scientist that provides for astounding scientific innovation and progress. However, this paper will never see the light of day because it was not published. Publishing is a key aspect of academic writing. Without publishing, others do not have the opportunity to review the information at hand and input their own ideas. However, it can be very difficult to be published, especially if someone hasn’t developed the skill set necessary to be included in the journal or if they did not revise their paper to an adequate level. However, there is hope. One of the most important things to remember when publishing is to keep a positive attitude and be persistent, much like a job search. Some other interesting tips about publishing research come from a presentation on the subject from a professor at the University of Dublin, Karl Whelan. There is no better advice than that which has come from the horse’s mouth. Some of the tips which are presented include:
- Be confident; Don’t be afraid to publish your paper under the premise of perceived imperfections
- Don’t be afraid to be rejected; you will be rejected. However, you can learn what you need to revise and improve your methodology in writing for the future.
- Peer reviewers may not read the entire paper and augment minor imperfections while ignoring larger ones.
- Perform background research on the journal which you are going to submit. It would be best to submit to a journal which has published work similar to your own.
- If you are rejected, don’t be afraid to resubmit work; be persistent.
- Do not fret about criticism on drafts.
(Whelan, 2007).
I have my paper ready for submission at this time, but one of the biggest mental blockages if it were not for the class requirements is the feeling that the paper is not “good enough”. Of course I have this apprehension, because I used a small sample size and a gender-distorted sample. However, I wish that like the document declares, it will be a learning experience. I currently subscribe to an information systems listserv which often includes requests for publications from around the world. In my future career, it may be beneficial to have this experience in submitting to a journal if I am assigned to do a research project in my job duties (which is very possible). Having to follow all of the requirements for submission has reinforced the importance of formatting and standards in publication. Therefore, I look forward to receiving feedback on my submission, whatever the result may be.
Whelan, Karl. (2007). Tips for Preparing and Publishing Research Papers. Retrieved May 3, 2010 from http://www.karlwhelan.com/Teaching/research_talk_tcd.pdf
