1.
Writing for Academic
Publication
Helen Fallon, Deputy Librarian,
Maynooth University

2.
Learning Outcomes
• Increased confidence and motivation to
write/present
• Have a sense of what is publishable and where to
publish or present
• Understand the peer-review process and the
difference between peer-reviewed and professional
publications
• Better knowledge of the mechanics of writing
• Abstract for conference or article/poster produced
• Outline drafted and piece of writing advanced
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3.
Task 1– Writing to Prompt
Write for five minutes, in sentences, without
stopping, using one of the following prompts
An area of my research/practice which I
would like to write about is…
I feel at my most creative when I’m writing
about…
It’s important for me to write because…

4.
What can I write about?
• Research/thesis
• A particular project
• Something you read (book, article, blog post)
• Your practice/everyday work
• Topic that interests you
• A paper you presented
• Other
• Consider whether you want to collaborate
(principal author)
• Putting a fence around your writing

5.
Task 2 - Making a case for
writing
Why Write?
Write for five minutes in sentences, in no
more than fifty words, explaining to your
department head/manager why is it important
that you publish

6.
6
Conference Paper/Poster
• Useful method of getting feedback on your
work
• Some conferences publish proceedings
• Precursor to publishing elsewhere
• Look for calls for papers
• Make a note of comments/questions/feedback
• Ask participants how this could be developed
further
• Establish connections

7.
A&SL Conference
The Inside Out Library: Collaboration,
Inspiration, Transformation, 26 & 27
February 2015
• Workshops
• Posters
• Case Studies
Deadline: Friday, 17th October 2014 for
abstract of not more than 300
words/Workshops and Case Studies no
fee/posters reduced fee
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8.
LILAC Conference
Call for Papers, Posters, Workshops LILAC 2015, • Deadline for abstracts 17th November
Notification 17th December
• Abstracts should be between 300 and 500
words. You should also submit a short
description of your paper (50 words max)
8

9.
LILAC Themes
• IL and employability
• Delivering IL through new
technologies
• IL for the under-18s
• Research based IL
• Creative approaches to IL
• Outreach and collaboration
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10.
Task 3 - Reflection
Select a project/task you were
involved with
What happened (brief overview) –
100 words
How did it work – 100 words
What was the outcome/impact – 100
words
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11.
Types of Publications
• Newsletter
• Blog post
• Professional
magazine
• Popular Magazine
• Academic (peer-reviewed)
Journal
• Hybrid Journal
• Poster
• Book Review
• Book Chapter
• Book (single author)
• Book (edited
collection)
• Other opportunities
– conference
presentation, radio
broadcast,
television, social
media

12.
Some Publishing Outlets
• An Leabharlann
• SCONUL Focus
• CILIP Update
• Journal of Library Innovation (JOLI)
• JEAHIL
AISHE-J
• Library Review (Emerald)
• LibFocus Blog
– See Academicwritinglibrarian.blogspot.ie
for calls for papers etc…
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13.
Practice-based article
• Based primarily on experience
• Give some background
• Describe what happened
• What was the impact
• Reflection – what worked, what didn’t work so
well, what could be done to improve it
• Conclusion
• (who, what, when, where, how)

14.
Research-based article
• Must draw on research
• Generally longer than practice-based article
e.g. 5,000 words
• Double blind peer review
• Has an abstract (informative or structured)
• Literature Review
• Gives methodology and results
• References

15.
Task 4 - Defining audience
and Purpose
• Describe in one sentence the purpose of the
piece you are writing
• What is the audience for your article?
What’s your angle?
What data do you have?
Is this topic most suited for a research
article/a practice-based article or some other
format e.g poster/blog post?

16.
Abstract
• Two types – informative and
structured
• Synopsis
• Details essence (not the same as
introduction)
• typically range from 150 to 300 words

17.
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Informative Abstract
By surveying reference practitioners on their perceptions of chat reference
training, this study presents effective training techniques that could enhance the
professional preparation for chat reference personnel. Results indicate that the
most effective training techniques involve hands-on practice among trainees
and easy access...
– 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

18.
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.
• 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.
• 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
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19.
Task 5 – Title, Keywords
and abstract
• Give your article/poster a working title
• Allocate three keywords which you would
expect people would use to retrieve it
• Write an abstract for your article/poster
– Informative (300 word max)
– Structured – as per slide
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20.
Title
• Stimulate reader’s interest
• Working title/final title
• Attract and inform the reader
• Stand out
• Be accurate
• Be fully explanatory when standing alone
• Facilitate indexing and retrieval (avoid using
abbreviations)
• Suggested length no more than 12 words
(APA Publications Manual)

21.
Task 6 - Query e-mail
• Before writing/submitting
• Identify journal
• Identify editor
• Single sentences
– I am writing an article on…
– My experience is this area…
– I think that readers of your journal would
be interested in… because…

22.
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
what, who, when, where, why, how
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23.
Outlining/Structuring
• There are different ways to structure
articles
• Study the format of articles in the journal
you hope to target
• Read first for story then for structure
• Model articles on other articles that work
well (template)
• Different structures can achieve the same
end in different ways
• Be aware of your audience

24.
Outlining
Murray, R. (2005) Writing for Academic Journals. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill/Open
University Press, p. 9
Context/Background
Literature review
Method/approach
Results/Analysis
Discussion
Conclusion
Topic 1 – 250 words
Topic 2 – 250 words
Topic 3- 250 words
Introduction

25.
Title: Enter Title Here (36pt Arial)…
Subject: Enter Subject Here…
Overview:
…
How it Works:
Impact:
Enter Text Here…
Contacts: Name, Organisation…

26.
Task 7 - Outlining
Draw up an outline for an article for a journal using what, who,
when, where, why & how
(max words 300)
OR
Draw up an outline for a poster as per slide
OR
Draw up an outline for a research article using Murray’s outline.
Write a description of each section beginning with the words
This section will cover…
(max words 300)
OR
Write your article as a story with a beginning, middle and end
(max words 400)
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27.
Writing
• To begin writing you
have to begin writing
• Writing generates
ideas
• Don’t look for
perfection, just
write
• Give yourself
permission to write
badly
• All writing is
rewriting
• Can start at any
point, but generally
not introduction or
conclusion
• Scientists often
write the results
section up first
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28.
Task 8 - Writing
• Consider your outline
• Select a section and begin writing
Don’t try to write something
perfect, just write
• Every sentence you write, every
word, can be revised later
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29.
Style
• House style (journal
style)
• First, second or
third person
• Active or passive
voice
• Verbs
• Tense
• Language
• Sentences
• Paragraphs
• Transitions
• Signposts
Headings &
subheadings (official)
Endings of sections
that hark back to
what went before,
announce what comes
next (unofficial)
• Movement/Coherenc
e
04/10/14 29

30.
Task 9 – Peer Review
• Exchange your writing with a
colleague
– List three things you like about the
piece
– List three areas/aspects you think
could be developed/changed
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31.
introduction
• Introduces the substantive content of the paper
• Sets the scene
• Brings the reader in and gives a flavour of what is to
come
• States the purpose and scope
• States how issue is addressed
• Usually starts from the general and progresses to the
specific
• In general the introduction should be quite brief and
certainly no more that a sixth of the total article
length
• May include context/background or this may follow
introduction
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32.
literature review
• Tells what others have found on topic
• Provides a context from which to illustrate
how the work documented in the rest of the
paper extends or advances understanding and
knowledge
• Demonstrates that the author is familiar with
past and present thinking on a topic and
understands where their work fits
• Highly selective and specific, referring to
other pieces of work most relevant to the
argument being made
• Review article
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33.
Methodology &
analysis/outcomes/results
• Methodology details how the research was
carried out
• The analysis should state clearly and
unambiguously what the findings are and how
they are being interpreted
• Where required it should supplement the
argument made with analytic evidence
e.g.statistics, tables, charts, maps, or quotes
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34.
Discussion and Conclusion
Discussion
Folds together the
previous sections, linking
the findings to the
literature review and
makes the case for the
argument developed
Conclusion
Brings key points together
Summarises rationale and
findings
Reaffirming how the
research advances
understanding and knowledge
Outlining how future studies
could build on and extend the
research and argument
reported
Try to link with introduction
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35.
References and keywords
References
– Follow journal
guidelines
– Complete
– Accurate
Keywords
– Indexing terms
– The way your
article will be
retrieved by
databases/search
engines etc.
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36.
Editing
• All writing is rewriting
• Draft and redraft
• Number, date and save drafts
• Read aloud
• Wordiness
– Cut unnecessary words and phrases; delete repetitive words
• Delete unnecessary adjectives
– Helpful tips, terrible tragedy
• Delete unnecessary adverbs
– very, really, quite, basically, generally
• Ask a critical colleague to read
• Refer back to your abstract & journal guidelines

37.
Submission
• When finished put aside for a
period then reread
• Spell check
• Date and File preprint
• Let it go!
• If you have already sent a query e-mail
to the editor refer to that in
your submission

38.
38
Submission
• Blog
• Professional Journal – editor
• Academic Journal – peer-reviewers
• Referees
Accept as is
Accept with revisions
Revise and resubmit
Reject
• Make changes as quickly as possible
• Reread
• Resubmit
• Keep postprint
www.sherpa.ac.uk

39.
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Why editors reject
manuscripts
• Author guidelines not followed
• Not thorough
• Bad writing (lack of clarity and style)
• Subject of no interest to readers
• Poor statistics, tables, figures
• Old subject
• Unprofessional appearance
• Title
• Too simple – reporting
• Written at the wrong level

40.
40
Developing Your Writing
• Set realistic goals
• Write (Describe, reflect and evaluate)
• Read (angle?)
• Collect potentially useful data
• Notebook/Journal – snack & sandwich writing
• Talk to colleagues
• Collaborate
• Give and look for peer support
• Celebrate success
• Keep writing

41.
Task 10
• Draw up your writing plan for the
next three month. Include specific
goals
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42.
Bibliography & other
resources
Academic Writing Librarians
Academicwritinglibrarian.blogspot.ie
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