Everyone from academics and researchers to scholars and students struggles to publish their articles in highly ranked journals to add to the advancement of their domains. Conducting high-quality experimentation and reporting meaningful educational research is not an easy process. This necessitates a lot of time and energy from everyone who contributes to be worthy of being published in highly reputable journals. It is the dream of many academics and researchers. Journals publications are the links that help us communicate with the external world. Hence the precision, validity, and reproducibility are crucial elements for the progress of all sciences.
Getting published in prestigious, high-impact academic journals is a highly competitive proposition. Even if you manage to overcome the initial hurdle and generate a valuable idea or research piece, the question of how then do you summarize that in a way that captures the interest of reviewers always remains.
There is no simple formula for publishing – the expectations of editors can vary both from field to field and within the same topic. But there are challenges that all academic writers will face, regardless of their discipline. How should you respond to reviewer comments? Is there a correct way to structure an article? And should you always bother to revise and submit again? This article is meant to answer these very questions by offering tips for publishing an article in a journal.
- Be Extremely Wary Of Fraudulent Publishers – Not Doing So Might Cost You Your Reputation
Although some people only suggest the most respected and ranked journals, others believe that the quality of the paper trumps the quality of the research paper and the innovativeness of it will be recognized regardless of the journal in which it is published. Both beliefs are great, but you cannot completely rely on low-level peer review process journals. However, data from several studies have pointed out that the quality of science the methodology carried out by the researchers does not get elevated when it is published in a highly reputable journal.
Nevertheless, it is always important to be wary of the reputability of the journal as falling prey to a predatory journal will not only result in all your hard work and time (that you’ve put into your research work) going to waste, you might even lose your own credibility within the academic community.
- Concentrate On Getting The Structure Of Your Research Paper Right
Take the time before you even write your article to contemplate the logic of the way in which you are presenting your research work. While writing, it is crucial that you focus on a story that progresses logically rather than the chronological order of the experiences you have had.
- Do Things One Step At A Time – This Helps You Nail Every Step
Open a file on your computer and insert all your headers and subtitles, then fill in one of the headings where you have ideas for doing it. If you reach your daily goal, bullet any other ideas and stop writing -then use those chips to start the next day. If you write and can’t find the correct word, instead of worrying, proceed to write and continue. Then, come back later and get the correct term. Try to focus on writing instead of modifying. Otherwise, you will lose your flow, which is vital for getting all your thoughts down on paper.
- Don’t Beat Around The Bush – Make Your Point Fast & Make It Clear
If someone were to ask you to quickly explain your article, think about whether you would be able to do so indefinite, plain language. This clear argument should appear in your summary and in the very first paragraph, perhaps even the first line of your research paper. Don’t make readers stalk your argument like a needle in a haystack. If it’s hidden on page seven, they will be bored. Also, make sure your pitch crosses the different sections of the article and connects theory and empirical material.
- Ask People (Preferably Professionals & Peers From Your Own Field) For Their Honest Feedback
One of the problems faced by research authors is poor article writing. The writer’s mother tongue may not be English, and the editor may not have gone the extra time to reread it. It can be very difficult to understand what is going on in an article if the language and syntax are poor.
- Offering Your Feedback On A Published Paper In The Form Of A Review Might Facilitate Your Own Publishing Ambition
Writing reviews is a clever way to get your work published, especially if you are in the early stages of your career. Doing so can prove to be really helpful in practicing writing an article for Scopus journals and publication 2023 and getting a free copy of the journal you want. Journals publish more reviews than articles and are therefore constantly on the lookout for reviewers. Some journals even publish responses to articles that have been published in the same journal. Editors like to post responses to previous articles because it stimulates discussion and encourages the exchange of ideas.
- Keep International Audiences In Mind While Writing Your Research Paper
Journals often have people reading from all across the globe. And a lot of authors who assume everyone is familiar with their particular system of academic writing don’t really do well with international audiences. This is where keeping the target audience of the journal that you’re applying to in mind while preparing your manuscript is always a good idea. International journals that have readers spread all across the planet expect their writers to include this international context to better serve their international audience.
- Try Not To Confine Your Entire Research Work To A Word Limit
Sometimes people want to throw everything at once and hit too many goals. Web of science journals often have people trying to send them their entire Ph.D. thesis work in as little as six thousand words, and it just doesn’t work out well for them. Writers who are more experienced often tend to write two or three articles for a project using a specific aspect of their research as a hook.
- Select The Most Suitable Journal For Your Research Paper (Bearing Their Reputability In Mind)
Check that your article falls within the scope of the journals to which you are submitting before finally choosing the right journal is vital. It sounds so obvious, but it’s surprising how many articles are submitted to totally inappropriate journals.
It’s a bad sign if you don’t recognize the names of the editorial board members. Ideally, review a number of recent issues to make sure that the journal you’re applying to has articles on the same topic that are of similar quality and impact.
- Follow The Guidelines Put Forth By The Journal To The Tee
Often, authors are not willing to spend the ten minutes that it takes to read through the instructions for authors, wasting an enormous amount of author and editor time and stretching the process when it is not needed. Taking the time to do so can not only make the life of the editor and peer-reviews easier but also save you a heck of a lot of trouble by avoiding having to make repeated corrections and being rejected.
- A Cover Letter Is Not A Resume
The editors of scientific journals turn to the cover letter for an indication from authors on what they think is most interesting and meaningful about the article and why they think it fits the journal well. There is no need to repeat the summary or go through the content of the article in detail as the editors will definitely read the article itself to find out what it says. A cover letter is a place for the bigger overview, plus any other information the authors would like the editors to be aware of.
- Get Acquainted With The Most Common Reasons For A Paper Being Rejected
Make sure it’s clear where your research fits in the larger science landscape and what knowledge gaps it addresses. One of the most common reasons for articles getting rejected after they undergo the peer review process is that they lack the necessary context or they simply don’t offer any clarity on why the research that has been carried out and the findings that have been made, are important.
- Have A Wealth Of Data To Back Up Your Findings & Maintain Consistency In Doing So
The scarcity of data to back up statements seems to be the fashion of the day that so many of the articles submitted these days are guilty of this. However, a closer inspection reveals quite limited and standard data. A few conversations in a cafeteria do not constitute ethnography. Being clear from the very start about the characteristics and scope of the data you are offering will help your statements have a greater impact. This also applies to works that are entirely theoretical. If a theoretical overview is useful for your analysis, use it consistently throughout your argument and text.
- Maintain Thorough Professionalism When Dealing With Reviewers & Responding To Them
When resubmitting an article after revisions, include a detailed document summarizing any changes suggested by the reviewers and how you changed your manuscript in light of them. Stick to the facts and don’t speak out. Do not respond to reviewer comments as soon as you receive them. Try to read them as many times as necessary, think about the points they are making for several days, discuss these points with others, and then write detailed responses while maintaining thorough professionalism without letting your personal bias come into play.
- Exercise Patience Through The Peer-Review & Resubmission Process
It is surprising how many authors who receive the standard ‘review and resubmit’ letter never care to do so. But it’s worth doing. Some authors who are asked to do major revisions persevere and end up publishing their work, while others, who had much less to do, never submit it again. It seems silly, after having overcome the major hurdles of article writing, getting it past editors, for a submitted manuscript to come back from peer review, and then giving up simply because a few corrections have to be made.
- Don’t Be Afraid To Contradicte The Opinions Of Reviewers (However, Make Sure That Your Arguments Are Valid When Doing So)
It’s okay to decline a reviewer’s suggestion to edit something in your article if you have a good rationale or if you can politely explain where the reviewer’s arguments don’t hold any merit and are, in fact, wrong. A logical explanation will be accepted by all editors, especially if it is clear that you have taken into account every one of the comments received and have accepted some of them.
- Always Bear The Time-To-Publish Factor In Mind
Publishing in the best journals is a challenge for everyone, but it may seem easier for other people. When you read published articles, you see the finished article, not the first draft, not the first review and resubmit, or any of the interim versions – and you never see the failures. Therefore, do not underestimate the effort that goes into the publication of any article in a journal.
Some journals rank higher than others, so your risk of rejection will be greater. People have to consider whether or not they should see their work published quickly because some journals will take longer. Some journals (such as IFERP) also offer early access, i.e., once the article has been accepted, it appears on the journal’s website. This is important if you are preparing for a job interview and need to show that your work has been published by a renowned academic journal.
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