Journal article writing

Sharing knowledge is a core principle of academia, and publications are an effective and rewarding way to disseminate your research findings to those who should know about it - your communities of practice. If you are doing a PhD or Masters, it is often strongly encouraged that you publish during and beyond your program. If you have finished your Honours project, you might also be interested in publishing your work to boost your career prospects (many employers, not just academics, value publications). And publications are also a possibility for many students doing research in undergraduate programs.

So where is the best place to start? The following pages look at key steps in the process of planning and writing your article.

Targeting a journal >>

References and further resources

• Belcher, W. L. (2009). Writing your journal article in 12 weeks: A guide to academic publishing success. Los Angeles: Sage.
• Clark, T. & Wright, M. (2007). Reviewing journal rankings and revisiting peer reviews: Editorial perspectives. Journal of Management Studies, 44(4), 612-621.
• Gump, S. E. (2004). Writing successful covering letters for unsolicited submissions to academic journals. Journal of Scholarly Publishing, 35(2), 92-102.
• Knight, L. V. & Steinbach, T. A. (2008). Selecting an Appropriate publication outlet: a comprehensive model of journal selection criteria for researchers in a broad range of academic disciplines. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 3, 59-78.
• Murray, R. (2009). Writing for academic journals (2nd ed.). Berkshire: Open University Press (McGraw-Hill).