Title: Basic Advice for Manuscript Preparation for Junior Faculty Members and Graduate Students.
Abstract: Although publication of scholarly articles yields numerous rewards, the journey to becoming published can be quite stressful. Preparing a manuscript for scholarly publication requires extensive time and effort. For new and future faculty, the task can be especially daunting. Approaching writing as a process simplifies the task. This article provides some basic advice to guide prospective authors through the three stages of the writing process: pre-writing, writing, and re-writing. ********** Most college educators are well aware of the benefits of publication. In addition to such extrinsic rewards as merit pay, tenure, and promotion, many authors have cited immense personal satisfaction as an important outcome of their writing (Henson, 1995; McConnell, 1999). Furthermore, the very act of writing is beneficial because it provides a means to organize, refine, and evaluate ideas (Henson). Publication of ideas and research findings promotes the sharing and advancement of knowledge. However, despite these evident advantages, many researchers and prospective authors approach writing with antipathy and fear. Junior faculty members, new to positions in higher education, often struggle to achieve balance and proficiency in the various roles (e.g., teacher, service provider, researcher) they must perform. Because publication record has been a core criterion for decisions regarding promotion, merit pay, and tenure at most research universities (Papp, 2000; Rodgers & Rodgers, 1999), the pressure to produce high quality written work can be especially intense. The looming possibility of an editor's rejection adds to this pressure; nearly two-thirds of journal editors surveyed by Henson (2001) reported rejection rates of over 65%. Moreover, the extensive time and effort required to prepare a manuscript for publication can frustrate and dishearten many novice writers. The purpose of this article is to provide some basic advice for new and future faculty members who are struggling to produce publishable manuscripts. Although the article is meant to serve as a guide to the writing process, it should be noted that it is not a panacea for all writing difficulties. Our aim is to clarify many basic writing elements that we-in our combined 50-plus years of writing and editing experience-have found often interfere with effective written communication. Gaining an understanding of and developing a plan to address these elements can free you from encumbering details, thus giving you more time to focus on conducting high quality research. To do this, we recommend approaching writing as a process. Approaching writing as a process-albeit a reiterative process-simplifies the task. There are three stages in this process: pre-writing, writing, and rewriting. Within each stage, there are multiple steps. A discussion of each stage and the steps that compose it follows. Pre-Writing Stage The purpose of the pre-writing stage is to help you organize your ideas before beginning to write. Effort expended at this stage pays off later in the process. Identify the topic. Identifying a topic can be the most difficult step in the writing process (Gay & Airasian, 2000). When choosing a topic, it is important to remember that the writing process can be long and intense. Therefore, it is vital to choose a topic that is interesting to the writer. The topic also should contribute something substantial to its field. Possible sources for topics include theories found in literature, extensions or replications of previous research studies, and personal experiences or observations. In addition, your dissertation could serve as a starting point. Another source for topics is other professionals in the field. Ask a senior professor or colleague. In addition to offering suggestions, an experienced peer might be willing to co-author an article. It is advisable to co-author an article with someone who has a proven track record for publication. …
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-03-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 9
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