290 likes | 374 Views
Learn how to enhance the quality and quantity of academic publications by overcoming challenges, getting feedback, choosing where to publish, and following a structured approach. Includes tips, workshops, and a publication template.
E N D
HOW TO ENHANCE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS Clyde B. McCoy, Ph.D. Professor University of Miami
Publication of research findings is an expectation. • Need to further increase scientific knowledge base • Career • Required for successful grants funding • Ethical considerations
Peer Review • Publications (and other academic areas) are driven by peer review. • GOOD—Our peers with common goals, interests, and ethics decide • BAD—Not always considered; inappropriate time and effort go into the review/evaluation. • UGLY—Academic competition can eliminate good work so as to eliminate reviewer’s competition.
Systemic Barriers to Publication • “Publish or Perish” • What, Where and How to publish • Rejection of manuscript • Difficult to complete revision requests • Long wait between submission, acceptance and publication
Personal barriers to publication • Tyranny of the immediacy • Difficult to find time • No deadlines make it easy to delay • Lack of peer support • Lack of feedback • Getting started
Tips for Academic Publishing* • Don’t compare yourself to others • Abandon perfectionism • Know how you work • Wall of pain • Use what you have already written • Abstracts • Material for conferences • Teaching material • Experiential material *Bucholtz,M. (2007) Tips for Academic Publishing University of California:Santa Barbara.
Tips on Writing • James Michner—Excellent approach is to write every morning. • Isaac Asminov—Don’t finish the last sentence. • Clyde B. McCoy—Rough is better than nothing; I can not edit nothing.
Getting Feedback • Show people your work. • Don’t take criticism personally. • Revise and resubmit means just that. • Not making revisions misses a great opportunity Expect rejection and keep trying. Keep your publishing projects moving.
Where to Publish • Peer-reviewed journals • Calls for papers, special issues • Specialized journals • General interest journals • Be selective • Submit from top down, not bottom up • Submit at the highest level where there is a reasonable chance of acceptance.
Publishing Tips • Read the journal before you submit. • Follow submission guidelines carefully • Do not submit an article to more than one journal at the same time.
Format of Article • Follow guidelines in “Instructions to Authors” section of the journal to which you will submit. • Journals have different format styles, particularly in regard to citations and references. • If article is not accepted and resubmitted to a different journal, redo the format to match the requirements of new journal.
Format of Article • Depends upon journal • Most journals require: • Abstract • Introduction • Methods • Results • Discussion • References
Publications Workshops • Started in 1988 by Dr. Clyde McCoy to increase the quantity and quality of publications by the faculty of the Comprehensive Drug Research Center at the University of Miami. • UCR requested Dr. McCoy to begin workshops in 2007-2008.
Format of the workshops • Interactive • Each participant completes a form addressing major issues for an article. • The participant then presents his or her ideas for a publication to the entire workshop. • The article is discussed and critiqued. Suggestions for improvement are made. • Simple and alterable.
Publication Template • Working Title • Purpose of article • Lit Review • Database to be Used • Outline of article • Outcome variables • Independent variables • Analysis Plan • Tables
Publication Template • For those unable to complete the template, the workshop participants will assist in finalizing the template.
Deadlines: • Completion of article Date: • Analyses of data Date: • Literature Review Date: • Introduction Date: • Methods Date: • Results Date: • Discussion/Conclusion Date: • Abstract: Date:
Timelines • Timelines are established for each phase of the article production. • Deadlines must be seen as immutable—the same as grant and conference abstract deadlines. • All authors on the article must adhere to timeline. • Timeline adherence will be assessed at next publication workshop. • Self monitoring must occur continuously
Authorship • It is permissible and often helpful to have co-authors. • Individuals interested in co-authoring a particular paper should inform the primary author. • The primary author will assign duties, based on the co-author’s areas of expertise • Co-authors must be willing to adhere to the timeline.
Future Workshops • Two to three workshops a year should be scheduled. • Participants will report on progress from the last workshop and adherence to timeline. • New article templates will be introduced and discussed. • This will allow for a continuous stream of publications.
The publication workshops held at the University of Miami for members of the CDRC have resulted in thousands of published peer-reviewed articles by over 500 co-authors. • If followed, the workshop process works. • Always looking for ways to improve the workshops.
Clyde B. McCoy—A study is not completed until it is published.