one thing about writing for publication
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A workshop for library staff supporting people writing for publicationTRANSCRIPT
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing” about writing for publication
A workshop for library staff supporting researchers
Pat Gannon-LearyMoira Bent
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Plan for the day
• Researchers– who they are – what they do
• Publication– Processes– Motivations– Barriers
• “One thing” research• The LIS role
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Introductions
• Who we all are• One thing we want from
the day
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
What is research
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
What is research? Researchers said ..
Research is• Theory-led; Data-led; Scholarship• Grounded in disciplines; multi / inter
disciplinary• Investigation; interpretation; gathering
evidence• A holistic activity; a set of transferable
skills• Collaborative / solo activity• Related to self• Validated by peer group• Made meaningful by an external
audience
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Who are our researchers?
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Who are “researchers?”
“ a researcher is someone with
“enthusiasm, an almost insane desire to know more about what you are interested in”
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
The 7 Ages of research
• Masters students• Doctoral students• Contract researchers• Early career researchers • Established academic
staff• Senior researchers• Experts
New Review of Information Networking (2007) 13 (2) : 81-99
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Early• Apprenticeship - influenced by
supervisors / tutors / mentors• Skills and competences are defined (also
funded and monitored)• Different levels of control• Transition from structured learning to
self-organization• Managing different roles e.g. other jobs,
developing teaching skills• Information consumer, objective is
production
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Mid• Moving field / moving role / learning a different
landscape • Balancing teaching and research• support / info guiding work management in
different circumstances• situating yourself / making your name /
establishing credentials– locally (e.g. in department)– wider research community
• Need to be adaptable / avoiding isolation • Starting to supervise other researchers• Starting role in management / administration• Information production and consumption• Shift from systematic to pragmatic information
retrieval
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Late / Senior• Developing into/ having a significant role
in research leadership and administration• Leading research teams / research
centres / research projects / mainstream management
• Supervising and examining theses• Teaching research methods• Plenary conference speaker• Editorial board of journals etc.• Refereeing / peer reviewer / specialist
assessor• Disseminating research practice or
defining their field• Different IL skillsets for range of
activities
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Researcher needs- where do we fit in?
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
coffee
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
What is publication?
What is “publication”• a copy of a printed work offered for distribution• the communication of something to the public• making information generally known
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn• To publish is to make content publicly known.
The term is most frequently applied to the distribution of text or images on paper, or to the placing of content on a website.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication
• Publication is the action or process of publishing something.
• Publish : prepare and issue (a book, journal, or piece of music) for public sale.
• print in a book or journal so as to make generally known.
• (From The Concise Oxford English Dictionary in English Dictionaries & Thesauruses)
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Types of publication• Book• Book chapter/section• Conference paper/proceedings• E-article• E- book• Book review• Journal article• Magazine article• Newspaper article• Wiki• Report• Thesis• Webpage• Presentation• Handout • Personal communication (letter, blog, email,
discussion list, chat room…)
Publication examplesMusic thesis:• http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?
osu991314575
Thesis as web site with updates, feedback form etc:
• http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/research/page.cfm?pge=43921
Links to award-winning e-theses (includes film
clips, animations, software etc)• http://www.rgu.ac.uk/etd/awards/
How about this one - turn your thesis into a dance?• http://gonzolabs.org/dance/contestants/
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Drivers and barriers to publication• Drivers
– What motivates people to publish?
– Is it the same for all?– What issues make it complex?
• Barriers– What hinders people?– Is it the same for all?– What issues make it complex?
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Drivers• Expectation of the job• Condition of the funding• Pressure to publish• Contributing to debate/ body of
knowledge/ networking• Passion• Research informed teaching• Intellectual challenge• Personal profile• Sense of achievement/ enjoyable• Advance career• Income generation• Develop skills• Clarify thinking
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Barriers• RAE/REF can skew priorities• Lack of motivation• Don’t have to do it• Other (work) commitments• Too busy to get started• Lack of support• Confidence in own ability• No ideas to write about• Fear of rejection• Fear of open criticism• Lack of knowledge of how to start• Language skills• Information Literacy ability
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
So publication can be:
• Subject based– Peer reviewed paper
• Philosophical– Opinion piece– Letter to editor
• Pedagogical– Audit of practice– Reflective piece
• Whimsical– Laurie Taylor in THE
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Lunch
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing” The Editor’s Perspective
Be relevant to the readership “The paper has to be interesting to
the readership of the journal. I receive far too many papers from potential contributors who have not read the aims or scope of the journal and I return the papers without sending them out for review.”
Answer the ‘so what?’ question “Make sure that you stress what is
original or what the work contributes to what we already know. Emphasise why it matters!”
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing” The Editor’s Perspective
Quality/style of writing“ Most Editors will cheerfully (!)
correct a reasonable level of poor spelling and grammar… - but shoddy writing and semi-illiteracy, coupled with switching the spell-checker off, is a guarantee of rapid rejection.”
Structure “For us it's important that the
article is easy to read (not too complex or technical in its nature) and has a clear, logical structure. “
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing” The Editor’s Perspective
Instructions to authors/revisions “If an Editor asks for some
revisions, he is not (usually) doing this out of some perverse ego-trip. It means that there is probably something wrong.”
Citations“Read it through before submitting it, & make sure all sources are acknowledged appropriately.”
Support
• Get support
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Researcher’s Perspective
Be concise, clear and convincingQuote from Pulitzer
“ Put it before then briefly so they will read it,
Clearly so they will appreciate it,
Picturesquely, so they will remember it
And, above all, accurately
So they will be guided by its light.”
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Researcher’s Perspective
Being pressurised to publish“ It can often appear to be a sort of 'game' and involves a degree of pressure: it's not necessarily about quality rather the pressure is often on quantity and aiming for journals which perhaps are not top rated but will publish an article - this is simply to ensure you have a publications list”
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Researcher’s Perspective
Co-authoring papers“Lots of 'politics' involved in publishing - as a researcher you often do a lot of the work but you may not be named as first author…”
Learning to say ‘no’ “I published in things that were
not great …because I was asked to. But probably could have got publications that would have done better for my CV if I'd taken more initiative.”
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Researcher’s PerspectiveTurnaround times of journal “I would find it useful to have
access to information about the expected time between submission and publication, as this seems to vary widely between different journals…”
Finding ‘reputable’ journals “ I would like to know more about
how to identify journals which would enable my work to reach as wide a readership as possible, or which are particularly 'reputable' in the field”
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Research Student’s Perspective
• Where to start – and why would I do it?
• Publication procedures• Practicalities• The ‘best’ journals• Matching your work to a
journal• Content/quality of info• Referencing• Ethical concerns
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Publication stages
• Decide you have something worth saying
• Choose your target journal• Check out instructions to
authors/style guides & adhere to them
• Use colleagues• Be prepared for rejection• Be prepared to make
changes
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
How can LIS get involved in the publication process?
• What do we do now?– Personal examples?– Do we do it well?
• What else might we do?– Ideas/ inspirations
• What is stopping us– Barriers to effective support
• What do we need to help us?– Apart from more money….
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Librarian’s perspective
• Advice & support, mentoring• Resources/collection
development• Services• Training opportunities• Promote yourself• Use of other services• Use of other academic staff• Networking• Lead by example
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Librarian’s perspective
• Advice & support, mentoring• Resources/collection
development• Services• Training opportunities• Promote yourself• Use of other services• Use of other academic staff• Networking• Lead by example
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Librarian’s perspective
• Advice & support, mentoring• Resources/collection
development• Services• Training opportunities• Promote yourself• Use of other services• Use of other academic staff• Networking• Lead by example
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing”The Librarian’s perspective
• Advice & support, mentoring• Resources/collection
development• Services• Training opportunities• Promote yourself• Use of other services• Use of other academic staff• Networking• Lead by example
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Case studies
• NUI Maynooth www.anltc.ie • MMU• Northampton Open Access
Journals• Newcastle Research Training
programmes• JISCiPAS IL researcher leaflet
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Some more ideas
• Community of Writers (COW)
• WfP booklet
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
“One thing” to take away
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication
Some further thoughts
• Who else is writing?• Who else is supporting?• Who else do we need to
talk to?
Thank you!
• Pat Gannon-Leary [email protected]
• Moira [email protected]
NOWAL: March 2009 Writing for publication