Writing For Academic Journals

by Murray, Rowena

• ISBN13: 9780335213924
• ISBN10: 0335213928
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: Open University Press

Summary

What does publishing in academic journals involve? What constitutes good academic writing? What is a productive academic writing process? This book unpacks the process of writing academic papers. It tells readers what good papers look like and how they can be written.Busy academics must develop productive writing practices quickly. No one has time for trial and error. To pass external tests of research output we must write to a high standard while juggling other professional tasks. This may mean changing writing behaviours.Writing for Academic Journalsdraws on current research and theory to provide new knowledge on writing across the disciplines. Drawing on her extensive experience of running writing workshops and working closely with academics on developing writing, Rowena Murray offers a host of practical and tested strategies for good academic writing: Providing more than 'hints and tips', this book helps readers develop understanding of how writing happens, what good writing looks and feels like, what gets published and what does not and why Combines all dimensions involved in writing: rhetorical, behavioural and psycho-social Analyses successful published examples Uses boxes, checklists and bullets to vary the pace of reading and facilitate learning of key points Makes it clear why some practices fail and others succeed Helps academics and aspiring academics overcome writing barriers and blocks. This jargon free, user-friendly book is essential for the desk of every academic, postgraduate student and researcher for whom publication is an indicator of the quality of their work and ability. Reviews and endorsements:This approach provides scientists with a systematic step-by-step method of producing a paper for publication. The approach streamlines the process and provides strategies for overcoming barriers. Feedback from the professions using the approach was excellent:- "I have totally changed my approach to writing an article".- "I feel more productive and in control of my writing."- "The strategies of "snack" writing and writing in small sections has allowed me to progress."Dr Mary Newton, Practice Development Facilitator, Physiotherapy Department, Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust, UK Rowena Murray's book is extremely useful for new lecturers. This book provides guidance, strategies and tips for all of the different writing tasks that make up the process of writing a paper. Whether writing the first draft or the final draft, this book enables and inspires academics to develop their own writing strategies and goals.Lorna Gillies, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Leicester, UK Our experience is that Rowena's practical approach works for busy academic staff. Not only does it enable them to increase their publication output and meet deadlines, but it boosts enthusiasm for writing and stimulates creative thinking. "Get on that course!" is what our academics say to each other about Rowena's Writing for Publication programme.Kate Morss, Director, Centre for Academic Practice, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, UK

Author Biography

Rowena Murray is based at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. She is a visiting professor at Swinburne University, Melbourne.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xiv
Introduction: Beyond reason and vanity	1	(8)
1 Why write for academic journals?	9	(27)
What is academic writing?	10	(1)
Can it be learned?	11	(1)
Is it innate?	12	(1)
Reasons for writing	13	(1)
Reasons for publishing	14	(1)
Internal and external drivers	14	(2)
Career implications	16	(2)
Research profile	18	(1)
What is 'research'?	18	(4)
Reasons for not writing	22	(1)
'I haven't done any research'	23	(1)
Intellectual capacity	24	(1)
Turgid writing	25	(1)
Narrow range	26	(1)
Pre-peer review	27	(1)
Guilt, fear and anxiety	28	(2)
Procrastination	30	(1)
The writing self	31	(1)
Team and collaborative writing	32	(1)
Barriers to writing	33	(1)
An integrative strategy	34	(1)
Checklist	35	(1)
2 Targeting a journal	36	(31)
'That's interesting!'	37	(1)
Getting to know the journals	38	(3)
Peer reviewed or professional?	41	(1)
Instructions for authors	42	(1)
Journals that 'count'	43	(1)
Analysing a journal	44	(6)
Working out what is acceptable	50	(1)
Becoming a scholar of the journal	50	(2)
Analysing abstracts	52	(5)
Defining genre	57	(2)
Joining the conversation	59	(1)
Cloning or creativity?	60	(2)
Mediating	62	(1)
Personal negotiations	62	(1)
Contacting the editor	63	(2)
Editors' responses	65	(1)
Wait time	65	(1)
Checklist	66	(1)
3 Finding a topic and developing an argument	67	(32)
Finding a topic	69	(2)
Conference presentations	71	(2)
Thesis	73	(1)
Freewriting	74	(7)
Generative writing	81	(1)
Writing to prompts	82	(3)
The writing 'sandwich'	85	(6)
Finding readers: critic, mentor, buddy and others	91	(2)
Finding a voice	93	(1)
Finding an argument	93	(1)
Formulating a hypothesis	94	(1)
Constructing an argument	95	(1)
The quality question	96	(1)
Calibrating your topic	96	(1)
Writing a working title	97	(1)
Checklist	98	(1)
4 Outlining	99	(18)
Level 3 outlining	104	(4)
Allocating word lengths	108	(1)
Writing an abstract - Brown's 8 questions	108	(6)
Outlining a paper - Murray's 10 prompts	114	(1)
Calibrating your outline	115	(1)
Checklist	116	(1)
5 Drafting	117	(20)
What constitutes good writing in journals?	119	(6)
Shaping sections	125	(1)
Streamlining	126	(1)
Turning headings into prompts	127	(7)
Internal critique	134	(2)
Checklist	136	(1)
6 Revising the draft	137	(15)
Foregrounding generic aspects of academic style	139	(3)
Revising the outline	142	(1)
Revising drafts	143	(3)
Generative writing	146	(1)
Using the writers' group	146	(1)
The critical friend and the 'tame' subject expert	147	(1)
Revision processes	147	(1)
Iterative processes	148	(1)
Developing a concise style	149	(1)
Polishing	150	(1)
The final revision	151	(1)
Checklist	151	(1)
7 Finding time to write	152	(17)
Incremental writing	154	(1)
'Binge' or 'snack'?	155	(1)
A writing plan	156	(3)
Goal setting	159	(4)
30-minute slots	163	(1)
Monitoring progress	163	(1)
Creating a place for writing in your life	164	(1)
Becoming a regular writer	165	(1)
A six-month writing programme	165	(3)
Checklist	168	(1)
8 Dialogue and feedback	169	(18)
A writers' group	170	(6)
Writers' retreat	176	(8)
Dialogue	184	(1)
More freewriting and generative writing	185	(1)
Checklist	186	(1)
9 Responding to reviewers' feedback	187	(27)
The 'grim reader'	188	(1)
Examples of reviewers' comments	189	(5)
Destructive feedback	194	(2)
What to do with hostile reviews	196	(1)
Contradictory comments	196	(1)
Rejection	197	(3)
Resubmission	200	(1)
Responding to feedback from editors and reviewers	201	(1)
What now?	202	(1)
Acceptance	203	(2)
Proofs	205	(1)
Offprints	206	(1)
Marketing your writing	207	(1)
What next?	208	(2)
Recycling and 'salami-slicing'	210	(1)
Writing a book	211	(1)
Developing a programme for writing	211	(2)
Checklist	213	(1)
Bibliography	214	(7)
Index	221