Publishing tips

Academics offer insight and advice on how to get published and many related topics including peer review, open access, the ‘push to publish’ and IP

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THE podcast: a brighter future for academic publishing

Hear from two academics who are developing publishing solutions that encourage and underpin quality research practices and improve access to scholarly work

Paul Ayris, Philipp Koellinger

University College London, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Man sitting among piles of papers

‘Academic writing equals chaos’

If you are stalled in your latest writing project, Glenn Fosbraey shares three tips for breaking through blocks, getting organised and finishing the final draft

Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

Hands type on a laptop

Anatomy of an academic book proposal

Pitch your book to publishers with an irresistible proposal. Here are all the elements you’ll need

Richard Baggaley

The University of Westminster

An academic edits a research paper with a red pen

The pros and cons of peer reviewing

Weighing up whether to take on the role of peer reviewer? Arina Ziganshina draws on her own experience to outline the upsides and downsides

Arina Ziganshina

Dubai Medical College for Girls

Two young people high five over a boardroom table

Eight steps to launch a student-led peer-review journal

To help PhD students gain the skills required for publication and improve research literacy, consider an in-house academic journal

Andrew Drybrough, Philip Montgomery

Nazarbayev University

Pile of journals

‘Researchers have a responsibility to publish’

Without publication, advancements in knowledge will be stifled or even halted altogether, writes Walid Saad. Here he explains the many benefits to publishing for established scholars and students alike

Walid Saad

Virginia Tech

Traffic light sequence from green to red

Trying to decide what, where and when to publish research?

It’s a strategic balancing act, writes Walid Saad. While academic researchers often know why it’s important to publish their work, the timing, location and medium can be less evident. These tips are geared to sharing research for maximum effectiveness

Walid Saad

Virginia Tech

Middle Eastern male millennial researcher

A practical guide to writing a literature review

From organising key search terms to checking citations, this video offers simple, practical tips to crafting a literature review that will lay a sound foundation for your academic paper

Bareq Ali Abdulhadi

Al-Mustaqbal University

An illustration of a fedora-wearing robot working on a computer

We’re living in a world of artificial intelligence – it’s academic publishing that needs to change

Scholars are using generative AI to assist them with writing articles, but should they be punished for it? The academic publishing community may need to change its mindset, writes Benjamin Luke Moorhouse

Benjamin Luke Moorhouse

Hong Kong Baptist University

Hands of black woman typing on laptop

Time to write is a necessity, not a nice-to-have

How a project for academics to carve out writing time has grown from ‘power hours’ to writing retreats, community, increased well-being and higher-quality papers

Rosie Wadman, Jess Macpherson

University of Southampton

Students laugh together while working on a whiteboard

Set your PhD students up with opportunities to debate and share

Creating alternative publishing opportunities and space for peer-led conversation are a vital part of the PhD research student journey. Teal Triggs launched two initiatives to do so

Teal Triggs

Royal College of Art

A pair of surgical scissors are passed from one member of the surgical team to another

Making educational content open access can save lives

RCSI and its partners are making training resources for surgical professions available on an open access platform to address the huge number of preventable deaths each year. Find out how you can do something similar

Eric O'Flynn, Ines Perić

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Selecting language on a screen

Embracing linguistic diversity and equity in global academic publishing

English operates as a gatekeeper in academia, determining who can access and contribute to the most prestigious platforms of knowledge production. We must create spaces where other languages can thrive, write three European academics

Javier Husillos, Carlos Larrinaga, Daniel Martinez

UPNA, Universidad de Burgos, HEC Paris

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Building trust to support researchers’ mental health

Principal investigators should know what challenges to trust their research team may face at each stage of a project – from team building to post-project collaboration – so they can focus support effectively

Alex Zarifis

University of Southampton

Concensus concept

Can academic prenups help overcome barriers to interdisciplinary research?

A bottom-up approach could establish shared values, objectives, risk appetites and publication strategies as ways to mitigate challenges that hinder effective progress of interdisciplinary teams

Himanshu Kaul

University of Leicester

A group comforts a woman, sitting with her head bowed

Research shouldn’t cause trauma – let’s find a better way

How can we conduct research and share results without affecting the well-being of those around us? Eileen Harkess-Murphy advocates for a trauma-informed approach

Eileen Harkess-Murphy

University of the West of Scotland

Female hands with a pen and a blank page

Strategies for writing a PhD dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’

Reading isn’t writing, and knowing about your topic isn’t writing. So, what should graduate students do to get started and make steady progress? Monique Dufour suggests practising well before it’s time to write the thesis or dissertation

Monique Dufour

Virginia Tech

A video camera is used to film a scene

The making of: turning a research project into a documentary

To get your research findings into as many hands as possible, consider filming a documentary. James Layton, Paul Tucker and Bettina Talbot offer their advice

James Layton, Paul Tucker, Bettina Talbot

University of the West of Scotland

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THE podcast: bringing an outsider’s eye to primary sources

What happens when a literary scholar turns her attention to local archives such as inventories and court records? English professor Alexandra Harris talks about writing history, uncovering centuries of silent lives for her new book, and the interdisciplinary power of the humanities

Alexandra Harris

University of Birmingham

An engineer controls the quality using a tablet device to inspect the drilling machine in the factory

What’s the key to collaborations between HE and industry? Analytical testing services

Analytical testing services can revolutionise collaboration between universities and industries. Imtias Amir Bahauddin explains how

Imtias Amir Bahauddin

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Two medical researchers looking at data on a screen

Evidence synthesis: what every student (and researcher) should know

The ability to collect, summarise and analyse data is especially vital for students and researchers in medical and healthcare-related fields, writes Alessio Bellato. Here, he explains what it is and how to access training

Alessio Bellato

University of Southampton

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Researchers need support to change the world – here’s how to provide it

To generate world-changing research, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Research and Innovation Office took on the role of fostering collaboration and allocation of resources to allow their academics to focus completely on their work. Lixin Situ outlines how to provide support.

Lixin Situ

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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THE podcast: what is open access?

Experts demystify what open access and open research are, tips for best practice, and where the movement and research culture are heading

Heather Joseph, Steven U. Vidovic

Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, University of Southampton

Asian scholar working at laptop, PhD by publication

Publication-based doctorate: is it for me?

Potential research higher degree candidates from academia or industry will need to decide between a doctorate by thesis or by publication. Here are key questions to ask before embarking on the doctoral journey

Riad Shams

Northumbria University

Man in light from lightbulb-shaped hole in the wall, open research

Open research: what is it, really?

Open research principles aim to foster openness, transparency, replicability and accountability, writes Steven Vidovic. Here, he offers a fresh perspective along with practices to establish trust in research and foster collaborations and future opportunities

Steven U. Vidovic

University of Southampton

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Democratising research through open access journals

The rise of open access publishing has democratised knowledge dissemination, allowing researchers to share their findings with a global audience. Here, Corinne Guimont offers insights on running OA journals at a higher education institution

Corinne Guimont

Virginia Tech

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Opening doors to knowledge: making data open access

Making data open access has become a cornerstone of transparent and collaborative research practices. Here, Jon Petters provides a brief guide on how to do it, emphasising accessibility, reproducibility and interoperability

Jonathan Petters

Virginia Tech

Asian academic at laptop in library

Unwrapping discovery: the importance of institutional repositories

Self-archiving in university repositories is an alternative academic publishing route to gold open access that can boost citations and diversify users accessing scholarly content, writes Nicki Clarkson

Nicki Clarkson

University of Southampton

A librarian in a striped dress stacks books on a shelf

As librarians, we should embrace open research

Open access represents a new opportunity, and librarians are ideally placed to implement it. Nazarbayev University’s library team offers their advice

Jerald Cavanagh, Darya Zvonareva, Monika Bukowska, April Manabat, Yelizaveta Kamilova

Nazarbayev University

Woman signing document

Pledges and charters in medical schools: catalysts for change or performative promises?

Pledges demonstrating support in addressing issues such as racism and misogyny will often garner interest and may even attract pockets of funding. But they also risk oversimplifying complex problems, writes Lois Haruna-Cooper

Lois Haruna-Cooper

University College London

hands typing on a laptop, open research concept

Sharing qualitative research through open access

Traditional open access repositories are designed for sharing quantitative data. But what about qualitative data – non-numeric information and concepts such as case studies or interview transcripts? That’s where the Qualitative Data Repository comes in

Nathaniel D. Porter

Virginia Tech

Female scholar in library

Three ways libraries are championing the open access movement

Scholars and researchers should take advantage of libraries’ support of and expertise around open access publishing. Asking a librarian for help could protect your work and save you money

Karen Glover

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Healthcare researcher with patient

What underpins effective patient and public involvement in health and social care research?

Is it rules or values? The two key ways to approach the art of PPI in healthcare research should come together in process, procedures and culture, writes Gary Hickey

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

A man with a backpack wanders along a jungle path

Researchers should harness the explorer’s spirit to find their career path

Lee Chien Ching shares advice to her younger self and other early career academics on forging your own path through the sometimes forbidding jungle of academia

Lee Chien Ching

Singapore Institute of Technology

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The double-edged sword of open access publishing

Inclusivity is seen as a benefit of open access publishing, but is this an illusion? Here, William E. Donald asks questions about who pays and what counts, and offers scenarios for a fairer journal model

William E. Donald

University of Southampton

A young scientist uses a laptop and mobile phone in the lab

Science communication tips for marketers

When research reaches a broader audience, it improves the society we live in and inspires the next generation of scientists. Iris Lai offers her advice on engaging the public with your work

Iris Lai

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Dial high for impact

Show your research impact: a guide for academics and researchers

In academia, effectively demonstrating and communicating the real-world impact of research is increasingly vital for scholars, driven by demands from funding bodies and academic institutions

Mohammed Al-Bahrani

Al-Mustaqbal University

A microphone against a purple background

Five things to know before you launch a research podcast

Starting a podcast can open up your research to a new audience. David Allan and Andrew Murray show how

David Allan, Andrew Murray

University of the West of Scotland

Man procrastinating at laptop

Five ways to beat the procrastination monster

Writing and procrastination often go together like pen and paper, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here, Glenn Fosbraey offers strategies to stop putting off putting words on the page

Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

An illustration of twelve people using megaphones

Get the word out: four ways to communicate with non-academic audiences

Sharing scientific research with the wider public can be instrumental in breaking down the barriers to academic work. Ashleigh Johnstone offers advice

Ashleigh Johnstone

Arden University

Four people use illustrated megaphones to shout at each other

Approach with caution: why education faculty should engage public intellectualism

The public debate on intellectualism is failing to consider education experts. Ali and Davin Carr-Chellman find the ways to reclaim the narrative

Ali Carr-Chellman, Davin Carr-Chellman

University of Dayton

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HARKing forward: an argument for a polarising research practice

Hypothesising (or proposing) after results are known is seen as going against scientific principles. Here, however, Yehuda Barach argues for its use in the name of unhindered enquiry and discovery when the scholarship is transparent and properly reported

Yehuda Baruch

University of Southampton

Young man writing on a laptop

What is your academic writing temperament?

Many early career researchers struggle to write enough. The key is to move away from an abstract notion of productivity and towards a productive writing process, explains Rachael Cayley. Here, she offers questions to help ECRs find their writing rhythm

Rachael Cayley

University of Toronto

Unhappy Asian man reading document

Give your academic paper its best chance of being accepted

Peer review is a key step in the journey to publication in that prestigious journal, but not every paper gets to this stage. Here are key reasons for desk rejection and how to avoid them

Cheong Fan

Macau University of Science and Technology

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Life after publication: promote your work for maximum impact

Seeing your work in print is by no means the end of the story. Chris Tancock offers advice on how you can make your published work stand out and benefit from the broadest visibility

Christopher Tancock

Elsevier

Lightbulb moment

Universities and academics need to make space for ‘useless’ research

The academic race for short-term results and practical applications must be balanced with research that can, in due time, become incredibly useful, writes James Derounian

James Derounian

De Montfort University

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Is open access tarnished?

As open access terms have split into colour-coded brands, not all allow totally unrestricted access and reuse. Among these, “bronze OA” stands out as a potentially damaging misnomer, writes Steven Vidovic

Steven U. Vidovic

University of Southampton

Unlocking padlock and open access publishing

Open access is inevitable – only the ‘how’ remains up for discussion

Scholarly knowledge is produced mainly at taxpayers’ expense. Why they should have to pay again to read it remains a mystery, writes Peter Baldwin

Peter Baldwin

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), New York University

Man climbing up-and-down graph-like staircase

How to sustain a journal and beat the academic publishing racket

Starting a journal is hard enough – keeping it going is an ongoing challenge. Here’s how to maintain success in academic publishing

James Williams, Asma Mohseni

University of Derby

Group of four multiracial young people in a meeting

A DIY guide to starting your own journal

An antidote to frustrations with traditional academic publishing might be to launch a grass-roots open access journal. Here are the steps to consider

Judith Johnson

University of Leeds