HOW TO WRITE AND PUBLISH AN ARTICLE

Dr. Kamran Ishfaq, PhD SociologyThe Children’s Hospital & the Institute of Child

Health Multan, PakistanEmail address: kamranishfaqchc@gmail.com

Publishing your Work

• Why Should You Seek to Publish? • A traditional warning in higher education

circles• Academic recognition • Contribution to existing body of knowledge • Fame and fortune • Self satisfaction • Career progression

Identify Your Potential Publishing Source

Research papers 1. Journal article Conference paper (proceedings) 2. Working paper series Chapter in an edited book

Books Single & multiple author books Edited books (collection of papers) Text books Specialised books specialised book series General books General book series

Research Report Academic credibility - High Economic benefit – None Introduction in academic world - Reasonable

Newspaper and magazine articles Academic credibility - None Economic benefit - None Introduction in general public - high

Book Academic credibility – High Economic benefit – little Introduction in academic world – reasonable/high

Research paper (National and International Journals) Academic credibility – Very high Economic benefits - None Introduction in academic world - very high

Self-publishing Academic credibility – very low Economic benefits – very low Introduction to academic world – very low Introduction to general public – very low

Something is better than nothing Easy and quick to publish You need to know how to sell your book

Important Tips

• • Remember the international dimensions of your readership. • • Do not use terms that are not familiar in other

cultures/countries.

• Use of Numbers and Words • • Numbers less than 10 should be written in words (except

decimal units). • • Numbers greater than 10 should be written in numerals. • • Never start your sentence with numerals.

• Use of Sentences • • Try to use an active voice (e.g., ‘This research has

demonstrated…’). • • Try to avoid the passive voice (e.g. ‘It has been demonstrated

by this research…’).

Journal’s Guidelines for Authors for Submission of their papers... While submitting your paper,

you MUST make sure that...

• Your paper meets with all the parameters, their prescribed style and framework given in the latest copy in the journal

• You have used the journal’s latest citation style • You have followed required submission

procedures (e.g., correct number of copies, cover sheet, keywords, abstract, etc.)

• Electronic submission procedure / requirements...

How the Peer Review Works? • Open Review • • Identities of reviewers are known • • Identity of author(s) is known • • Reviewers are acknowledged in the published paper • • Number of Reviewers = Usually a panel of reviewers [Single] Blind (Anonymous) Review • • Identity of the author(s) is known • • Identity of the reviewers is unknown • • Number of Reviewers = Usually two (or more) Double-blind Review • • Identity of the reviewers is unknown • • Identity of the author(s) is unknown • • Number of Reviewers = Usually two (or more)

Qualities of a Good Research Paper

• Highlights its aims and objectives at the beginning

• Central theme and main argument(s) are made clear in the earlier part of the paper

• Provides up-to-date analytical information • Analyses current key debates in the subject area • Provokes thought and encourages reader(s) to

think further in the subject area • Enjoyable to read

Structuring your Research Paper for an Academic Journal Size and Style of Paper (No. of words, citation & format)

Abstract Objectives Study Design Place and duration of the

study Methodology Results Conclusion Key words

Main BodyIntroductionMethodologyData AnalysisDiscussionConclusionReferences

Original Article

• Text for original articles shall not exceed 5000 words and manuscript should be prepared under following headings starting from separate page i.e. Title page, Structured abstract, Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgement and References.

Structured Abstract

• Should not exceed 250 words and use following subheadings: Objectives, Study design, Place & duration, Methodology, Results, Conclusion and Key words (3 to 7).

Introduction

• Should contain brief review of the topic with strictly relevant references and historical background and the rationale and the objectives of the study shall be mentioned at the end.

Methodology:• Should be started with study design as well as place

and duration of the study. • It shall clearly state inclusion and exclusion criteria of

the subjects.• Well-established methods shall be cited with

references.• Statistical tools used for analysis of results shall also

be mentioned with enough detail to enable the readers or researchers to verify the reported findings.

Results• Important findings must be narrated in the text

with tables and explained in logical sequence in percentages as well as numeric’s [e.g. 23.37 % (n=32) or 23.37%, n=32].

• Only important observations should be emphasized in precise manner and repetitions shall be avoided.

• Table number should be mentioned in text while describing its findings. Tables, Bar graphs or Pie diagrams should not be more than five and lengthy tables containing irrelevant information’s should be avoided.

• Discussion: The findings should be compared with already existing national and international literature supported with references.

• It shall emphasize the new and important aspects, implications and any limitations of the study.

• The discussion should be crisp, to the point keeping in view the aims and objective of the study.

• Conclusion/Recommendations: • Should be specific towards the objectives of

study and in author’s own interpretation. It should not be linked to other studies.

• Acknowledgements: • Persons who have contributed intellectually or

technically to the paper but whose contributions do not justify authorship may be named and their function or contribution shall be clearly described. For example “scientific advisor”, “Critical review of study proposal”, “data collection” or “participation in the clinical trial”. Such persons must have permitted to be named.

• References: List must be numbered serially in the order in which the references appear in the text and typed double-spaced on separate sheets.

• References shall be latest (preferably last 10 year) national and international, up to 20-25, cited in Vancouver’s style in conformation the “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” (http://www.icmje.org).