34 | Science Reporter | May 2019

FEATURE ARTICLE

Aakanksha Tyagi & Madhvendra Shukla

Publishing in Journals The Right Approach

GETTING published is vital to gain academic proficiency. And the most authoritative

and influential scheme of publishing in academia is via journals. Journals are vehicles of scientific and technological progress and the lifeline of academic communication.

Journals are periodicals publishing academic research. They essentially comprise original research articles and on occasion case studies and scientific commentary as well. All journals are assigned a unique ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) for ease of identification in a growing pool of literature.

Getting a research article published in a high standing journal is the aspiration of every young scientist as well as a significant accomplishment for prestigious researchers in all fields of study. Research papers are taken very seriously in academia as they get published after painstaking experiments, studies, conjectures, discussions, analyses, etc. Also, these papers go through rigorous peer review by experts and are thoroughly screened by journal editors before seeing the light of the day.

Research articles are published for several reasons such as:

• To share research findings with

the national and international community.

• To put novel ideas out into the open for debate, discussion and further probing.

• To earn a degree and higher grades• To satisfy the appetite for research

and scientific writing.• To highlight and grab the attention

of academia towards pressing issues.

Since journal articles have a great impact on the scientific community and are important for career progression for especially young scientists, the art and science of drafting and getting articles published is an essential skill.

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Where to Begin?The process of developing a research paper begins with the selection of an appropriate theme. Most active researchers choose to publish their own primary data, while some prefer to write review articles. Young researchers when beginning to prepare a manuscript should pay attention that their article addresses an unexplained finding in their field, resolves controversies or throws light on debatable issues or highlights a new discovery/invention.

One should thoroughly read the existing literature and attend relevant conferences to network with the right people. These efforts ensure that you will find the hot topics which journals and publishers are interested in.

Publishers and journal editors are actively on a lookout for good quality science. They want papers which –

• Cover hot topics in the discipline

• Elaborate on an active research area

• Present work that advances the field in some way

• Promise high downloads and citations

• Contain good science, have a concise and clear presentation

Therefore choosing a publish-worthy theme sets the article on the right path and increases the probability of acceptance.

Journal SelectionSelecting a suitable journal for your work is the most crucial step of getting published. It is important to note that 20% of the manuscripts are rejected due to poor journal selection.

While choosing a journal for your article closely analyse –• What is the main focus of your

work and who will be interested in reading it? These answers will help you shortlist some journals.

• Read the ‘aims and scope’ and ‘target audience’ of the journal cautiously. This will help in figuring out if the journal is appropriate for your message.

• Ensure that the shortlisted journal publishes the type of article you are planning to submit.

• Check the publication history to confirm that the shortlisted journal publishes related articles. This exercise will also be helpful in validating the newness in your work.

• On occasions, there is a need for getting the article published at the earliest. In this situation, it is advisable to choose a journal with high frequency and less ‘time to publication’.

• Looking at the Impact Factor (IF) is also necessary especially when publishing for career and academic progression. Selecting a journal with high impact factor will promise chances of high citations.

• The choice is also made on the

basis of Open Access (OA) or subscription-based journals. OA journals are freely accessible and attract a wider readership. However, publishers generally charge Article Processing Cost (APC) for open access publication.

• While selecting a journal, also check with your institute and/or funding agency for any mandate for publishing in specific journals. Also for the provision of open access publication as well as support for paying APC.

In the process of selecting journals, it is often observed that a bunch of similar journals are shortlisted. As per publishing ethics, multiple submissions are not allowed; therefore one should fine-tune the selection in accordance with specific objectives and expectations.

Article Cascading Many journal publishers nowadays offer journal selection and cascading services. In case you are not confident of your choice of journal, you may seek help from the publisher to shortlist the right journal for you. Do not get disheartened if your paper gets rejected, submit to an alternate journal.

Manuscript PreparationThere is more to acceptance of a paper than only a popular theme and suitable journal. A neatly drafted, organised, concise and complete manuscript increases your chances of acceptance manifold.

The golden rule to develop an effective manuscript is to meticulously read and follow ‘manuscript submission guidelines’ of the journal.

Since not only peer reviewers but also readers wish to quickly get the maximum information – always arrange the content into subheads. Largely, we have Introduction, Methodology, Results and Discussion (abbreviated as IMRAD) sections which form the backbone of the paper. However, components such as title, keywords, abstract, references are equally crucial.

In the process of selecting journals, it is often observed that a bunch of similar journals are shortlisted. As per publishing ethics, multiple submissions are not allowed; therefore one should fine-tune the selection in accordance with specific objectives and expectations.

36 | Science Reporter | May 2019

These components should be written in the following order for maximum consistency:• Methods and results – write during

the research• Introduction and discussion – write

after selecting your target journal• Title and Abstract – write at the last

Keep in mind the following:1. Title: The title is your first hello

to the readers. It grabs the most attention. The title should be specific and concise. Do not use jargons and abbreviations in the title. Keep it brief and convey the main theme of the article.

2. Abstract: Most people will only read the abstract. It should be brief. Avoid references in this section. Abstracts should be an accurate summary of your research objective, methods and findings. Conclude with explaining the relevance of your findings.

3. Keywords: Keywords are crucial for citations. Correctly chosen keywords increase the visibility of your article. Choose well known and specific technical terms as keywords. Avoid generic terms.

4. I n t r oduc t i on : G i v e amp l e background information to put your work into context. Present the research question and your approach towards it. Always cite references that readers can refer to. Do not write a longish literature review.

5. Methods: Write in the past tense. Use clear and succinct subheadings. Give reference to established methods and describe novel methods in more detail. Give manufacturer details of the tools and instruments. Describe all statistical tests.

6. Results: Arrange your findings in a string of facts like a story. Use past tense and break the information into subheads. Figures and tables in the results section should be referred to in the present tense. Present the facts, do not just state the results. Do not duplicate or repeat the information from text to table/figures as well. Include the results

of statistical analysis. Refer to the figures and tables in the text where ever required.

7. Discussion: Use subsections; write in the past tense when referring to the results and in the present tense when explaining the implications. Briefly summarise your results. Explain the significance of our findings. Elaborate a bit on the limitations of your study. Explain possible reasons of unexpected findings.

8. Conclusion: Restate the key information and its importance. Discuss the future scope of the study. Give a take-home-message to the reader.

9. References: References are your tools to navigate to past and future research. References give legitimacy to your work. Most importantly they help others find your work and are also crucial for citation indexes. Best is to follow the style guide of your target journal. Always give complete detail in references. Maintain consistency with in-text citations of references.

10. Display items: Figures, tables and other illustrations are called display items. They are effective tools for exhibiting complex data. Make sure the data of your figures and tables are not duplicated in the text. Keep them neat and well labelled. Preferably have high-quality figures and illustrations. Add captions and cite display items in the text where ever required. Make sure there is no incorrect

or redundant information. Avoid long sentences. Keep facts simple. To write publishable papers and getting them published requires clarity, conciseness and correctness. Once you have these

factors in your manuscript the probability of getting published increases. Journal editors receive a traffic of manuscripts and prefer not to waste time on poorly compiled articles.

Ethics of Scientific Writing Ethics and protocols are highly regarded in the academic and publishing world. While you are researching and writing the paper strictly adhere to publishing ethics. Keep in mind –1. An article can be submitted to only

one journal at a time.2. Refrain from fabrication and

falsification of data.3. Plagiarism is a serious offence.

Ensure there is no hint of duplication or copying of published content in your manuscript. Minimise the overlap or similarity from already published content.

4. Publishing your own previously published work is self-plagiarism. Avoid it.

5. Comply wi th the publ ishing requirements and regulations of your target journal.

It is important to learn and relearn the art of writing and publishing because, with time, the skills are required to be refurbished.

Ms Aakanksha Tyagi, Freelance writer on social and environmental issues. Presently Publishing Editor with Springer India Pvt. Ltd. Address: House number 36B, BD Block, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi-110088. Email: aktyagi9@gmail.com

Mr Madhvendra Shukla, Consultant in National Skill Development Authority, Min i s t ry o f Sk i l l Deve lopment & Entrepreneurship, Government of India. Address: Kaushal Bhawan, B2-Pusa Road, Karol Bagh. New Delhi-110005. Email: madhvendra.shukla@gmail.com

Ethics and protocols are highly

regarded in the academic and

publishing world. While you

are researching and writing

the paper strictly adhere to

publishing ethics.