Linda Olson
D.Phil., English and Related Literature

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Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all the scholars (students, professors and fellow academics) whose writing I’ve marked, edited and proofread over the years. Without them and their work, I could never have gained the knowledge and experience required to write this Guide. I am also grateful to René and Judith for their helpful comments while the Guide was in progress.

Table of Contents

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Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 1

1. Essential Ingredients for a Successful Academic or Scientific Article
1.1 Research: Methods, Practices and Sources

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Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 1

1.2 Evidence: Discoveries, Results and Data

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Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 1

1.3 Argument: What Does It Mean and Why Is It Important?

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Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 1

1.4 Minimum Publishable Units

Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 2

2.      Targeting an Academic or Scientific Journal: The Right Paper in the Right Place
2.1    Choosing the Journal that Fits and Benefits Your Work
2.1.1 Range and Specialisation: Is It the Right Fit?

Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 2

2.1.2 Journal Importance, Citation Reports and Impact Factor: Will It Have the Right Effect?

Part I: What To Publish and Where To Publish It - Chapter 2

2.2 Shaping Your Work To Fit the Journal

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 3

3. Deciphering Journal Guidelines and Designing an Effective Presentation  

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 3

3.1 Titles, Headings and Subheadings: Not Just Fancy Words

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 3

3.2    Paragraphs and Lists: Effective Presentation and Transition
3.2.1 Structured and Fully Developed Paragraphs

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 3

3.2.2 Using Lists Effectively

Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 4

4.   Journal Guidelines and Formal Scholarly English
4.1 British versus American English
4.2 Understanding Abbreviations

Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 4

4.3 Punctuating Appropriately

Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 4

4.4    Finding Your Scholarly Voice
4.4.1 Vocabulary: Formality, Precision and Variety

Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 4

4.4.2 English Verbs: Tensing Up and Splitting Hairs

Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 4

4.4.3 Using Pronouns Professionally and Clearly

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 5

5.    Presenting Data and Sources Accurately and Effectively
5.1 Tables, Figures and Other Research Data: Guidelines and Good Practice

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 5

5.2    Last but Not Least: References, Citations and Quotations
5.2.1 In-Text Citations and Quotations: Where and How To Acknowledge Sources

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 5

5.2.2 Footnotes and Endnotes: Do You Need Them?

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 5

5.2.3 Reference Lists and Bibliographies: Niggling Details

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Part II: Preparing, Presenting and Polishing Your Work - Chapter 5

5.3 Automatic Formatting: To Use or Not To Use

Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 6

6.   First Things First: Earning the Interest and Respect of an Academic or Scientific Editor
6.1 Covering Letters: First Impressions

Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 6

6.2    Titles, Abstracts and Keywords: Sound Connections
6.2.1 The Very Beginning: The Title

Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 6

6.2.2 Summing It All Up: The Abstract

Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 6

6.2.3 Searching for the Right Terms: The Keywords

Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 6

6.3 Ready and Willing: Submission Procedures 

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Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 7

7.   After Submission: Acceptance, Rejection and Revision
7.1 ‘Just What We’re Looking For’: The Successful Publishing Relationship

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Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 7

7.2 When ‘No’ Means No: Professional Departures and New Beginnings

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Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 7

7.3    ‘We’re Interested but…’: The Revision Process
7.3.1 Formatting, Structure and Referencing Style

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Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 7

7.3.2 Language and Clarity

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Part III: Communicating with Journal Editors: Submission, Acceptance, Revision and Rejection - Chapter 7

7.3.3 Content: Methods, Data and Argument

Appendix: Sample Responses to Letters from Academic and Scientific Editors

Letter A.1: Earning or Confirming Serious Reconsideration or Conditional Acceptance
Letter A.2: Resubmitting a Paper after Necessary Revisions Have Been Made

This article is part of a book called Guide to Academic and Scientific Publication: How To Get Your Writing Published in Scholarly Journals. It provides practical advice on planning, preparing and submitting articles for publication in scholarly journals.

Whether you are looking for information on designing an academic or scientific article, constructing a scholarly argument, targeting the right journal, following journal guidelines with precision, providing accurate and complete references, writing correct and elegant scholarly English, communicating with journal editors or revising your paper in light of that communication, you will find guidance, tips and examples in this manual.

This book is focusing on sound scholarly principles and practices as well as the expectations and requirements of academic and scientific journals, this guide is suitable for use in a wide variety of disciplines, including Economics, Engineering, the Humanities, Law, Management, Mathematics, Medicine and the Social, Physical and Biological Sciences .

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