How to publish your first article in a scientific journal: A step-by-step guide
As an early career researcher – whether you are a doctoral student, postdoctoral researcher or even just starting out as a recent faculty, you are probably thinking of submitting a journal paper soon. If you have never done it before, then the first question that comes to mind is, where do I begin?
So, if you are wondering how to publish your research paper, we have you covered with tips and resources. Read on...
5 key steps for getting your article ready for publishing:
1. Get organized:
Start cataloging your references regularly so that you have them handy when you begin to write. Learn a good reference management tool that can be used as an article repository as well has help with formatting. Staying organized will help you throughout your journey as you prepare your article for publishing in a journal.
2. Identify candidate journals:
Have a discussion with your laboratory supervisor and select a few articles as examples from each journal that you are targeting. This will give you a better idea of how you need to prepare and present your work. Using a journal finder can be very helpful in deciding which journal is the best match for your research.
3. Begin with the results section:
When I was doing my doctoral research, my supervisor would always emphasize that the results section of the paper is the foundation upon which the entire paper stands. Once that is written, the rest can follow. Start putting together your figures and tables first along with a description of the results. Remember, the results do not need to have references or any interpretation of the data. This is where you report your findings in the best possible way – using graphs, tables, diagrams, figures, photographs – while adhering to the guidelines of the journal you have selected for publishing your paper.
4. Get inputs from the team:
When you are preparing an article for publishing, it is important to get inputs from your team. Make sure you set up regular review sessions to finalize the article for submission to a journal. Once all authors agree about the results, you will write the methods, introduction and discussion sections. The methods section is usually the easiest if you have done the experiments yourself! Be sure to reference any methods you have used that were described in other papers. Even if it is a method that has been used and published by your team, it must be cited.
5. Stay original:
As you write the literature review/introduction section as well as the discussion sections, it may be tempting to lift paragraphs from other articles. However, journals will pick up plagiarized text and AI-generated text. So, this step is very important to follow! Be sure to write in your own words anything that you read in another paper. You must cite other researchers’ work in the reference section if you refer to it in your paper. If you do take a phrase directly from another source, be sure to put it in quotes and provide the correct citation. Publishing in a scientific journal requires even more vigilance when it comes to your figures, as images may be checked by AI-assisted tools to ensure that they are original. If you want to submit to a scientific journal, be sure to double-check your data and figures before submitting to the journal.
Helpful resources
Here are some more helpful resources that can guide you in writing and publishing your article:
Is getting published in a journal one of your goals for this year? Publishing in journals is vital for researchers, but the path to publication can be arduous if you do not plan well. To help you attain your goals, this article will provide a step-by-step process to help you create your own publication schedule, and make you aware of the possible outcomes after you submit your manuscript to a journal. So get ready to attain your publication goals! A step-by-step guide to creating a journal publication schedule (Download - Publication schedule template)
It is important to have a clear idea about the different types of articles that you can publish in journals. This will help you understand the ways in which you can disseminate your work and identify what kind of article would be suitable for your study. 6 Article types that journals publish: A guide for early career researchers
Aspiring scholars rightly recognize publication of their first peer-reviewed paper as a critical career milestone. It signals active engagement with the discourse in a field and contribution to the body of knowledge. Student and trainee publication is thrilling in a positive way when it is successful but, in many cases, is also fraught with challenges and pitfalls. Inexperience and competing interests in the high-stakes endeavor of academic publishing can generate a quivering of negative emotion when the process goes awry. This article provides information about some common issues and guidance about how to best approach them to engender a positive experience. Guidelines for young researchers on tackling common problems in scientific publishing
If the idea of writing a research paper is making you anxious, this article is for you. Learn how you can make a dent in your writing project by creating the first draft of your article. How researchers should work to write the first draft of their manuscript
Belgian astronomer, Dr. Christiaan Sterken, Guest Professor at Department of Physics (University of Brussels), Emeritus Research Director at the Belgian Fund for Scientific Research, and member of the European Association of Science Editors (EASE) Council talks about characteristics of a good manuscript, challenges associated with peer review, and English as the communication medium for research. What makes a good manuscript, tips for ESL authors, and more!
If you are looking for help in writing your research paper and want all the resources you need at one go, you've come to the right place! We have put together a curation on the norms and ways of academic and research writing to help you in tackling your everyday tryst with the world of academia and research. Find all aspects of writing a research paper covered, including ethical considerations, style and formatting guidelines, structure of the paper, and more. The complete guide to writing a brilliant research paper
Comments
You're looking to give wings to your academic career and publication journey. We like that!
Why don't we give you complete access! Create a free account and get unlimited access to all resources & a vibrant researcher community.
Subscribe to Manuscript Writing
