We are delighted to confirm a workshop for this years FLANZ conference is entitled “Getting published in an academic journal”
Academic publishing is competitive and there are a huge range of potential publications you could submit your research to. All of which can be daunting, even for experienced and already published authors.
In this workshop, the co-editors of the Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, Dr Alison Fields and Dr Simon Paul Atkinson, will work with you through the six steps you need to consider as a potential published author.
- These are the need to begin writing during the early stages of your research or doctoral study. Don’t rush to publish, carefully re-read your manuscript, have colleagues read it too, and address any shortcomings before submission.
- Do some research in order to choose the right journal to submit your work to. Select a journal that aligns with your research topic and methodology. Consider factors such as the journal’s scope, audience, open access policy, impact factor, and relevance to your field.
- Craft a well-structured article that follow that specific journal’s style. Include essential sections like an abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. It is essential to follow the journal’s guidelines for formatting, referencing, and citation style.
- Understanding of peer review is crucial. Submit your manuscript to undergo rigorous evaluation by experts in your field. Be prepared for constructive feedback and revisions. One of the best ways to understand this important dimension of academic publishing is to be a reviewer yourself.
- After receiving feedback from reviewers, address the feedback thoroughly. Revise your manuscript accordingly. The reviewers may suggest that you look to publish elsewhere and even make suggestions. Always look to enhance your work for clarity, coherence, and accuracy.
- Submit your revised manuscript to the journal. Be patient during the review process, remember all of the reviewers are busy people who are volunteers.
If your work is rejected, don’t be discouraged—learn from the feedback and improve your paper. You can contact the editors if you do not feel that the feedback is actionable and want more guidance. Persistence and continuous improvement are key
This Workshop will be delivered in three parts.
15 minutes: Overview of the state of educational publishing in the field of open, flexible and distance learning. We will review how different journals are scored and ranks, and the decision to publish open access. How journal editors receive and treat your submissions. Why it is important to ensure all of the guidance is carefully adhered to. Things that lead to instant rejection of submissions, and the ethical responsibilities of authors.
30 minutes: Review exercise with participants in small groups reviewing real submissions to evaluate whether they believe they are likely to be accepted by the FLANZ in-house journal, the Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning. Participants are not expected to read entire submissions but rather learn the elimination-review process that most journals use before asking colleagues ot peer review. There will be time given for groups to feedback.
15 minutes: Q&A and reflections from the editors’ perspective of what makes for a successful and smooth submission.
You may want to consider bringing some drafts with you as there will be opportunities to network and share practice with like-minded colleagues as part of the workshop. The workshop is limited to those who are attending the conference, so if you haven’t already, please consider registering today.