How to get published - 2024
This event has already taken place.
Content
Firstly, academic publications have become a vital part of scientific evaluation. They are no longer merely a means of communication, but are increasingly used as a criterion for quality control. As a result, publishing has become a vital part of scientific research: to be a (good) scientist is to publish.
Secondly, academic careers are short and precarious: the majority of PhD students move on to a different kind of employment, which means they have less time to get their results into the open. The result of this twofold situation is the following: publishing has become vitally important, but people have less and less time to learn how to do it.
This workshop is meant to help them overcome this problem. It offers a guide through all principles of publication, using a broad variety of tools and principles which can be used to take control of one’s publication strategies. This allows PhD students to take off on a flying start: knowledge and skills that would otherwise be the result of a long process of trial and error are now ready-at-hand for them to use at the very beginnings of their academic career.
The following aspects of the publication process will be covered:
1) How to pick a journal
In this part, we tackle the subject of how to pick the right journal. The students are introduced to the different factors that determine journal choice (such as journal rankings, subject matter, acceptance rate, review time, ...). One by one, these factors are analyzed, after which a number of online tools are presented to help the students select a journal. The result is a general method or algorithm that can be used to pick the best journal for a specific paper.
2) How to write your paper
This part addresses the actual writing of the paper. It offers a large number of tips on how to write clearly and concisely, and how to avoid being misunderstood. The approach to writing is top-down, starting from the general explanatory structure of the paper, before moving on to explain how this structure can be translated into concise and consistent writing. This is by far the most extensive part of the course, and includes theory, examples, personal assignments and instruction in the use of various online writing tools.
2.5) Graphs, Tables Figures etc.
This (rather short part) offers some tips and pointers on how to make effective use of visuals, such as graphs, tables, figures etc.
3) How to write an abstract
In this part, we take a look at the writing of an abstract. We discuss why it is important to have a good abstract, and how to write one. The focus is on the relation between the structure of an abstract, a paper, and the research presented there.
4) Paper written, what now?
This part treats the process and events between the stage of the writing process and the acceptance of a paper by a journal. It offers advice on how to get quality feedback, and how to integrate this feedback in your paper. It also focuses on the review process itself, with particular emphasis on the ‘decoding’ of rejection letters, the importance of which is often underestimated.
5) Paper published, what now?
At this stage of the workshop, we focus on the afterlife of the research paper. The students are introduced to the general academic context, the essential role of citations (including a discussion on the H-Index), why it is important to get cited, and how to track your citations.
Learning outcomes
After attending this workshop, you ...
- will gain insight into journals that are the most appropriate to submit your publication to,
- have knowledge about communicating the result of your research in an efficient and concise way to your peers,
- will acquire knowledge about how to engage productively and efficiently with feedback on your publications,
- are able to derive the intention of a journal editor from unclear rejection letters,
- will gain insight in the differences in style and writing between a paper and an abstract,
- will be able to develop a strategy to promote and disseminate your published papers.
Competences
An important part of preparing for any further professional step is becoming (more) aware of the competences you have developed and/or want to develop. In the current workshop, the following competences from the UHasselt competency overview are actively dealt with:
- Academic research skills:
- publication skills
- interpersonal competences:
- written communication
- oral communication
- personal effectiveness:
- autonomy
Practicalities
For whom?
- PhD students and postdocs
- 15 places available
When and where?
- This two-day workshop will take place on February 22 and February 26, 09:30-17:00.
- Participation on both days is required.
- Location: campus Diepenbeek, A105.
Registration?
- Registration is closed.
- As places are limited, registering does not automatically imply that you will be able to participate. You will be notified by email after the registration deadline has passed.
- Please cancel your registration at least one week in advance in case you cannot make it (cf. cancellation & no-show policy).
Acknowledged as?
- DS S&T: category 'scientific & generic communication' - course about scientific and generic communication
- DS HLS: category 'transferable skills' - compulsory elective course
- DS BSH: category 'research management & communication skills' - course/workshop aimed at developing research (management) skills