Top Ten Ways to Get Published in Scholarly Journals

Jim Levin

10. Target your publishing efforts.

9. Read recent issues of the target journals.

8. Study the target journals' publishing guidelines carefully.

7. Let previously published articles in the selected journal suggest your article's structure.

6. Include the relevant literature, issues, and concerns.

5. Write a plausible article.

4. Keep it simple.

3. Write a persuasive article and cover letter.

2. "Debug" your article.

and the number one way to get published is:

1. If you are turned down, revise, resubmit and/or retarget.

10. Target your publishing efforts.

• Look at where other people in your field publish.
• Ask others who know your work and who know the field what the best publication targets are for the specific paper you are writing.
• Think about who you want to reach with your article.
• Think about the benefits to you of publishing in particular journals.
• Pick a set of target journals.

9. Read recent issues of the target journals.

• Look at what methodologies are in articles they've published.
• Look at what theoretical issues are in articles they've published.
• Look at what problems or goals are in articles they've published.

• Find the latest publishing guidelines, on the web site or in a recent print copy of the journal.
• See if the focus of your article fits the guidelines.
• See if the type of article (report, review, theoretical description, etc.) fits the guidelines.
• See if the length of your article fits the guidelines.
• Select one to submit to.
• Select another as a backup in case the article is rejected by your first choice.

7. Let previously published articles in the selected journal suggest your article's structure.

• Use the section headers that are most common.
• Be sure to include in your article all the sections typically found in other articles so that editors, reviewers, and readers are more likely to find them.

6. Include the relevant literature, issues, and concerns.

• Don't assume the readers will already be aware of them.
• Don't overuse jargon or technical terms.
• Include the most important, in a way that provides support for your article.
• Reference other articles in the journal if possible and appropriate.

5. Write a plausible article.

• The data collection, analysis, and other elements of your argument structure should make sense.
• Someone else reading your article should be able to reduplicate what you describe.

4. Keep it simple.

• Some reviewers and readers will just skim the article - make sure that the most important idea comes across when someone skims.
• The title should capture the most important thing you want readers to take away.

3. Write a persuasive article and cover letter.

• Keep in mind that you're asking somebody to give you valuable print space.
• Include a cover letter that lays out the most important point of the proposed article and why it is relevant for this particular journal.
• Most articles contain a line of argument - be sure that your line of argument makes sense and is supported as strongly as possible.

2. "Debug" your article.

• Have experts in the field read your article.
• Have informed laypeople outside the field read your article.

and the number one way to get published is:

1. If you are turned down, revise, resubmit, and/or retarget.

• Most articles are not accepted the first time they are submitted.
• Many articles that are published have been previously submitted and turned down.
• Take the reviewer and editor comments seriously.
• Talk to the editor.
• Include a cover letter in a resubmission, in which you address the most important reviewer and editor comments in your revision. If you decide not to follow a suggested change, provide support for why you don't think it is a good idea.