How to get published
- 1. PUBLISHING WITH PURPOSE IN THE SECURITY FIELD Jay Tamsett, Editor-in-Chief Journal of Strategic Security (JSS) A publication of Henley-Putnam University Press
- 2. How does publishing enhance your career? • Write what you are passionate about, and stand out in your career field • If you can align your vision of your future with your education and interests… • …and you are willing to work hard to build skills in writing… • …then you have high potential to get published
- 3. Where should I publish? • Make a list of journals and magazines in your career field • Develop a list of topics you want to write about • Then, see if you can find a “call for papers” or “call for submissions” online that matches your interests and timeline • Contact the editor or publisher and let them know you are interested in submitting a manuscript • If appropriate, send along an abstract (typically not more than 200 words or one long paragraph) • Be willing to work hard to get it right and ask for a friend or professor to review your paper before you submit the final manuscript
- 4. GETTING STARTED Tips and strategies for getting published
- 5. Before you submit a paper for publication, ask: Why am I writing this paper? Challenge the status quo or conventional wisdom? Convince policy makers to consider your recommendations? Add to a deficiency in the literature? Who is my audience? What do I want them to know? Do I need them to make a decision? Persuade them to think differently about an issue? Introduce a new concept or idea? What is my thesis? In one or two sentences, what is my main point? Do I have evidence both for and against my main point? How will I organize my ideas and structure my arguments?
- 6. Research publisher’s requirements before you submit Find a relevant publication source Is your style more editorialized? If yes, consider a magazine or trade association pub Is your style more scholarly? If yes, consider a refereed journal Study the call for papers Is my paper relevant to the current call? Contact the publisher and share your idea or abstract Adhere religiously to the submission requirements Shape your paper to conform to the particulars of the publisher Aim to put forth lots of effort up front to get the right look-and-feel Don’t “wing it” – ask the editor if you have ANY questions
- 7. What should you write about? • Just because you have knowledge, doesn’t mean you know it all. • In fact, trying to convey to others how much you know is a great way to… • …get a paper turned down for publication. • On the other hand, good authors know how to…
- 8. Synthesize old ideas and create new ones • Competitive scholarly papers examine multiple sides of an issue • They include a relevant literature review, demonstrating mastery of what’s already been said • Synthesis means weaving together ideas, evidence, or arguments, then adding your own unique voice • The result is an original scholarly paper
- 9. Scholarly article vs. academic research paper Know the difference! A paper for school is rarely ready for publication as-is It takes a lot of work to re- purpose a paper for publication Always read and follow the submission guidelines Don’t try and prove your knowledge, demonstrate it Academic research Scholarly article Prove knowledge of at least one side of an issue Prove mastery of both sides of an issue Prove that you learned the material Prove that you can teach the material Showcase what you know Showcase your understanding of what others know Presentation & summary of facts Presentation of original analysis and conclusions Recites what is already known Adds to or fills gap in the literature
- 10. Guidelines for writing effectively • Use a neutral voice, avoid personal pronouns • Avoid editorialized commentary, trade publications, newsletters, blogs, and magazines are more appropriate • Maintain a professional tone, avoid drama and sensationalism • Use appropriate adjectives, don’t use two when one will do • Don’t be superfluous, use an economy of words
- 11. …continued (“Guidelines”) • Be succinct, crisp, clear, and precise • Don’t be redundant • Don’t be redundant • Be specific, avoid glittering generalities • Avoid academic prose and big words • Write to experts, don’t write to be an expert • Tell the reader what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them (but don’t be redundant!) • Be humble, accept criticism, don’t quit!
- 12. Keep it simple, don’t try to impress your readers • The best papers are written in plain English with simple, clear syntax
- 13. Examine all relevant sides of an issue • But don’t overwhelm your readers with too much data • Fearlessly and deeply explore the arguments of your “opponents” • Sometimes the opponent is simply conventional wisdom • Look earnestly for reasons why you are right and why you might be wrong
- 14. WAYS TO GET PUBLISHED IN JSS The Journal of Strategic Security is published by Henley-Putnam University Press • Competitive • Peer-reviewed • Global coverage • Thousands of readers per month • World-class editorial board • Authors from around the world
- 15. History and Purpose of JSS • JSS was founded to be the cornerstone of the field of strategic security • It has grown from a few dozen readers per month to over 10,000 – globally • World-class editorial board from Georgetown, Columbia, Yale, and Cambridge among others • Our authors are top experts in their domains, but we publish strictly based on merit, not position The Journal provides a multi-disciplinary forum for scholarship and discussion of strategic security issues drawing from the fields of intelligence, terrorism and counterterrorism studies and protection, among others.
- 16. The Publication Decision Process at JSS Author submits paper online Internal, high-level review Accept / Reject for blind review Notify author of next steps Step 1 First- Look Strip paper of identifying metadata Send out for review, min. 2 experts Reviewers have 21 days Send back to author w/ edits Step 2 Blind Review Author submits revision Editor-in- Chief makes decision Step 3 Decision Time Copyedit for grammar & punctuation Publish! Step 4 Copyedit & Format Entire process can take up to 120 days
- 17. Ways to get your paper into the blind review pipeline • Be sure the length of your paper is within guidelines (typically by number of words) • Use the proper citation format (style and placement matter) • Have a clearly-worded thesis in the introduction (more on next slide) • Use headers and sub-headers to break up topics in the main body • Be sure to use complete paragraphs (at least three sentences and only one subject)
- 18. Have a beginning, middle, and end • Introduction • Thesis plus context • Summary of main arguments • Preview of conclusion • Overview of structure of paper • Body • Literature review • Group main ideas w/ headers and sub-headers • Logical flow & sequence • Readability, professional tone • Conclusion • Summarize main points • Revisit thesis • Propose the future – more research, new policies, etc.
- 19. About your master piece… • You’ve worked hard in school to develop your expertise • You deserve an “A” on your paper • You invested a lot of time and energy to make it your master piece • BUT…. • It is almost guaranteed not ready for prime time as a scholarly article • To re-cap, articles in journals like JSS take additional work – it’s not for everyone
- 20. You can do it with hard work • Occasionally, students submit papers that we invest time to provide guidance • Professors may submit a “top paper” for our consideration • With hard work and a can-do attitude, anything is possible!
- 21. Additional opportunities • We are looking for SME reviewers… • Submit your name and 5-7 keywords to describe your expertise • Send to: Editor@Henley-Putnam.edu • Propose a topic for an issue • Recommend authors • Compile a bibliography • Share your ideas!
- 22. Important links for JSS Main site http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/ Call for Papers http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/call_for_papers.html Submission Guidelines http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/submissionguidelines.html LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=3327766
- 23. SUBMIT YOUR PAPER TO JSS! Contact me anytime! Jay Tamsett Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Strategic Security Editor@Henley-Putnam.edu
- 24. THANK YOU! Questions? Email me directly: Editor@Henley-Putnam.edu There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.