LFU:online

A wide range of strategic and applied skills are essential for writing and publishing high-quality research in scientific outlets and thus for succeeding in this crucial part of any academic career. These skills include choosing a fruitful research topic, deciding on a methodological approach, performing the research, writing up the results, publishing in a scientific journal, and communicating one’s results to the scientific community.

This course trains doctoral students in identifying research questions and formulating a research strategy in the early stages of their research, in structuring and writing a paper, in choosing and submitting to a journal, and in communicating with editors, referees and the scientific community at large. These skills are transferred through a combination of lectures, group discussions, and hands-on work on samples of scientific writing. The lecturer’s experience as author, reviewer and editor ensures the success of this course.

The course covers the following chapters:

1. Who is who in the review and publication process?

2. Research strategy

3. Paper structure

4. Writing and publication strategy

5. Submission and peer review

6. Trends in publishing

The course combines elements from a conventional lecture with extensive discussions with the participants and hands-on work on research papers and referee reports. Students have to submit parts of research papers (esp. introduction, motivation, literature, hypotheses, conclusion), which are then discussed and improved upon in the whole group. This supervised work guarantees both that the material is firmly anchored in the participants’ memory and that they can apply their newly acquired skills to their own research, substantially increasing the relevance for their own academic progress.

Continuous participation in class

Supporting literature: Reid, N., 2018. "Getting Published in International Journals", Professional Publications Press, Albuquerque.

Interest in writing and publishing a research paper in an academic journal.