Writing for academic journals / Rowena Murray.

Previous ed.: Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Beyond reason and vanity:- 1. Why write for academic journals?: What is academic writing?--Can it be learned?--Is it innate?--Reasons for writing--Reasons for publishing--Internal and external drivers--Career implications--Research profile--What is \'research\'?--Reasons for not writing--\'I haven\'t done any research\'--Intellectual capacity--Turgid writing--Narrow range--Pre-peer review--Guilt, fear and anxiety--Procrastination--The writing self--Team and collaborative writing--Barriers to writing--An integrative strategy--Checklist--Further reading--2. Targeting a journal:- \'That\'s interesting!\'--Getting to know the journals--Judging journals--Choosing a journal--Peer reviewed or professional?--Instructions for authors--Journal resources for authors--Websites for authors--Journals that \'count\'--Analysing a journal--Working out what is acceptable--Becoming a scholar of the journal--Analysing abstracts--Defining genre--Joining the conversation--Cloning or creativity?--Mediating--Personal negotiations--Contacting the editor--Editors\' responses--Wait time--Checklist--Further reading--3. Finding time to write:- Incremental writing--\'Binge\' or \'snack\'?--A writing plan--Goal setting--30-minute slots--Monitoring progress--Creating a place for writing in your life--Becoming a regular writer--From process to programme--Checklist--Further reading--4. Finding a topic and developing an arguement:-Finding a topic--Conference presentations--Thesis--Freewriting--Generative writing--Writing to prompts--The writing \'sandwich\'--Finding readers: critic, mentor, buddy and others--Finding a voice--Finding an arguement--Formulating a hypothesis--Constructing an arguement--The quality question--Calibrating your topic--Writing a working title--Checklist--Further reading--5. Outlining:- Level 3 outlining--Allocating word lengths--Writing an abstract - Brown\'s 8 questions--Outlining a paper - Murray\'s 10 prompts--Calibrating your outline--Checklist--Further reading--6. Drafting:- What constitutes good writing in journals?--Shaping sections--Streamlining--Turning headings into prompts--Internal critique--Checklist--Further reading--7. Revising the draft:- Foregrounding generic aspects of academic style--Revising the outline--Revising drafts--Generative writing--Using the writers\' group--The critical friend and the \'tame\' subject expert--Revision processes--Interative processes--Developing a concise style--Grammar--Polishing--The final revision--Checklist--Further reading--8. Dialogue and Feedback:- A writers\' group--Writers\' retreat--Dialogue--More freewriting and generating writing--Checklist--Further reading--9. Responding to reviewers\' feedback:- The \'grim reader\'--Examples of reviewers\' comments--Destructive feedback--What to do with hostile reviews--Contradictory comments--Rejection--Resubmission--Responding to feedback from editors and reviewers--What now?--Acceptance--Proofs--Offprints--Marketing your writing--What next?--Recycling and \'salami slicing\'--Writing a book--Developing a programme for writing--Checklist--Further reading.

Busy academics must publish. To fulfil research output, they must write to a specific journal style and high standard while juggling other professional tasks. This book develops understanding of how writing happens, what good writing looks and feels like, what gets published and what does not and why.