“Going Live” to Discuss Publishing in Academic Journals

Watch SAGE’s first Instagram Live to learn tips and tricks for getting published

By Jessica Lipowski

On Thursday, January 28, I hosted SAGE’s very first Instagram Live from my boat in Los Angeles, not too far from SAGE’s headquarters. Over the course of 25 minutes, I shared insight on the article publishing process, providing tips and tricks to about 85 people from around the world. In addition to watching the recording on our Instagram feed, read on for a few key takeaways:

1.       Determine the best home for your paper. You can examine a few different factors to help you determine to which journal you should submit. For instance, does your article reference publications that might be a good fit for your research? As you are exploring journals, consider the aims and scope of the publication. Does the journal you are looking at publish the type of paper you are submitting i.e. a case report? What do your peers say about the journal? Does your institution have any restrictions on where you can submit articles (i.e. require Impact Factor or a certain Open Access license)?

2.       Read and follow the manuscript submission guidelines. We cannot emphasize enough how much editors appreciate the effort you put in. If you do not follow the guidelines, there is a large chance your paper might be unsubmitted and sent back for adjustments before even being considered. Read the aims and scope, follow the submission guidelines, and tailor your manuscript accordingly. If you are using your dissertation as a basis for your manuscript, be prepared to rework your thesis and adjust it accordingly for the journal of your choice.

3.       Spend some time on the abstract. Typically, an abstract is about 150-250 words in length and will cover a brief overview or summary of your manuscript. Every journal is structured differently, so be sure to read the author guidelines, but typically you would address the intention of your paper, methods, results, and conclusion in a succinct manner. Think about what researchers might search for in Google or PubMed, if they were to look up your paper. Sprinkle in a few of those keywords or phrases into the title and abstract to help with discoverability.

4.       Pay particular attention to the Methods section. Editors have shared this is often one of the main reasons for rejection. In this section, you should discuss the methodology used. There should be enough information present in terms of the procedures and/or measures for readers to trust the data or reproduce it. What was your technique? How many patients did you use? How did you select them, etc.? It is important to include any relevant materials or methods used, including ethical approval you needed to acquire.

5.       You might face rejection. Some common reasons for rejection include authors not thoroughly reviewing submission guidelines, incorrect formatting of tables and figures, the topic not being an appropriate fit for the journal, sending in the wrong manuscript type, and/or poor grammar and syntax. Perhaps the methods are not robust enough.

6.       Rejection? Revisions? Do your best to address the comments. If you are rejected, try to take the decision in stride and not take it personally, if you can. Criticisms are there to enhance your paper. Read the reviewer comments and Editor’s letter carefully. Rework the paper to address reviewer concerns. If you have made it through the next round, it is very rare for papers to be accepted without any revisions. Most likely, you will see “Accept pending major revisions” or “Accept pending minor revisions.” Clearly demonstrate what you have changed point-by-point; address each referee point in a separate document. In addition, we recommend highlighting changes in the document, as well, because this makes it easier for reviewers and editors to compare the point-by-point response to the revised document. Keep in mind the process may take 2-3 iterations.

SAGE has some fantastic resources, including a webinar on how to get published; a video series; PDF guide; online learning platform; and a variety of other services like editing services and FAQs, on the SAGE Journals Author Gateway. We wish you all the best in your publishing journey and make sure to follow our Instagram for future Instagram Lives!

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