Basics of research paper publishing

1. By: Azam Shams

2. Publishing research papers When the paper writing is finished and the authors consider the paper to be worth publishing, the next step is to submit it for publication (e.g. to a conference, a journal or a book editor). The selective focus here is on journal articles and conference papers.

3. Processes of Publishing a Journal Article A) Identifying a target journal B) Following the journals instructions C) Submitting the paper D) Understanding the decision process E) Revising a paper F) Answering queries G) Reviewing proofs

4. A) Identifying a target journal After preparing a manuscript, your next step is to choose a journal for the publication of your research. There are several criteria that should be considered in accurately selecting a journal for manuscript submission.

5. Criteria 1 The most common yet avoidable reason for journal rejection is mismatch between the manuscript and the journal aims and scope. First, determine whether the subject matter of your article matches that of the target journal. Consider the sort of research that the journal focuses on. Is it theoretical or applied? Match between the subject of your article and the journal's aim and scope.

6. Criteria 2 What is the readership and target audience? If your paper is highly specialized or technical, youll do better to publish in a journal with a small but very specific target audience. Reaching the right readership can sometimes be more important than reaching a wide readership.

7. Criteria 3 Is the journal highly visible? Once your paper is published, it should be easy to find by other researchers. Journal visibility plays an important role in this regard. Is the journal available online? Publishing in journals that are only circulated in print can seriously limit the number of people coming across or reading your work.

8. Criteria 4 What is the CV value of publication? Some authors put a premium on journal prestige. Here are some factors to consider. Editorial board members. Prestigious journals usually have eminent researchers as members of their Editorial Board. Visit the journal website to check the names on the Editorial Board. Are the Board members well-known in your field of study? Journal sponsorship. Is the journal owned or sponsored by a prestigious society in your field? What is the journal's impact factor? Dont just look at the actual impact factor, since impact factor values vary by field. Consider the impact factor relative to those of similar journals within your field.

9. Criteria 5 What is the journals turnaround time? How many issues does the journal publish in a year? A monthly journal is much more likely to review your article quickly compared with a journal that only publishes once a year. Some journals list the date submitted and date accepted. Comparing these dates will give an approximate idea of the turnaround time.

10. Checklist for journal selection While you choose a journal for publication, you should ensure the following: Does the subject of your article match the journal's subject focus? Does the journal accept the article type you intend to submit? Is the journal read by your target audience? Does the journal have an online edition? Is the journal's impact factor in line with your requirements? Is the journal regarded as a prestigious one in its field by colleagues and peers? What is the turnaround time for articles submitted to the journal? How many times a year is the journal published? What are the publication charges? Is the length and structure of your manuscript acceptable to the journal?

11. B) Following the journals instructions Read the instructions to authors before starting to prepare your paper, regard them while preparing your paper and check the them again before submitting your paper. Look at some recent issues of the journal. Doing so can help you gear your paper to the journal.

12. -What categories of article does the journal publish? -What is the maximum length of articles? -What is the maximum length of abstracts? -Does the journal have a template for articles? If so, how can it be accessed? -What sections should the article include? What are the guidelines for each? -What guidelines should be followed regarding writing style? -How many figures and tables are allowed? What are the requirements for them? -In what format should references appear? Is the a maximum number of references? -In what electronic format should the paper be prepared? Some Questions the Instructions May Answer:

13. C. Submitting the Paper Traditional submission (by mail) Electronic submission Inclusion of a cover letter (conventional or electronic) Completion of required forms

14. Letter for the submission Dear Editor Please regard my article titled : Speech Acts and Language Functions Found in Conversation Models ob Prospect 1 for publication in your journal of IJLLALW. I undertake that my article is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. I am looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Sincerely yours Azam Shams MA

15. Some Categories of Editors at Journals The main roles (except authors) involved in the journal editing and publishing process and their responsibilities are as follows: (Helpful to know because you might interact with each) Reviewer: Each journal has an editorial board that includes a number of reviewers who are responsible for reviewing submitted manuscripts assigned to them by an editor. Having reviewed a paper, each reviewer independently advises the editor whether to accept or reject the paper. Editor-in-chief: The most important function of an editor- in-chief (can also be a group of persons) is to make the final decision whether to accept or reject a submitted paper.

16. Associate editor: In case a journal has a board of associate editors, then for each submission an associate editor is assigned as an intermediary between the authors, the reviewers and the editor-in-chief. Associate editors handle the communication with the corresponding authors and they control the reviewing process, including the selection of reviewers and processing of revisions. Based on the reviewers recommendations, they make a recommendation to the editor whether to accept or reject a submitted manuscript.

17. Initial Screening by the Journal For appropriateness of subject matter For compliance with instructions For overall quality (sometimes)

18. Dear author, Thank you very much for considering the international journal of language learning and applied linguistics world to publish your research paper. Your paper will be checked in terms of Plagiarism using www.Plagscan.com . If the similarity is less than 20%, it will be sent to two reviewers. You will receive the review result and further instructions soon. Best regards, Article Submission

19. Peer Review Evaluation by experts in the field Purposes: To help the editor decide whether to publish the paper. To help the authors improve the paper, whether or not the journal accepts it.

20. D) Understanding the decision process Based on the peer reviewers advice, the editors own evaluation, the amount of space in the journal, other factors Options: Acceptance without revision (a rare event) Acceptance with minor revisions Revise (major changes usually with additional experiments required; Editor usually sends the revised manuscript back to one or more of original reviewers) Reject (with encouragement to re-submit after extensive revisions and addition of new experimental data to address the flaws/issues in the original manuscript) Reject (submit to another journal)

21. review result I am writing with regard to the paper that you submitted for possible publication in the international journal of language learning and applied linguistics world (ijllalw). I am glad to inform you that based on the reviewers comments your paper has been ACCEPTED to be published in the current issue with minor revision required. In order to receive the detailed review results and the comments of both reviewers for the better enhancement of the manuscript, please sign and send the copyright form along with the publication fee payment not later than 2 days. You can pay the publication fee through Pay Pal or Bank transfer. To pay the publication fee through Pay Pal, please pay the fee (165 USD, 25 $ EXTRA AS PAYPAL TAX) to [email protected]. If you wish to use bank transfer, please find the necessary information in the attached file. For bank transfer, please pay 170 USD (30 USD extra as the bank transfer commission). Best regards,

22. E. Revising a Paper The goal is to improve the paper and get it accepted for publication. So Revise and resubmit promptly. Include a letter saying what revisions were made. If you received a list of requested revisions, address each in the letter. If you disagree with a requested revision, explain why in your letter. Try to find a different way to solve the problem the editor or reviewer identified.

23. review details Dear author, Thank you very much for paying the publication fee. Attached you can find the review result for the paper that you submitted to the IJLLALW. The reviewers may have made some changes in RED. Please, use the attached file to revise your paper. Please 1) Insert your paper in the journal template and format the paper as mentioned in the review details form. 2) Highlight your changes in BLUE so that we can easily find out what revisions you have made. 3) After highlighting the changes in the main paper in BLUE, you should complete the REVIEW CHECKLIST and send it to the journal with the final revised paper inserted in the template. In the REVIEW CHECKLIST, in every section including the abstract, introduction and you should explain in short, how you have answered the reviewers comments (if any comment has been given). 4) Refer to the review result form for further possible comments. 5) Send the revised version (with changes highlighted in BLUE) and the cover letter not later than 5 days. 6) The final version should only be sent in word file. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: AFTER THE FINAL SUBMISSION, THE PAPER WILL BE PUBLISHED AND INDEXED SOON. ANY CORRECTIONS IN THE NAMES OR AFFILIATIONS OF THE AUTHORS AFTER THE PAPER IS PUBLISHED RESULTS IN MULTIPLE UPLOADING OF THE SAME MATERIAL WHICH COSTS THE JOURNAL 40 USD. THIS AMOUNT SHOULD BE PAID BY THE AUTHORS. Best regards,

24. F. Answering Queries Queries: questions from the manuscript editor Some topics of queries: Inconsistencies Missing information Ambiguities Other Advice: Respond promptly, politely, and completely yet concisely.

25. G. Reviewing proofs After acceptance, authors are sent proofs of their manuscript but only changes to the title, author list, spelling, grammar, formatting, or scientific errors will be permitted. All corrections must be approved by the publishing team. When all editorial issues are resolved, your paper will be formally accepted for publication.

26. Final Step First, Celebrate Publication of Your Paper! Then: Some journals publish the paper online as a PDF file of the final manuscript that was accepted for publication (days to weeks).

27. final revised paper & review checklist Dear author, I am glad to inform you that your paper has been published now. Many thanks once again for considering the international journal of language learning and applied linguistics world as an academic place to share your latest findings with other scholars. Best regards,

28. Dos and Donts When Submitting Papers Do look into whether the journal has page charges or submission fees, or fees for color illustrations or photos, or reprint charges. Do prepare a cover letter for your paper including the name of the manuscript , the names of the authors, academic degree, position, affiliation, the address, telephone number, e-mail address. Dont interpret the editors decision letter too literally. Usually there are qualifiers in the decision letter like: We can only accept your paper after major revisions or Your paper is not acceptable in its current form. Should you choose to revise your paper.. These are generally statements that are leaving the door open for you to revise, rebut and resubmit.

29. Processes of Publishing a Conference Paper The review system at scientific conferences is quite similar to the journal paper review system, at least in computer science. Nevertheless, there are some differences in the publishing process, which are explained in this section. Generally, papers published in conference proceedings do not have a reputation as high as journal papers. This is particularly true for the natural and social sciences. Several months before the conference date, the conference chairs issue a call for papers (often referred to as CFP in both written and oral communications) to invite authors to submit papers to be published in the conference proceedings and to be presented at the conference venue.

30. CFP information The CFP, which can normally be downloaded from the conference website, comprises the following information: Title, acronym and venue: for example, Eighth European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2013), Paphos, Cyprus. General information/theme: this section can be found on most CFPs describing the scope or special theme of the conference, i.e. putting the main topic of the conference in the light of current developments. Topics of interest: encloses a list of topics of particular interest for the respective conferences subject area. During the submission process in the conference management system, the author usually has to select a subset of the topics that best fit the submission. This selection is mostly relevant for assigning peer reviewers, who also select a subset of the conference topics as their area of expertise.

31. Submission guidelines: most CFPs comprise a section where general guidelines for submissions are communicated to the authors. Additionally, if the conference proceedings are published by a well-established publisher, the publisher is also mentioned in the CFP. Deadlines: this section lists a number of deadlines to be met by authors. Typically, these include at least: Submission deadline: this is the deadline for submitting the complete paper. There are also some conferences that initially require an extended abstract for various reasons (e.g. pre-selection or paper bidding by the program committee) and then a full paper submission. Most submission deadlines are firm, whereas failure to meet the deadline results irreversibly in not being considered for presentation and/or publication. Since conferences take place in different time zones, the exact submission deadline has to be taken into account by the authors. Since most conferences are annual events, researchers in the community know well in advance when paper will be due for submission.

32. Notification date: this is the date when the author is notified of acceptance or rejection. The notification date given is often not very accurate, as the program committee cannot anticipate the number of submissions, to mention one reason; also, the peer reviewers often fail to submit their reviews on time. Thus, the review process may take longer than expected. Conferences that use peer review to decide whether a submission should be accepted or not typically emit one of only two messages to each submitting author at the notification date: Accept: the paper has been accepted and will be published in the conference proceedings. However, reviewers may have suggested minor modifications to be incorporated in the published paper. Usually, acceptance letters (or mails) sent by organizers include the invitation (typically the obligation) to orally present the paper at the conference. This is a very good opportunity to receive immediate feedback in discussions with peers after the presentation. Reject: the paper was rejected and will not be published in the conference proceedings. Most reviewers supply valuable comments to authors on how to improve the rejected paper. Unlike journals, most conferences do not consider the option of asking authors for revision. Papers are normally either accepted or rejected right away.

33. Some conferences implement a rebuttal process, which allows authors to respond to the reviews before a final decision is made. The reviewers may then elect to change their reviews based on the arguments brought forth by authors during the rebuttal period. This can go either way, i.e. result in lower or higher scores. Depending on the reputation of the conference and the response to the call for papers, the acceptance rate will vary significantly among different conferences. Most serious conferences disclose the acceptance rate in the preface to the proceedings and/or on their website. The top conferences in computer science usually have an acceptance rate of 1015% or lower. Most other conferences with a good reputation will typically accept no more than one quarter of the submissions.

34. Camera-ready paper deadline: in case of acceptance, this is the submission deadline for camera-ready papers, i.e. final versions to be included in the conference proceedings. At some conferences, failure to meet this deadline may result in the accepted paper not being included in the conference proceedings. As with journals, it is vital to meet all deadlines and to comply with all guidelines (such as paper formatting instructions). See Figure 4 for an example of the important dates section in the website of the Eighth European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning, EC-TEL 2013. Note that in this example the submission deadline was extended once. Such extensions of the submission deadline are common, yet not a rule. Other information: Other information of interest, e.g. call for workshops to be collocated with the conference, tutorials, panel discussion proposals, demonstrations and information on sponsors, publisher, invited speakers.

35. What is an Impact Factor ? A journals impact factor is an annual measure of the extent to which articles in that journal are cited.

36. ISI Journals and Impact Factors The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) was founded by Eugene Garfield in 1960. It was acquired by Thomson Scientific & Healthcare in 1992, became known as Thomson ISI. ISI publishes the annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR) which list the Impact Factor for the journals. A list of over 14,000 journals is maintained by the ISI.

37. Why submit to an ISI Journal? If published: better visibility, higher credibility, good incentive If rejected: valuable experience with free useful reviews. If your paper is of high quality but submitted to a non-ISI journal, you have wasted a rare chance

38. What makes a paper publishable in ISI journals? Title: interesting and new. Relevant literature why this research is important and what is the missing information. Presents new knowledge (novelty). Methodology clearly explained. Professional presentation and followed guidelines to authors. Fall under fields (s) prescribed by the journal. Good English: clarity

Basics of research paper publishing

Education

journal rejection

journal articles

journal prestige

journal visibility

journal selection

monthly journal

journal website

journal available