Writing for a JournalLisa KoonceThe University of Texas at Austin

Writing matters If you cannot communicate what

you did, nobody will “get” your paper

It will get rejected You will get mad and blame the

research community at large, reviewers, editors, etc.

You’ll turn sour and grumpy You’ll go home and kick the dog

and smack your spouse

Moral of the storyDo not submit a manuscript that

is not well written and polished. PERIOD!

Writing is hardSo what to do?It’s a matter of practicing with

◦some general guidelines in mind◦somebody(ies) to read your paper

and give you frank advice◦a careful ear to what people are

saying READ BETWEEN THE LINES Why are they saying what they are

saying? Are they stupid????

Rarely …

Common reasons why people don’t seem to get itYou are not communicating clearly

You are not communicating clearly

You are not communicating clearly

You are not communicating clearly

General Guidelines-Academic paperIntroduction

◦What is problem◦Why is it important

First one to do it…

◦What did you do about it?Theory & Results section

◦Tee-up the issue◦Lay out theory and ho’s – clear, to the

point◦Write persuasively for an outsider◦Stick to the point(s)

General Guidelines-Academic paper25 pages is about average2 pages of references about

average3-4 tables/figures for experiment

about average

Somebody(ies) to read itHard to get people to really read

it (very time consuming)◦Maybe just have them read the

intro?Present it at workshops (internal

as well)Don’t have the first set of real

outside eyes be a reviewer Unlikely to yield good results

If you can, let it sit for a while and come back to it…

A careful ear to what people are saying …Often reviewers / outsiders say

things that don’t seem to make sense.◦Sometimes they do not make sense

for good reason …◦But more often there’s a reason why

they are saying what they are saying. Try to figure that out. Example: no incremental contribution

complaint Is it early in the intro or buried on page

10?