Question about Publishing Research Papers

[daniel_olivaw]

I am certain a number of members of this group have published research papers. I also know that many here are not from or are not affiliated with brick-and-mortar colleges or universities.

Can anyone, with any experience, explain exactly how getting research articles/papers published in journal works? In the past when I looked at any kind of journals, I have almost always seen so-and-so-from-so-and-so college or university. If someone is not from the academia or even from a well known research company or government institution, does that lower the chance of getting the paper published?

I would assume its the content of the paper, and not the affiliation that should matter most.

I think this question is quite relevant to distance learning students as well as independant non-affiliated people who have something important to write and share with others and their material is publishable.

I tried to find any relevant links on the web, but unfortunately, I have found none, so any links would also be greatly welcomed.

[Han]

I think this is a great question.

I was surprised when our Dean told us that many times it is not the content, but who you know, in getting published. Since the content is known by those, and many are firends, many times the "mentors" and advisors are the key to get a new person in the field published.

I wonder if school affiliations aid in the process.

[Rob Coates]

Originally posted by daniel_olivaw
I am certain a number of members of this group have published research papers. I also know that many here are not from or are not affiliated with brick-and-mortar colleges or universities.

Can anyone, with any experience, explain exactly how getting research articles/papers published in journal works? In the past when I looked at any kind of journals, I have almost always seen so-and-so-from-so-and-so college or university. If someone is not from the academia or even from a well known research company or government institution, does that lower the chance of getting the paper published?

I would assume its the content of the paper, and not the affiliation that should matter most.

I think this question is quite relevant to distance learning students as well as independant non-affiliated people who have something important to write and share with others and their material is publishable.

I tried to find any relevant links on the web, but unfortunately, I have found none, so any links would also be greatly welcomed.

Many if not most psyc. journals utilize a blind review process. Suppossedly, the reviewers do not know the name or affiliation of the author(s) of the paper they are reviewing.

[Anthony Pina]

The answer to your question depends on the type of journal. If is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal, then, as Rob says, the paper is usually given to 2-4 reviewers, who are not given the identity of the author (blind review). In this case, institutional affiliation or "who you know" is less important than following the prescribed writing format (e.g. APA vs. MLA, vs. Chicago), writing clearly and profesisonally, and having good content that is appropriate to the journal.

If the journal is not peer-reviewed, then it could very well be a case of "who you know", since your affiliation will be known and articles are often solicited by the editors. Even in this case, however, the quality of the information tends to play the major role.

The best resources that I have seen on journal writing are the series of books, monographcs and Phi Delta Kappan articles on "Writing for Professional Publication" by Kenneth Henson, who is currently the Dean of Education at the Citadel. He has an impressive record of publication himself and his articles are excellent. You can get the titles at his website:

http://www.citadel.edu/education/facstaff/henson.html

Another site with some helpful links:

http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/~lsche/r...ng_publctn.htm

Tony Pina
Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino

[Ian Anderson]

Originally posted by daniel_olivaw
I am certain a number of members of this group have published research papers. I also know that many here are not from or are not affiliated with brick-and-mortar colleges or universities.

Can anyone, with any experience, explain exactly how getting research articles/papers published in journal works? In the past when I looked at any kind of journals, I have almost always seen so-and-so-from-so-and-so college or university. If someone is not from the academia or even from a well known research company or government institution, does that lower the chance of getting the paper published?

I would assume its the content of the paper, and not the affiliation that should matter most.

I think this question is quite relevant to distance learning students as well as independant non-affiliated people who have something important to write and share with others and their material is publishable.

I tried to find any relevant links on the web, but unfortunately, I have found none, so any links would also be greatly welcomed.

I have several aerospace acquaintances from the academic community who tend to eschew journals and instead present papers at technical conferences (hence getting published via conference proceedings).

[Han]

Originally posted by Ian Anderson


I have several aerospace acquaintances from the academic community who tend to eschew journals and instead present papers at technical conferences (hence getting published via conference proceedings).

Which are NOT peer reviewed.

[Ian Anderson]

Originally posted by Han


Which are NOT peer reviewed.

AIAA papers are the ones to which I was referring and they are supposed to be peer reviewed but sometime last minute rush prevents this. I am on a technical committee and review papers in my field prior to presentation. As with any review, politics enters into this process (e.g. It is hard to deny a customer the chance to present a paper even if flawed).

[oxpecker]

In chemistry and biology, the double blind approach wouldn't work - in most cases, one knows at a glance from which group the manuscript came. Generally, the reviewers are kept anonymous but the authors are known. Not fair, but anyway... OTOH, there are a few journals where the reviewers names are routinely divulged to the authors. And at least one that I know of where the reviewer's name is published with the paper.

I think the key thing is to know one of the editors, and to send your ms directly to that editor.

Best of all is when your research advisor is the editor!

[Orson]

There are several books and organizations devoted to this subject.

One web site guiding people around these shoals is the libertarian Institute for Humae Studies - see links here:
http://www.theihs.org/libertyguide/s....html?menuid=2

They are devoted to getting freedom-minded people in to law, economics, journalism, political science, philosophy, history - even film.
http://www.theihs.org/libertyguide/s....html?menuid=2

But you need not be a "fellow traveller" to avail yourself of their online help!
See links above to recommended titles and bibliographies to everything from getting published to finding an academic job to planning a graduate career.

--Orson

	Ashford University Ashford University Ashford offers online MBA, bachelors, and masters in many fields, including Business, Accounting, Business Administration, International Business, Economics, Business Information Systems, Social and Criminal Justice, Communication, Early Childhood Education and Administration, Education and Public Policy, English, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Studies, Finance, Health Care Administration, HC Studies, Health and Human Services, History, Homeland Security and Emergency Mgmt, Human Resource Mgmt, Journalism, Communication, Operations Mgmt, Organizational Mgmt, Political Science, Psychology, Public Admin, Public Relations, Social Sciences, Sociology, Risk Management, Sports, Teacher Certification, Education, Health Care Administration, Organizational Management, Teaching & Learning with Technology, and Public Administration. The school is regionally accredited, the most widely recognized accreditation. Click Here to receive FREE information on this school.

[Monkey]

I usually publish my paper via conference proceedings. I prefer this method as there must be audience attending your presentation. One time. my friend told me he has to pay money for their paper to be published in a top journal.

[mcjon77]

Different disiplines tend to prefer different methods of publication. For example, I remember a Computer Science Professor who was doing research in bioinformatics commenting on this. He said that in Biology, the prefered method is publication through journals, whereas in Computer Science, Journals are downplayed and the prefered method of publication is at conferences.


Jon

[Han]

Originally posted by Ian Anderson


AIAA papers are the ones to which I was referring and they are supposed to be peer reviewed but sometime last minute rush prevents this. I am on a technical committee and review papers in my field prior to presentation. As with any review, politics enters into this process (e.g. It is hard to deny a customer the chance to present a paper even if flawed).

My engineers submit to AIAA, and I have never seen them peer reviewed, the only review is security (and customer). They usually take hard copies to the conference.

I think the abstract is reviewed, but I have never seen any of our group denied, or the paper reviewed.

Is it a required review in your experience?

[Ian Anderson]

Originally posted by Han


My engineers submit to AIAA, and I have never seen them peer reviewed, the only review is security (and customer). They usually take hard copies to the conference.

I think the abstract is reviewed, but I have never seen any of our group denied, or the paper reviewed.

Is it a required review in your experience?

I think the review process is up to the technical committee (TC) hosting the session. The paper review process is done on line thru a pass-word protected web site. Last year I reviewed about four papers submitted for an AIAA conference and accepted all of them. Papers are supposed to be rejected if they do not present new material, or if the paper has been presented elsewhere, either at the abstract submittal level or later if a paper is available. In the event too many papers are received then the "least worthy" papers are rejected. In my world of expertise there is a small number of practitioners and their level of expertise is usually known by at least one member of the TC. Following a conference the TC is supposed to recommend outstanding technical papers for journal publication.

I also reviewed two papers for submission to AIAA peer reviewed journals in the last two decades (this is really neat because you learn stuff about a year before other journal readers). The review process for AIAA journal papers is slightly more rigorous in the case where one has to search for collaborating information.

Incidentally, in response to Monkey's comment above, the AIAA requests non-mandatory (it used to be mandatory) journal publication fee of $875 per full-length paper.

For information AIAA is the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics which publishes several journals and a magazine.

But my original comment, echoed by another contributor, is that presenting a paper at a conference is an alternative way to get published.

[Han]

Originally posted by Ian Anderson


I think the review process is up to the technical committee (TC) hosting the session. The paper review process is done on line thru a pass-word protected web site. Last year I reviewed about four papers submitted for an AIAA conference and accepted all of them. Papers are supposed to be rejected if they do not present new material, or if the paper has been presented elsewhere, either at the abstract submittal level or later if a paper is available. In the event too many papers are received then the "least worthy" papers are rejected. In my world of expertise there is a small number of practitioners and their level of expertise is usually known by at least one member of the TC. Following a conference the TC is supposed to recommend outstanding technical papers for journal publication.

I also reviewed two papers for submission to AIAA peer reviewed journals in the last two decades (this is really neat because you learn stuff about a year before other journal readers). The review process for AIAA journal papers is slightly more rigorous in the case where one has to search for collaborating information.

Incidentally, in response to Monkey's comment above, the AIAA requests non-mandatory (it used to be mandatory) journal publication fee of $875 per full-length paper.

For information AIAA is the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics which publishes several journals and a magazine.

But my original comment, echoed by another contributor, is that presenting a paper at a conference is an alternative way to get published.

I know they do submit electronically, thanks for all the feebdack, it is nice to know what happens after "submission".