Publishing Tips for New Authors

By Tamara Baker

Dr. Margie E. Lachman, editor for the Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, recently shared her advice for novice authors. Some of the advice may be similar to what was shared last year, but just remember, you can never have too much information when it comes to publishing and effective writing!

What Journal do I choose to submit my article?
There are several things/steps that you can do when deciding where to submit your work. Dr. Lachman recommends that you do the following when deciding where to submit your manuscript(s): a) look in the references list of your manuscript. The journal(s) you frequently cite may be good choices for submitting your work, b) look at the articles in journals in the journal(s) of interest, if they include articles that are similar to yours in scope and content then that may be a good place to send your work, c) read the goals of the journal, which typically appear on the cover page of the journal, and d) when in doubt, send an abstract to the editor and ask if your work is appropriate for that particular journal.

Should I submit my work to a peer-reviewed or non peer-reviewed journal?
"Peer reviewed journals are journal where your submitted manuscripts are sent to experts in the field. These individuals provide feedback on the quality of the research, and whether the study will make a significant contribution to the literature". Typically, readers "trust that the articles in the peer-reviewed journal have been subjected to careful scrutiny by reviewers and the editor of the journal". Dr. Lachman further comments that "the peer-review process is a major advantage, which is central to the scientific enterprise". Not only is this a major advantage, but this type of review process allows input from other scientists about the "design, operationalization of variables, analyses and interpretation your results". However, the peer-review publication process can take up to one year. This is a slight disadvantage to non peer-reviewed articles that have a much shorter turn around time.

What information should I include in the manuscript?
A very common mistake that many make when submitting a manuscript written from their dissertation is that it's TOO LONG. You should not include the same amount of detail as you would with a dissertation/thesis. Typically, manuscripts are between 20-30 pages in length, but are no more than 35 pages. To submit a comprehensible piece of work, you should follow these guidelines: a) "make sure your manuscript is clear as to "how the study builds on and extends past research", b) "present the findings and demonstrate how they advance the field", and c) "to publish in a top journal, it is important to show that your research makes a significant contribution to the literature".

How many drafts of my manuscript do I have to write before submitting?
Answer: MULTIPLE. Many times, the mistake is made of sending the first draft of a manuscript out for review. Before you submit your work, you should first let your advisor and/or colleagues provide you with feedback. This usually "helps to cut down the review process substantially and it reduces the number of revision steps". The idea is to produce the best manuscript possible before submission.

Where can I go to find more information on publishing?
There are numerous websites and books that can assist you with writing and publishing. However, you don't have to go very far with the abundant resources provided by GSA! Just go to the GSA's website (http://www.geron.org) and select the publication link. This will provide you with clear instructions for submitting manuscripts to your journal of choice.

A special thank you is extended to Dr. Margie Lachman, Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University, for her insight!