Navigating publication process as a postgraduate

Getting published has become something of an unofficial requirement for PhD students. While in the past it was common for doctoral students to complete their degree without any publications, today having at least one or two articles on your C.V. has become an essential requirement in almost every field. This article will help you navigate that process.

1.  Communicate with your supervisor

It is best to think about publication earlier rather than later (as the process of peer review can take a long time) during your PhD. One of the best people to ask about where and how to publish your research is your supervisor. They will be the most familiar person with your academic work and (in some STEM fields) a valuable co-author. When you have produced some work for your supervisor which you think might be worth submitting somewhere, ask them for their advice.

2.  Familiarise yourself with target journal

Each academic journal has their own criteria and goals. Some of those are self-evident, for example the “Medical History Journal” is clearly interested in the history of medicine, while other qualities are more subtle: for instance, do articles in a certain journal follow a common structural layout, or do authors write in a similar style? Of course, disciplinary differences will play a big part in what to look out for, but remembering that journals each have their own “style” and discovering what that is will boost your chances of success.

3.  Do not take peer-review too much to heart

Hearing that peer-reviewers have decided that a submitted paper, in its current form, cannot be accepted by a journal is never easy. Sometimes “reader 2” can be infamously harsh, dismembering every carefully crafted sentence you have written, questioning the relevance of the arguments you have made, or the originality of your contribution. There is nothing you can do about harsh reviewers, but it is vital that you remember that they are just that (another reader) and that taking what feedback they offer you and incorporating it into your article will help it become even better. And, often, it can also be a matter of realising that the article you submitted is more suited to a different journal, in which case it’s worth revising the submission and sending it to that other journal instead.