Writing for Publication

If you are ready to publish your work and have decided on a specific type of publication, it is important to comply with the publisher’s guidelines.  Most publishers will provide details of how an article should be formatted and referenced.  They may also state a maximum wordcount and other standards for charts, illustrations or graphics.  This information is usually provided under sections called "guidelines for authors" or "submission information" on the publisher or organisation’s website. Failure to check and comply with these guidelines could see your work being refused before it gets to the review stage.

Formatting and referencing differ across disciplines and it is important to comply with standard conventions. Read material from your target publication and familiarise yourself with what is expected.

Remember that writing for publication is different to writing assignments for class.  You won’t be writing to show knowledge and understanding of the material, you will be writing to add to the body of knowledge in your field by sharing new findings or new perspectives on existing material.  Your audience will be fellow researchers or practitioners who have a reasonable (or above)  level of knowledge about the subject, and you won’t need to explain basic concepts.