Michael Bieber, NJIT © Getting Journal Articles Published Michael Bieber Information Systems Department College of Computing Sciences New Jersey Institute of Technology November 2003

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Outline Journal article life-cycle Article structure Issues When you are the reviewer

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Journal Article Life-cycle Conceive idea Write and revise multiple drafts Send to “friendly” critical reviewers Submit to journal –only when ready Don’t establish a bad reputation! –possibly pick associate editor –provide suggested reviewers {Journal editor sends out for review} Result: article rejected Revise according to reviews; submit to new journal Result: “accepted with revisions” Iterate: –Revise according to reviews –Resubmit with letter: How you addressed (or why you did not address) each point in each review Final acceptance Post draft on your Web site (before publication)

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Timing Life-cycle: many months to 2 years –Reviewing can take months if editors do not pressure the referees to do reviews quickly, or if a reviewer is late –Physical publishing can take a few months –Journals may have a backlog of articles and issues Some journals publish statistics of how long it takes to get an article published. –Otherwise ask around… Don’t pressure the editors –you can send a friendly message periodically to ask about a submission’s status

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Dealing with Rejection Everyone gets their journal articles rejected periodically. Don’t get depressed, it happens to all of us! View it as an opportunity to make the paper better for next time. Two antidotes: –Chocolate –Commiserating with colleagues

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Article Format (suggested) Abstract –a summary of “take home” points, not motivation Motivation Theory and Related Research {main topic} Evaluation of your main topic –For IS discipline: Theoretical Experimental Includes user evaluation of prototypes Discussion of your results –What you learned from developing and analyzing your topic –Topic’s boundaries/limitations –Your research contributions Interesting issues Future research possibilities Conclusion –Summary of “take home” points *and* –Further interesting discussion, e.g., a vision of what could result from your research Acknowledgements –People and funding References

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Know Your Discipline’s Research Paradigm Incorporate your discipline’s research paradigm in your research and article. Example - Information Systems Discipline: –What problem or opportunity are you addressing? –What are the major possible solutions? –What is your solution? –Prima Facie evidence: Before investigating further, why does this seem to be the best possible solution ? –Rigorous evaluation of solution effectiveness (with real users when appropriate {based on a description by Steven O. Kimbrough, University of Pennsylvania}

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Issues Promotion and tenure issues Which journal? Co-authoring References Editing hints

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Promotion and Tenure Issues In most fields, only books and journal articles count for tenure –Conference proceedings: provide initial reviewer feedback the “ticket” to attend the conference and talk with other researchers (very important!) –Book chapters (in someone else’s book): basically worthless Can provide some initial reviewer feedback

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Promotion and Tenure Issues Know your university’s promotion and tenure requirements regarding journals: –Which journals count towards promotion –How many articles you need to publish, and in which quality journals –Whether you need co-authored articles –Whether you need single-authored articles –Order of co-authors and students –What evidence you need to keep (e.g., the reviews)

Michael Bieber, NJIT © What is Your Goal? Number of publications (quality counts)? –Go for “A” and “B+” quality journals Number of publications (quality isn’t important)? –Poor quality journals are easy to get accepted in –Nobody reads them; nobody will see your work That your work is widely read and used? –Pick journals that people read/respect This may conflict with perceived journal quality by your promotion committee… –Post copies of your articles on your Web site Pre-publication drafts do not have copyright problems, but note on them where they will be published

Michael Bieber, NJIT © “Just say no” Don’t ever feel obligated to publish in –a new journal –a journal which is not “A” or “B+” level –your friend or colleague’s journal –a special issue in one of these, just because the special issue topic is relevant to your work –a journal you review for –a journal where you are on the editorial board

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Determining Journal Quality Ask people! Formal rankings –Published survey reviews Informal rankings –Discussion lists –Ask people in the field (outside your university) for written opinions if you need this, e.g., for promotion Rankings: be aware of potential bias –Primarily U.S. opinions –subfield focus of ranking –Out of date? New journals: risky since they are “unknown”

Michael Bieber, NJIT © On-line Journals? Many on-line journals are new, and therefore risky since their quality is unknown. Many promotion committees don’t trust on-line journals, believing them to be: –less rigorous in their refereeing –lower quality since they are not printed But, many on-line journals are widely read… Remember your goals!

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Which Journal: Appropriate Content Check written description of target areas on journal’s Web site, and on occasion in the editor’s regular introduction Look at other articles published in the journal If in doubt, the editor an abstract and ask whether it is appropriate for that journal Talk with editors at conferences!

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Finding Appropriate Journals Ask colleagues Which journals are respected articles in the field published in? Some professional societies maintain lists of all journals in their discipline on their Web site

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Know Your Journal Who is the journal’s audience? –the reviewers will come from this audience What “research paradigm” will they expect? –e.g., ensure you include evaluation if they expect it How rigorous is the quality? What is the page limit? Be aware of page layout/format requirements –you don’t need to follow them until the final version –but make it easy for yourself to convert to them at that time –See editing hints later…

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Fast(er) Tracks to Publication Look for special issues in your topic Look for conference tracks where selected articles will be published in a special journal issue Edit your own special issue and include your own article –More work than you can imagine! –Ensure your own article is reviewed rigorously, and document this carefully (for promotion)

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Co-authoring Brings complementary expertise More authors brings exponentially more coordination overhead for the main author! More authors dilutes the perceived contribution of each. Ensure each co-author uses MS Word’s reviewing tool to track changes! Ensure each co-author uses MS Word styles Student co-authors: –Many universities strongly encourage student co-authors –Important for their job hunting –Author order is important (for you and them, see next slide)

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Co-author Order Check with your university and discipline regarding co- author order –First author provides main contribution –Last author provides main contribution –Students should always come first –Students always come last You can state in a footnote that all authors made an equal contribution. If the author order does not reflect contribution accurately, you may need a written statement from co- authors explaining this for your promotion committee.

Michael Bieber, NJIT © References & Literature Review Ensure your literature review and references are up-to-date Ensure your literature review and references are complete –Whoever you’ve missed may be a reviewer Use EndNote or other bibliographic software –saves a lot of time in organization and formatting

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Editing Hints Always use MS Word styles –Makes formatting simple –Makes re-formatting really simple Use MS Word reviewing tool to track changes between versions (with/without co-authors) Be careful to “clear” all reviewing tool comments before submitting paper MB 11/5/03: Create your own “annotation” MS Word style and format, so you can include comments in the text of your document

Michael Bieber, NJIT © When You are the Reviewer Do a thorough review –you would want the same Provide lots of detailed comments for the authors –you would want the same Establish a reputation as an excellent reviewer! See guidelines on my Web site –

Michael Bieber, NJIT © When to the Review Volunteer to review at high-quality conferences and journals –It will make you a better author – the journal editor/conference program committee chair to volunteer, stating your qualifications (if any, or just your desire) You are obligated to review for journals that have published your work You can say “no” –if you are too busy (given that we are all busy all the time…) –if the journal/conference is not high quality

Michael Bieber, NJIT © Getting Journal Articles Published Journal article life-cycle Article structure Issues –Promotion and tenure issues –Which journal? –Co-authoring –References –Editing hints When you are the reviewer Thank you! Questions, please?