How to Publish in JM How to Publish in JM and Other Top Journalsand Other Top Journals

Roland T. RustRoland T. Rust

Editor, JMEditor, JM

Work on Something ImportantWork on Something Important

Something a stakeholder cares aboutSomething a stakeholder cares about Something newSomething new Something that your mother, father, spouse, Something that your mother, father, spouse,

or friends would think was interestingor friends would think was interesting Something controversialSomething controversial

Connect to the Connect to the Existing LiteratureExisting Literature

Position your workPosition your work Refer to previous work in a positive wayRefer to previous work in a positive way Bring in relevant theoryBring in relevant theory

How to WriteHow to Write

Choose your target publicationChoose your target publication Write the title pageWrite the title page Then write the abstractThen write the abstract Then write the outlineThen write the outline Then do the researchThen do the research Then finish the paperThen finish the paper Revise, revise, revise (37 drafts?)Revise, revise, revise (37 drafts?) No typos or grammatical errors!!!No typos or grammatical errors!!!

The TitleThe Title

The most important part of the paperThe most important part of the paper Shorter is betterShorter is better Skip the jargonSkip the jargon Provoke the reader to read the abstractProvoke the reader to read the abstract

The AbstractThe Abstract

The second most important part The second most important part Less of what you didLess of what you did More of what you foundMore of what you found Assume this is all the reader will readAssume this is all the reader will read Avoid jargonAvoid jargon

The IntroductionThe Introduction

Not “Literature Review”Not “Literature Review” Emphasize the main pointEmphasize the main point Foreshadow the main findingsForeshadow the main findings What is the paper’s unique contribution in What is the paper’s unique contribution in

relation to the literature?relation to the literature?

Method (if an empirical paper)Method (if an empirical paper)

Include all of the detailsInclude all of the details Explain any decisions that you madeExplain any decisions that you made

Discussion and ConclusionsDiscussion and Conclusions

Reaffirm the paper’s main contribution(s)Reaffirm the paper’s main contribution(s) Explain why the findings are importantExplain why the findings are important Mention any potential limitationsMention any potential limitations Suggest topics for future researchSuggest topics for future research

Tables and FiguresTables and Figures

Tables and figures should stand aloneTables and figures should stand alone Check the numbersCheck the numbers Figures should show the paper’s main ideasFigures should show the paper’s main ideas

Other TipsOther Tips

Write for a particular journal, and use that Write for a particular journal, and use that journal’s stylejournal’s style

It’s OK to be easy to understandIt’s OK to be easy to understand Get your paper copy edited before Get your paper copy edited before

submittingsubmitting Have colleagues review the paper before Have colleagues review the paper before

submittingsubmitting Revise to meet their objectionsRevise to meet their objections

Summary – Summary – The Most Important ThingsThe Most Important Things

1.1. Work on something IMPORTANT!!!Work on something IMPORTANT!!!

2.2. Agonize over the titleAgonize over the title

3.3. Agonize just as much over the abstractAgonize just as much over the abstract

4.4. Clearly state your contributionClearly state your contribution

5.5. Pay attention to detailPay attention to detail