A How-to Guide for Academic Writing and Publishing
By Joy Wada, Corporate Communications Intern
This post originally appeared on the SAGE blog
In honor of Academic Writing Month, SAGE Publishing has compiled a page of freely accessible resources and tools to help academics with their writing and publishing. With tips drawn from authors, editors, and the social and behavioral sciences, this guide also provides individuals with recommendations for collaborating, learning, and further engaging with the academic writing community.
General Writing Tips & Tools
How to master the basics of academic writing
Covering the basics, including grammar, punctuation, and citations, this page from SAGE offers practical recommendations and tools for academic writing. It includes videos, blog posts, and writing guidelines for structuring and starting your academic works.
How to build your academic voice
In this series of YouTube videos, Lyn Nygaard, SAGE editor and author of Writing Your Master’s Thesis and Writing for Scholars, shares her tips for getting started and finding your voice in the academic writing community.
How to keep organized
“Tools for Academic Writers,” by Janet Salmons for MethodSpace, November 2017
This article provides strategies and digital tools for authors to keep resources organized for improved time efficiency and increased writing productivity.
How to understand and integrate feedback
“A Review of Educational Dialogue Strategies to Improve Academic Writing Skills,” by Marlies Schillings, Herma Roebertsen, Hans Savelberg, and Diana Dolmans in Active Learning in Higher Education, November 2018
This journal article provides an overview of written feedback, sharing research on its effectiveness in improving academic writing. It discusses the danger of feedback misinterpretation and provides recommendations on implementing feedback in writing, highlighting the value of face-to-face dialogue.
How to maintain writing productivity under pressure
“Six Academic Writing Habits That Boost Productivity,” by Chris Smith for MethodSpace, November 2017
This article provides research from 23 interviews with academics in Europe, the U.K., and the U.S., highlighting six common habits of successful academic writers and how they cope with pressure. Recommendations include accountability structures and time-blocking to increase productivity and reduce added stress.
How to jumpstart the writing process
“Ten Ways to Unstick Your Writing,” by Janet Salmons for MethodSpace, November 2019
Providing 10 strategies to boost creativity and encourage writing, these recommendations highlight practical activities for authors to undertake when feeling overwhelmed or stuck in their work.
How to plan when writing collaboratively
“Co-authoring and Writing Collaboration Planning Strategies for Success,” by Janet Salmons for the Textbook & Academic Authors Association, April 2018
Working with co-authors requires additional organization and planning. This article explains how reflection and effective communication can reduce frustrations and improve work design processes for a successful collaborative project.
Publishing in an Academic Journal
How to publish in an academic journal
"How to Get Published Webinar Series”
Featuring a panel of SAGE editors from diverse disciplines, this webinar series walks authors at any research or career stage through the journal publishing process and answers audience questions.
This page from SAGE covers the academic journal publishing process from beginning to end with video tutorials, guides, and blog posts. It includes tips and resources for productive writing practices, choosing a journal, and submitting work.
How to publish open access
“How to Get Your Article Published Open Access with SAGE”
This brief video provides background on open access and shares tools and resources for authors to consider when publishing articles in academic journals.
How to submit a manuscript
“Manuscript Submission Guidelines”
Providing detailed instructions from pre-submission, formatting, and article acceptance, this SAGE Publishing guide will help ensure that your manuscript is ready for every step of the publication process.
How to promote your article
This page from SAGE offer tools and guidance for effective engagement in the academic writing community with recommendations for sharing your research on different platforms like social media and personal blogs.
How to find publication support
This page provides resource and support for authors to utilize when choosing formatting, meeting language style requirements, and ultimately preparing for publication and promotion.
Publishing a Book
How to start writing a book
“Write a Book Webinar Recording & Slides,” by Janet Salmons for MethodSpace, November 2019
This webinar with Leah Fargotstein, a SAGE acquisitions editor, and Eric Garner, a managing editor of U.S. books production, shares tips on how to begin writing and publishing a book. They cover every step of the process, from conceptualizing your ideas to producing the book itself.
How to publish an academic book
Providing an overview of the academic book publishing process, this guide covers everything authors should consider when writing and publishing a book including editing, delivery, production, marketing, and finance.
How to submit a book publication proposal
These guidelines describe the book proposal process, explaining the timeline and what editors are looking for in a book proposal.
How to adapt PhD research into a book
“Interested in Adapting PhD Research Into a Book?” by Terry Clague for MethodSpace, November 2019
With reflective questions and practical tips, this post provides guidelines for authors when converting PhD research into a book. Offering different options of how to present and structure research in a book format, these recommendations provide a few rules of thumb for approaching the process.
How to promote your book
“Make Sure Your Book is Findable! Advice on Discoverability,” by Terry Clague for MethodSpace, November 2019
In the evolving print and digital publishing landscape, this article gives guidance on how to make your books accessible and discoverable in stores and online. Recommendations include the dos and don’ts of formatting for chapters and titles.
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To find more tips and resources to support academic writing, visit SAGE’s MethodSpace, which is providing various writing and publishing resources, activities, guides, and tools throughout the month. Also, make sure to register for their 2020 AcWriMo Webinar on November 16th and join Rebecca Bayeck, Eric Schmieder, and Sharon Zumbrunn in conversation on the evolving publishing landscape.
Have more questions about writing or publishing? Take a look at our FAQ page.
About the author
Joy Wada is the Corporate Communications Intern at SAGE Publishing where she creates content for social media channels and blog sites. She currently studies Communication and Business at the University of Southern California. When she isn’t working, she may be spotted skateboarding around campus, Yelping a new restaurant, or baking on her quest to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe (if you ask nicely, she will share).