1. A Guide to Writing
Research Papers
Rob Briner
Organizational Psychology
Birkbeck

2. 2
Outline
 Types of research publication/output
 Disciplinary differences
 Why write research papers?
 What’s the target and audience?
 Planning to write
 Writing
 Submission and the review process
 Concluding comments

3. 3
Types of research publication/
output
 Journal article (refereed/non-refereed)
 Conference paper (refereed/non-refereed)
 Book/monograph
 Chapter in edited book
 Report for organization
 Professional journals and magazines
 Theoretical, empirical, critique, review

4. 4
Disciplinary differences
 Humanities
– Books often more valued than research papers
 Social sciences
– Mixed
 Physical sciences
– Usually papers most valued, conference and
posters

5. 5
Why write research papers?
 You have something to say
 Duty to the field
 Obligation to others (supervisors, co-
investigators)
 Career
 Test ideas with a wider audience

6. 6
What’s the target and audience? [1]
 Target
– Topic specific or discipline-wide journal
– Specialist or generalist conference
– Status of target – rejection rate, impact factor
 Audience
– Size
– Other PhD researchers, established researchers in
the field, others in related parts of discipline?

7. 7
What’s the target and audience? [2]
 The Conversation Metaphor
– Who are the people having the conversation in your
field
– More importantly, what are they saying? What are
main debates issues?
– What will you contribute or add to this on-going
conversation?
– How will those people react to what you say?

8. 8
What’s the target and audience? [3]
 Some trade-offs and choices
– What status journal/publisher – go for the best
means higher chance of rejection
– Getting your ideas out there quickly versus
spending time on numerous rewrites
– Narrow highly specific focus versus big debate
– Easy hits versus the-best-paper-you-could-write-
ever
– Finish thesis versus getting publications

9. 9
Planning to write
 What, exactly do you want to say?
 Why do you want to say it?
 What contribution does it make to the field?
 How can you support what you have to say
(theory and evidence)
 Get the argument and structure clear before
you write
 Discuss and negotiate with potential co-authors

10. 10
Writing
 Develop detailed structure based on argument
 If you aren’t sure why you’re writing what you’re writing
stop and go back to argument
 Revise argument and structure as often as is
necessary
 Try to set deadlines for sections and final draft
 Ask for others to read and comment
 Re-read many times yourself
 Revise and craft as much as you can bear to

11. 11
Submission and the review process
 Accompanying letter and other documentation
 Accepted for or rejected without review
 Reviews returned
 Reject, or revise and resubmit
 Maybe many iterations
 Final decision – accept or reject
 If reject don’t give up! – Different journal?
Rework paper?

12. 12
Concluding comments
 Do write research papers
 Be clear about the contribution you want to make and
who your audience are
 Get as much help as possible
 Look for external deadlines (e.g. special issues,
conferences)
 Can be an extremely good way of focusing and
developing your PhD
 Try to enjoy it! It’s your research topic and there are
things you want to say about it…