Unite in Health Thinking Thursday #UiHTT Writing for publication Thursday 21st March 2013 Polly Moffat Editor, Community Practitioner Journal www.communitypractitioner.com polly.moffat@tenalps.com www.unitetheunion.org/health www.facebook.com/uniteinhealth www.twitter.com/uniteinhealth
Writing for Publication Polly Moffat Editor, Community Practitioner
Community Practitioner: about the journal Monthly journal for members of Unite/CPHVA Readership comprises health visitors, community nurses, school nurses, practice nurses, community nursery nurses Editorial board and peer review panel are made up of a range of practitioners and academics and Unite Professional Officers Content in the journal ranges from news to profiles, features, clinical updates and research papers Principal aims of the journal are: - For Unite to communicate with members and update on key industrial and professional issues - To provide a forum for community practitioners to share best practice and evidence-based research, as well as their own experiences in practice
Should I write an article? Initial points to consider Do I have something of interest to say? The readership of the journal who am I speaking to and what do they want to know? Consider the style of the journal and the types of articles regularly published within it
Common myths about writing for publication I m not a good enough writer - This is rarely the case - It is the job of editorial staff to ensure copy is grammatically correct and readable I don t think my findings/experiences are interesting enough - There is always something interesting about the work you are doing in practice - Readers will learn something they can apply to their own work, no matter how unimportant you think it is I can t write about something that has been covered before - Journals want to publish material that hasn t been published recently (in the last four months), but many topics are repeated - As long as you don t plagiarise others work, your own is valid, even if it has been covered before, many times Journals will have so much good material to choose from I can t compete - CP is always looking for new submissions to ensure that content is as varied and interesting as possible - There is no single, consistently high standard of writing and we will consider all submissions - Subject matter takes precedence over writing style/ability
Which journal should I choose? You need to consider the types of articles the journal publishes regularly. Are there research papers? Policy analysis? Clinical updates? Features? What is the journal s mission statement? What sort of reader are you hoping to reach? Look at the readership of the journal and decide who would benefit the most from your article and its findings Speak to the editorial team of a journal to find out where your article is suited. The editor will be happy to speak to you and advise Look up the editor s details and email them an outline or a proposal Don t worry if you receive an initial rejection - your idea will almost certainly be accepted by one of the journals you approach. The more publications you approach the greater the chance you will find someone who wants to publish your work
CP articles The main types of article published in CP are: Features - From 750 to 1500 words in length (one or two printed pages) - First person experiences - Work you have done in practice - Written in a more informal style Clinical updates - Either 1400 or 2100 words in length - Review clinical management or present case studies Professional research papers - Between 2000 and 3500 words in length - Double-blind peer reviewed
Other contributions Noticeboard postings Letters Unite industrial issues: short pieces from your branch/local area
Guidance for writers of professional papers Types of professional paper - Critical reflections on professional practice and experiences - Project reports, where the intention is to share good practice as well as the difficulties and challenges encountered - Original research papers both quantitative and qualitative - Methodological papers - Other kinds of academic paper such as concept, philosophical or ethical analyses - Critical and systematic reviews of the existing literature In general, professional papers should: - Say something new or bring a fresh perspective to the topic - Make the paper a good read to secure the interest and attention of readers - Be fully referenced and should build or add to readers professional knowledge base
Guidance for writers of professional papers Papers should follow the format of: Abstract (150 200 words) Introduction Background Study aim/purpose Method Results Discussion Implications/recommendations Conclusion Acknowledgements References
Guidance for writers of professional papers Structuring your paper First, key section headings should be set out and similar ideas grouped together Decide roughly how many words to allocate to each section Consider possible content and organise thoughts before tackling the writing of each section in turn Once a first draft has been completed, ask a colleague, manager or academic to read it, to provide an honest and critical appraisal Include reflections on the limitations or potential problems of the topic or research, and how these might be overcome
Points to remember There are some things it is vital to remember when writing an article for publication. The following are specific to CP but apply to most journals - check with the editor to be sure before you start All articles are subject to copyright. No material should be submitted to the journal that has been published elsewhere All authors should be listed and anyone who has contributed to your work and findings should be acknowledged, either as an author or in a paragraph at the end Any potential conflicts of interest should be declared, even if you think it has not had an impact on what you have written Authors should use the correct referencing system to make it easier to read and review articles Read the author guidelines and try as much as possible to adhere to the journal s house style Figures, tables or images to illustrate key points in the main body of the article are welcomed and should be supplied directly to the editor
The peer review process Articles should be submitted directly to the editor by email Include a title page, with all authors full qualifications, job title, place of work and contact address Articles are sent out for double-blind peer review (at least two reviewers) in anonymised format We will contact you with the reviewers feedback in the form of a list of amendments we advise you make Articles are usually: - Accepted for publication - Accepted provisionally, subject to minor alterations by the authors - Recommended for revision and resubmission by the authors - Rejected (this is rare)
The peer review process Authors are given a date by which to amend and resubmit their paper, and are generally required to include an anonymous sheet listing the changes that they have made to the paper When a paper is accepted for publication, authors are requested to complete an author s consent form Final proofs are sent to authors for checking shortly before the paper goes to press, and final queries may be sorted out at this stage Following publication, authors are sent two complimentary copies of the issue in which their paper appears
Conclusion and further information Don t be put off by requests for amendments from editorial staff or reviewers The writing process can be time consuming but is rewarding and seeing your work in print makes it all worth it If you have any article ideas or would like to discuss submitting an article to CP for consideration contact myself (polly.moffat@tenalps.com) or the consultant editor of the journal Jane Appleton (jvappleton@brookes.ac.uk) Visit the CP website for more information about the journal at www.communitypractitioner.com Visit the Unite/CPHVA website for more information about the union at: www.unitetheunion.org
How to stay in touch and keep up to date... Our website www.unitetheunion.org/health Make sure your membership details are up to date so you get all our emails, texts and letters. You can contact Unite membership on (UK) 0330 123 3003 or (RoI) 1890946 241. If you receive one of our professional journals (Community Practitioner, Mental Health Nursing). Make sure you read it! Facebook: www.facebook.com/uniteinhealth Twitter: www.twitter.com/uniteinhealth