When you enter the field of academic research, you learn early on about the importance of getting your research published regularly. Consistent publication in reputable journals is how a scholar stays relevant in his or her field, and how they increase their scholarly reputation.

Competition in the Academic Industry and Expectations of You as the Researcher

The problem is that the academic field has become increasingly competitive, making it difficult for new and upcoming scholars to get published. Predatory journals and less prestigious publishers prey on those academics, loading them up with spam emails, accepting every submission that crosses their desk, and glossing over the peer review process. On top of those problems, they also charge the writer hefty publication fees. 

Getting your research paper published and discovered shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg, and it definitely shouldn’t cost you your reputation. Yet, these are two common consequences of publishing with a predatory or illegitimate journal. Before you agree to give your hard work to a less-than-reputable publishing site or pay a large sum for the “favor” or having your work published, follow these tips. They’ll give you an edge to help your paper get discovered more easily, regardless of the site you’re affiliated with.

Tips for Getting an Edge When You Publish Your Research Paper

Here’s the most important piece of writing and publishing advice no one may have told you yet: You may be an academic scholar, but your paper shouldn’t be legible to only your peers. That’s the first step to a rejected submission because you won’t attract a wide enough audience base. Potential funders and the general reader should be able to understand what you’re trying to explain.

Now, as you write, keep these tips in mind:

●      Your manuscript should start with a question, then progress logically to the solution. Along the way, it tells the story of a problem you noticed, addressed, analyzed, and reached a conclusion about.

●      Focus on the content as you write. Then, go back into the “finished” manuscript and make revisions. As you revise, consider search optimization practices, like alt-text, keywords and phrases, and hyperlinks to other applicable research.

●      Who you publish with matters, but you may not get your top choice. Write down a list of the five preferred journals you want to publish in, then make sure that your research is included in the scope of each journal. If it isn’t, don’t waste your time or theirs by submitting your work. When you do choose to submit it, check the journal’s criteria for manuscript submissions and follow the list precisely.

●      Sell your argument’s importance clearly. The reader must believe that your paper is significant to your study area, and it’s your job to let them know why it is.

●      Use relevant images where possible. What graphics helped you to grasp a difficult concept as you were putting together the research? Those same images could assist the reader as well. Diagrams, graphs, and graphic images step in and cover hard topics that could otherwise be missed. Ask yourself if the comprehension of a particular subject is necessary to grasp the entire conclusion. If so, a picture may be warranted. Don’t forget to include an alt-text description of the images you select, or your paper could be rejected by the publisher or delayed in the publishing process.

●      Continue attempting to get published until your work isn’t relevant any longer. It can take weeks or months for a journal to reject your work, and you can’t submit to many publishers while there’s a potential for another one to accept the manuscript. The more you submit and get rejected, the more you’ll understand what publishing companies expect with a submission.

Increase Your Paper’s Discoverability With Impactio’s Network 

Why wait for your paper to be found organically when you can speed the process up with a few expedient steps? Connect with Impactio to customize your academic profile and get the link to your published work in front of other academic professionals.

In your academic profile, you can include your research experience without looking like you’re aiming for unprofessional “bragging rights.” Add your publications, any conference presentations you made, prizes you were awarded, and your membership affiliations. Link to media reports, patents, and projects you’re involved with, keeping in mind that any backlink to your profile gives your current research paper more exposure.

Impactio’s tools help you to better understand your work’s impact with analysis options. Check your active work with the Citation Distribution bar chart, and view your academic credits analytics by field to gauge each publication’s impact.

When you’re ready to network, share your professional interests or upcoming research with the community and connect with other experts who can help you. It’s all possible when you join Impactio, America’s number one leading platform for academic impact analytics and reputation management.