The journal article is one of the most traditional ways to share academic research with an audience in your field. It is a formal, peer-reviewed publication that requires the writer to adhere to specific writing conventions and rules. The best journal articles are well-written, coherent and clearly communicate the author’s message to readers in an engaging way.
Getting Started
A good place to start is by brainstorming ideas. Whether you are writing about a bible journal, a dream journal, cooking, work, or school, it is always a good idea to think about what you want your journal to be about before you write. This will help you decide what kind of content you need to include, and can also provide some guidance as to how to format your journal entries.
Outlining
Using an outline will help you focus on the key parts of your article and ensure that you have covered everything you need to discuss. Ideally, you should use the same structure as you would in an undergraduate essay or a graduate research thesis – for example, a paragraph containing one main theme with a logical flow between and among its sub-paragraphs. This will make it easier for readers to navigate your writing and find the points you are aiming to make.
Writing an Abstract
Having written a concise and relevant abstract is essential to getting your article accepted for publication. The abstract is often the first thing that a reader will see when they search for your article online, so it is worth spending some time on this crucial part of the journal submission process.
Citing the Literature
Your journal article should be based on primary scientific publications, so you need to cite these references as much as possible throughout your text. You need to provide a comprehensive list of the key references, and your references should also be consistent with the style and format of the journal you are submitting to.
If the citations are not appropriate, the journal editors will likely discard your article before it has even reached them. It is therefore important to make sure that you have a full and accurate bibliography, especially if your article will be published in a specialist journal.
The number of references should be in line with the size of your paper, but do not over-inflate it – too many references will only confuse the reader. Be sure to cite any references that are relevant and add a small number of supplementary references, which are more general in nature.
A good title is a key element of your journal article, and should grab the attention of readers in the same way as a book or film. In addition, the title should convey the overall objective of your work and indicate the main themes or arguments you are making.
In addition to a title, you should also have a cover letter with your journal article. This should include your contact details and a brief description of the article. It should also contain information about the authors and their areas of expertise. This will help readers get a better understanding of the research you are presenting and encourage them to read your article further.
