Writing For Publication

RESEARCH AND WRITING
FOR PUBLICATION
(½ day workshop)
Professor Anne Huff

University of Colorado
Cranfield School of Management
Prepared by Kay Goodman Cranfield

UNIVERSITY
0409PROG.PPT 1 School of Management

AGENDA FOR DAY
09:00 - 09:30 Introductions, First Four Guidelines
09:30 - 10:30 Choosing a Topic
10:30 - 10:50 Coffee/Tea
10:50 - 11:30 Identifying Conversants & Target Journals
11:30 - 12:30 Title and Outline (Exercise)
12:30 - 13:00 Using Exemplars & Presentation
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FIRST FOUR WRITING GUIDELINES
 Writing improves thinking
 Scholarship is conversation
 Good writing requires management
 Seeking advice begins the conversation well

before publication
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1. GOOD THINKING AND GOOD
WRITING ARE LINKED
thinking
“How can “How can
I improve I know what
what I write I think until
until I clarify I see what
my thinking I say”
to myself?”
Karl Weick
writing
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O bservation
writing gets easier with practice
writing is more fun with practice
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TIMING IS IMPORTANT
• starting too soon minimizes the gain
• waiting too long generates too much raw material to

work with
[But of course it depends upon the person]
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DOUBLE BIND
(1) WAIT TOO LONG TO BEGIN
(2) THEN WASTE WRITING TIME

BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH
THINKING ABOUT:
- audience
- contribution
- tactics for connecting the two
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WHAT IS SCHOLARSHIP?
PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE?
THINKING SYSTEMATICALLY?
PROBLEM SOLVING?
INSIGHT?
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MOST OF ALL
2. SCHOLARSHIP IS CONVERSATION
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• The scholarly community shapes
– the way the world is understood
– the definition of problems worth solving
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MANY SUB-COMMUNITIES EXIST
Each understands the world in a somewhat

different way
Each focuses on somewhat different problems
To participate and make a contribution, you

must join a conversation
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• Who do I want to talk to?
• What are they talking about as I

arrive?
• What are the most interesting

things I have to add to the
conversation?
• How should I introduce myself?
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O bservation
The average published paper is

cited less than two times by
other researchers
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3. THINKING, WRITING AND
CONTRIBUTION ARE IMPROVED BY
SEEKING ADVICE
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Barriers to seeking advice
• too shy
• too respectful
• “my precious ideas”
AFRAID
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Barriers to giving advice
• too shy
• too respectful
NOT
ENOUGH
TIME
• “my precious ideas”
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SOLUTIONS
• get tough (separate the ideas from the person)
• minimize the burden (limit pages, focus requests)
• don’t hoard ideas (ideas are cheap, making

something of them is difficult)
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FORM A COMMUNITY
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WHO ARE POTENTIAL MEMBERS
OF MY “WRITING COMMUNITY”?
HOW CAN I HELP DEVELOP MY

COMMUNITY?
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ADVICE
DEVELOP AN “INTERNAL COMPASS”

TO KEEP YOUR BEARING IN THE
FACE OF CONFLICTING, POSSIBLY
IRRELEVANT ADVICE
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4. MANAGE WRITING
• Put yourself in an environment that values writing (if

possible)
• Observe and learn from people who publish
• Set up daily routines that support writing for publication
• Plan, establish a calendar, update
• Invest in your career
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• Think about inputs
• Don’t hold back anything relevant
• Enjoy the process
• Celebrate the victories
 Choose to do the work
from “Professional and Personal Life” in Susan Taylor and

Peter Frost Rhythms of Academic Life (Sage, 1997)
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ADVICE
1
Keep polishing your writing skills
Keep perfecting your ability to “just

say no”
(it’s unlikely that you will publish

unless you make publication a priority)
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ADVICE
(from Hemingway)
Always leave something easy

as the “warm-up” task for
the next morning.
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WHAT ARE MY “BEST TIMES”
TO WRITE?
HOW CAN I PROTECT/ENLARGE

“BEST TIME”?
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CHOOSING THE TOPIC
• Brainstorm
• Evaluate in terms of:
– self
– field
– practice
– portfolio
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RULES OF CREATIVE BRAINSTORMING:
• Develop pool of possibilities

• Delay evaluation
• Synthesize, refine the pool
• Evaluate
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EXAMPLE: DESIGN A PEN
Size Shape Color Material Marker
small cylinder black wood graphite
medium sphere blue plastic ink
large box rainbow paper beet juice
ovoid marbled
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EXAMPLE: IDENTIFY PAPER
ALTERNATIVES
Audience Format Purpose Approach
Close Peers Formal Paper Inform Conceptual Outline

Literature Review
Another field Presentation Persuade Extend theory
International “underground” Describe Present data
Academic Explore
Practitioner
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BRAINSTORMING
ADVICE
BE INTERESTING.
DON’T BE AVANT-GARDE
ON EVERY DIMENSION.
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GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING
A PAPER TOPIC:
• Make yourself generate at least one idea a day,

for at least a week.
• File. Don’t evaluate until the end of the week.
• Extend, synthesize, generate new ideas.
• Evaluate.
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FOUR CRITERIA FOR
EVALUATION
me
my field/ practice
subfield
portfolio
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interest
skills (current advantage)

me
vs.
development (future
advantage)
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primary paradigms
established areas of
inquiry
my field/
subfield accepted methodologies
familiar data sources
“hot” topics, methods,

sources
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ADVICE
DON’T CHOOSE TODAY’S HOT TOPIC
UNLESS YOU HAVE A DEEP

AFFINITY FOR IT
(YOU MAY NEED TO REPACKAGE

BY PUBLICATION TIME)
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felt needs
practice available data
site access
data access
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career goals vs.
opportunity
short vs. long term

horizon
portfolio
risk vs. “likely hit”
Current reputation vs.

new intent
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ADVICE
RESEARCH AND WRITING IS

A LONELY BUSINESS.
DO WHAT YOU REALLY WANT

TO DO “WITHIN REASON”.
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ADVICE
THINK ABOUT THE BENEFITS

OF SUSTAINED INQUIRY
• increasing expertise, more significant contributions

• increasing reputation, more opportunity and impact.
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IDENTIFY THREE POSSIBLE
PAPER TOPICS
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EVALUATE STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESS OF EACH TOPIC ON
THE 4 CRITERIA
me
my field practice
portfolio
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O bservation
Many people do not (cannot?) generate

three ideas that have equal appeal.
It’s worth working on.
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SEEK ADVICE
BEFORE CHOOSING A TOPIC

TO WORK ON
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IDENTIFYING CONVERSANTS
AND TARGET JOURNALS
 Clarifying a core audience, before writing

begins, helps specify what to write
 Choose target journals and titles after

conversants
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DEFINITION: CONVERSANTS
One, two or three articles or books

that are most relevant to
what I have to say.
(The two or three people I most

want to talk to).
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CONVERSANTS CONTINUE
TO BE USEFUL
• where to begin
• what to emphasize
• what to de-emphasize
 depth and detail (respond to specific

arguments)
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CLEAR identification
of conversants
helps you know
what to write
(of all the many
things you think)
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WITH WHOM DO I WANT TO
CONVERSE?
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WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST
INTERESTING POINTS I COULD
BRING TO THE CONVERSATION?
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POSSIBLE FOCI
1 2 3 4 5
A
POSSIBLE B
CONVERSANTS
D
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KEEP THE READER’S ATTENTION
FOCUSED ON YOUR CONTRIBUTION
• title
• abstract
• outline (what % is original?)
• headings
• topic sentences
• conclusion
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ADVICE
GETTING
MAD CAN
CLARIFY
CHOICES
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ADVICE
Keep promising discards in a “bottom drawer” of

paper ideas
• aid in focusing this paper (“gone but not forgotten”)

• gene pool for future
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TARGET JOURNALS
• choose the subject and the conversants, before the

journal outlet
• have a back up journal in mind
• make journal choices before writing outline, abstract,

title
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I COULD TALK TO
DIFFERENT PEOPLE
Which group would be most

interested in my work?
(Which group interests

me most?)
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I COULD ADDRESS MY
CONVERSANTS IN
DIFFERENT PLACES
Which is used most

by my conversants?
(Which one fits me best?)
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Finding an effective
forum helps you
know what to write
(of the many things
you think about).
Find a few, dissect
and compare!
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ADVICE
Imagine yourself as an anthropologist

comparing cultures
• How do they do things here?

• What are their speech patterns?
• How do they address each other?
• Who are the respected elders?
• Have newcomers received honor?
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• SKIM THE LAST TWO OR THREE VOLUMES OF
POSSIBLE JOURNAL OUTLETS WITH YOUR
CURRENT PROJECT IN MIND
• IDENTIFY YOUR FIRST AND SECOND TARGET
• BRING COPIES OF THE FIRST PAGE OF ARTICLES

THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE ARTICLE YOU EXPECT
TO WRITE FROM EACH TARGET
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ADVICE
DON’T START TO WRITE WITHOUT

TWO PLAUSIBLE HOMES.
(DON’T ABANDON WHAT YOU

WANT TO DO; CLARIFY IT).
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TITLE AND OUTLINE
• Primary function
– attract the right readers
– organize your presentation
– summarize your contribution
• Excellent point for seeking advice
• Tailor for the target journal
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How do I capture their
attention?
One answer: Don’t

confuse title, abstract or
outline with periphery
issues and vocabulary.
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ADVICE
FOCUS ATTENTION
ON YOUR CONVERSANTS.
READ THEIR WORK AND REPLY TO IT.
BY DOING THAT WELL YOU WILL

ATTRACT OTHER READERS.
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Title guidelines:
• include key words
(especially important for
computer search)
• be brief but comprehensive
• memorable?
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OBVIOUS REMINDER
CONSIDER THE
STANDARDS OF YOUR
TARGET JOURNAL
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THE ACID TEST:
ASK “STRANGERS” WHAT

THEY THINK THE PAPER IS
ABOUT, WHAT THEY WOULD
EXPECT TO FIND IN THE PAPER
BASED ON YOUR TITLE
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OUTLINE
Summarizes the “logic” of a paper
• order of presentation
• hierarchy among points you are trying to make
• detail available under each point
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ADVICE
• Force yourself to “cluster” ideas.
• Use primary, secondary and tertiary headings to help

the reader (and yourself) navigate.
• Low detail headings should be merged, cut, or

elaborated.
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O bservation
ONCE ESTABLISHED, A GOOD

OUTLINE SIGNIFICANTLY SPEEDS
THE WRITING PROCESS
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ADVICE
Resist the temptation to

just start writing (most
of the time).
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OUTLINE YOUR PAPER.
EVALUATE FOR:
1. INTEREST TO CONVERSANTS?
2. EMPHASIS ON “VALUE ADDED”?
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EVALUATE YOUR OUTLINE FROM
THE READER’S PERSPECTIVE
- Many people provide too much background. (Would
cutting the first few pages give the paper more "punch”?)
- Don’t force us to follow your tortuous path.
- Don’t hide your major findings on the last page (put in

abstract, introduction).
* Center stage, and most detail, for your

contribution to the conversation.
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O bservation
The outline should fit the purpose and

style of the paper.
Even impressionistic, emotional,

evocative writing benefits from
“good bones”.
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TWO LAST PIECES OF ADVICE: USE
EXEMPLARS AND PRESENTATION
 Imitation can “prime the pump” to get writing started
 Presentation also contributes to thinking and writing
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DEFINITION: EXEMPLARS
Are papers that do what I’m trying to do:
- perhaps on a very different topic
- ideally in my target journal
* that I think are effective
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O bservation
Choosing an exemplar
requires a needed decision
about “what kind of a paper
am I trying to write”.
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CHALLENGE
RECEIVED WISDOM?
A IL
DET PR
D N ES
AD O A HED EN
T LIS SY FR T D
A B C? TH NT N
S T PI E L HES OV OM AT
E TO ITE A
RA IZE EL
SIT
A
TU E?
RE
?
A L O P
I C E L Y ?
I R EV O G A
P
M FO ? R D O L T
E E TY P ES A
T
ID OR IDE A A G RE Y?
V
O PP ED U G A IR
R
P SU PT S EW QU
C E N EN
AC REJUVENATING OF
AN OLD TOPIC?
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ADVICE
COLLECT EXEMPLARS
(LOOK AT THE MANY WAYS PEOPLE TRY

TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ON-GOING
CONVERSATION IN THEIR AREA.)
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WHAT KIND OF CONTRIBUTION
COULD I MAKE IN THIS PAPER?
(another brainstorming opportunity)
WHICH ONE DO I WANT TO MAKE?
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ADVICE
KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR “MINI- EXEMPLARS” TOO
• framing mixed results

• presenting an unfamiliar methodology
• not following established procedures (e.g. introduce
reliability) etc.
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IMITATION IS NOT
ONLY SINCERE
FLATTERY
IT SAVES A LOT OF
TIME
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Examine Closely
• Outline
– order of topics
– amount of space for each topic
– subheading structure
• Exhibits
• Examples
• References (how many, what kind)
• What attracts interest?
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Evaluative questions that help develop
an “internal compass”:
• What works best in my exemplar?

• What applies to my current effort?
• How should I modify this example?
• What is less effective, that I don’t want to copy?
• What do I need to add, given my particular project?
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ADVICE
CITE GENEROUSLY, BUT

DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH
ABOUT PLAGIARISM
(IT’S NOT A COPY

IT’S A STARTING POINT)
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IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE 2 OR 3 (NO
MORE, NO LESS) EXAMPLES OF THE
KIND OF PAPER YOU WANT TO WRITE
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PRESENTATION
“How can I know what to think or write until I see what
I say in front of an audience?” (Weick, paraphrase)
thinking
PRESENTING
writing
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O bservation
The most exciting academic conversations

often take place at professional meetings.
Participating lets you “leap-frog” 1-3 years

ahead of the journals.
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PRESENTATION BASICS =
WRITING BASICS
• clearly identify subject
• capture attention
(what's important and interesting)
• give the flavor of paper itself

– kind of data
– level of detail
– key results
 make sure they know your contribution
• “leave the audience wanting more”

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ADVICE
TRY PRESENTING
FIRST
(THEN START WRITING)
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“IT CLARIFIES
THE MIND
WONDERFULLY”
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O bservation
It’s often impossible to know

you are not communicating,
until you see blank looks
from your audience.
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CONTROL OVER MECHANICS
INCREASES THE GAIN
• well produced overheads (no more than 1 per minute)
• limited number of words per overhead (varies by audience,

purpose, etc.)
• variety
– use pictures
– turn off overhead
– vary your energy
– ask questions (and give people time to think of an answer)
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Practice using overheads
(rather than a detailed script)
Stand up
Address a sympathetic friend
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ADVICE
Stop analyzing and

writing in time to
develop a good
presentation
(remember it’s
a form of thinking)
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Writing For Publication

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RESEARCH AND WRITING

Professor Anne Huff

Prepared by Kay Goodman Cranfield

0409PROG.PPT 1 School of Management

09:30 - 10:30 Choosing a Topic

10:30 - 10:50 Coffee/Tea

10:50 - 11:30 Identifying Conversants & Target Journals

11:30 - 12:30 Title and Outline (Exercise)

12:30 - 13:00 Using Exemplars & Presentation

0409PROG.PPT 2 School of Management

 Writing improves thinking

 Good writing requires management

 Seeking advice begins the conversation well

0409PROG.PPT 3 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 4 School of Management

writing gets easier with practice

writing is more fun with practice

0409PROG.PPT 5 School of Management

• starting too soon minimizes the gain

• waiting too long generates too much raw material to

[But of course it depends upon the person]

0409PROG.PPT 6 School of Management

(1) WAIT TOO LONG TO BEGIN

(2) THEN WASTE WRITING TIME

0409PROG.PPT 7 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 8 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 9 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 10 School of Management

Each understands the world in a somewhat

Each focuses on somewhat different problems

To participate and make a contribution, you

0409PROG.PPT 11 School of Management

• What are they talking about as I

• What are the most interesting

• How should I introduce myself?

0409PROG.PPT 12 School of Management

The average published paper is

0409PROG.PPT 13 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 14 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 15 School of Management

• “my precious ideas”

0409PROG.PPT 16 School of Management

• get tough (separate the ideas from the person)

• minimize the burden (limit pages, focus requests)

• don’t hoard ideas (ideas are cheap, making

0409PROG.PPT 17 School of Management

0409PROG.PPT 18 School of Management

HOW CAN I HELP DEVELOP MY

0409PROG.PPT 19 School of Management

DEVELOP AN “INTERNAL COMPASS”

0409PROG.PPT 20 School of Management

• Put yourself in an environment that values writing (if

0409PROG.PPT 21 School of Management

from “Professional and Personal Life” in Susan Taylor and

0409PROG.PPT 22 School of Management

Keep perfecting your ability to “just

(it’s unlikely that you will publish

0409PROG.PPT 23 School of Management

Always leave something easy

0409PROG.PPT 24 School of Management

HOW CAN I PROTECT/ENLARGE

0409PROG.PPT 25 School of Management