We Are In This Together: Sharing Expertise as a Way to Increase Publication Success

number of words and format. Is it structured or narrative? Overall length in number or words or pages. Does this include or exclude non-text items, such as title page, reference list, tables, and gures? Is your manuscript within the limit? Headings: are speci c headings identi ed, such as Introduction, Background, Methods, Analysis, Results, Discussion and Conclusion, or can you create your own, depending on the content of your manuscript? Make sure that the headings are styled and formatted correctly according to level (Watson, 2017). References: is a style guide, such as APA or AMA speci ed? Have you followed the formatting guidelines? Is there a limit on the number of references? Tables and Figures: check on requirements for formatting, number, and if these elements should be included in the manuscript or submitted as separate les. Cover letter: some journals require one and specify what needs to be included; for others, a letter is optional. Copyright Transfer Form: will be required at some point in the process (Nicoll, 2016). Check on details and obtain signatures from co-authors, if you need to include the form with your manuscript submission. Once your manuscript is nalized, submit to the journal using their requested procedure. Most journals have an online submission portal. A few may request you send les directly to the editorial of ce by email. You should receive a 3/5/2017 Sharing Expertise to Increase Publication Success ­ Nurse Author & Editor http://naepub.com/?p=1604&preview=true 7/17 con rmation of your submission within a few days. If you do not, it is ne to email the editorial of ce to make sure your manuscript was received. Managing Reviewers’ Comments Once the peer review process is complete, the corresponding author will receive noti cation of the decision regarding the manuscript’s fate. The decision can be acceptance, with or without revisions; declination/rejection; or a request for revision and resubmission. Receiving these comments can elicit a variety of feelings and intense emotions. Regardless of the decision, read the reviewers’ comments from start to nish. Try to avoid taking the comments personally. Recognize the emotions, whether happy, sad, or angry, and then set the project aside for a day or two. After a brief time away, take appropriate action. Revisit the comments and use them to improve the manuscript. If revisions are required following acceptance or requested along with resubmission, make the necessary changes. Do not jeopardize your relationship with the journal editor by declining to revise. Create a table that includes all reviewers’ comments in one column and the revisions you have made in another. This ensures that you have addressed all of the reviewers’ comments and ultimately, enhanced the manuscript. Those receiving a declination/rejection decision should also consider the reviewers’ comments, because they will likely help you improve your paper. However, because you are sending to a new journal, you do not need to include the revision table, described above, with your submission. Search for a new journal that aligns with the focus of the manuscript and submit according to the author guidelines. Remember, reviewers can help an author improve clarity, address assumptions made during the writing process, and improve the overall quality of the manuscript; use their expertise wisely. 3/5/2017 Sharing Expertise to Increase Publication Success ­ Nurse Author & Editor http://naepub.com/?p=1604&preview=true 8/17 GAINING EXPERIENCE WITH TARGET JOURNALS Following the reviewers’ comments, author guidelines, and reaching out to the editor with questions can ensure the paper is a t for the scope of the journal can all increase the possibility of success with publication. However, gaining expertise with publication does not end with manuscript acceptance. Continue to gain experience with target journals by being a reviewer, joining an editorial board, and engaging with the editor. One way to practice being a reviewer is to review the work of colleagues using the author guidelines. You can have them return the favor when it is your turn to submit. Importantly, it is helpful to have a fresh set of eyes to re ne a paper, identify points of confusion, and catch any typos by sharing your work in advance of the submission with colleagues. Serving as a guest reviewer for a journal can be extremely valuable to see the types of papers submitted to a given journal. It is helpful to get a sense of how much detail is provided and the sections that are included. Reviewers also have access to the evaluation rubric used for determining the fate of manuscripts. Unlike being a guest reviewer, editorial board positions are usually appointed. You can get your foot in the door by serving as a reviewer. As part of an editorial board, you can in uence the journal’s vision, learn about submission and rejection rates, and recommend topics for special issues. All of these experiences can help you over time to enhance your writing and success with publication. THE CO-MENTORING EXPERIENCE Lecturers, assistant, associate, and full professors with varying levels of publication experience participated in the session. Following the panel presentation, all in attendance shared their experiences with writing and publication and offered lessons learned and challenges faced during the process. The exchange of experiences and expertise allowed all participants to learn from 3/5/2017 Sharing Expertise to Increase Publication Success ­ Nurse Author & Editor http://naepub.com/?p=1604&preview=true 9/17 each other, which is consistent with co-mentoring. Participants identi ed colleagues whom they could help and those who could support them during the writing and publication process. Several participants initiated a collaborative writing project upon learning of their shared areas of expertise. The session successfully initiated co-mentoring relationships that have evolved over the academic year and ultimately, increased success with publication. The panel will reconvene the group in one year to discuss publication progress with all participants and to explore additional opportunities to extend co-mentoring into the next academic year.