Top ten tips for writing excellent (4*) papers: Notes for a UWE Researchers Forum Seminar

Professor Katie Williams, 05/12/13

1. Be clear about the TYPE of paper you are writing. Is it a review, presentation of new empirical work, synthesis, opinion piece? Understand the value and culture of these different types of paper and what makes a good one. Try to identify a 4* example of each type from your field. You probably know it when you read it! Design each paper as a mini project, with its own questions, findings and conclusions. To write a good paper you have to have good material to write up. However well written, you cant get a great paper out of average research. But remember that you are in control of how you frame the material: each paper is like a mini project with its own aims and objectives. You dont have to condense (or summarise) a whole project into each paper. Identify the questions that you want to address in each paper - and write the paper as an entity in its own right. The focus doesnt have to be the same as that of the mother project. (I find a new take on findings can freshen up a subject (or data) that Ive been researching for a while and bring a new relevance to data/findings). Structure your paper simply and logically and explain the structure at the outset. Much of a readers (and reviewers) response to paper is emotional. If you critically review papers youll see how easily you get annoyed/frustrated/bor ed OR engrossed/informed/enlightened etc.). If the structure of the paper and the reasons for presenting the material in a particular order are not explained then it doesnt matter how much detail is written the question of why are you telling me this? r ecurs. A key skill is to get the Abstract (see below) and the beginning of your paper right. You need to situate your subject in the current context, explain the rationale for the content of your paper, explain what you are going to present where and why. Then make the whole paper an argument that flows from one section to the next (check the links between paragraphs and sections do they flow?) and then.. Revisit and strengthen the conclusions. Make sure they match the objectives of the paper (and you havent gone off in a different direction) and they are the main message in the abstract. Sometimes Conclusions suffer from lack of energy or running out of steam its really important they dont. They may lead to a bit of reframing of the early part s of the paper. Dont underestimate the importance of a good abstract. This has to be good and takes work. See it as an important job not the thing you rush before submitting. It may be the only part of the paper that most people read (using searches). It is vital to set the tone for assessment exercises (like REF). In most disciplines it should cover brief context (research problem), your approach, key findings/conclusions. And WHY YOUR PAPER IS IMPORTANT (see 7.) Try to get the biggest (i.e. most significant and wide reaching) possible message from your material. Instead of just reporting a study, take the time to start and end the paper in a wider context. Do your findings add to or challenge a conceptual framework or model? Do they contradict or develop theory? Are you advancing discourse? All too often papers dont include any new ideas/critique just blankly presented new data/facts. Be bold with your academic voice. Explicitly think about and state what is new/important/significant in each paper, e.g. it is the first time that an issue has been conceptualised this way, the largest study of its type etc.. Part of this is being bold with your own original thinking (and academic voice). If you have done enough research to write a paper on something you probably have opinions that you voice on it at conferences, seminars etc. Often these should be in the paper too. Dont overstate significance/reach, but do make justifiable claims. So much good research is presented in micro context and these papers tend to be under-cited, even if the content is good. (Referees will always tell you if you over claim, but rarely ask you to be more bold!). Also, dont unreasonably downplay the paper (e.g. describing it as incremental, small scale etc.). Develop a clear and engaging writing style. Make your work interesting to read (and to write!), take time to develop the narrative. Picture yourself as the reader picking up the paper with no background knowledge. Is your style engaging? You will have read loads of papers: which do you go back to? Which do your remember? Who are the best authors in your field? Identify the style of those that you like and emulate the good parts. Academic careers get built on different types of writing style so consciously develop your own voice. In terms of writing papers (your own CV) go for quality not quantity: Understand the hierarchy of your own publications (what are you BIG papers?). Better to have fewer good papers: but sometimes smaller/invited/niche ones are fine to add to the CV. Your papers are your external reputation and last a long time. Aim high: be confident in your work and aim for the best journals in your field. Research the correct journal: look at its scope and focus look at recent volumes and see if your paper would fit. (I would advise writing FOR a journal). Follow the authors guidance to the letter. Read and proof read and ask a colleague to proof read. Wherever possible get friendly views on your paper before you send it out. Set up a writing group, for example. Avoid substantive overlap in your outputs, but build up your expertise. (And have a REF outputs plan early in the period!).

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10. Enjoy writing it shows in the end product! 4* papers usually have an authoritative and yet still enquiring tone.