Speak Out October 2018

PART 3

ready, set...publish!

PUBLISHING YOUR WORK Getting reading to submit… PART THREE OF THE 'PUBLISHING YOUR WORK' COLUMN OFFERS USEFUL TIPS FOR THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU ARE GETTING READY TO HIT THE BUTTON ON SUBMITTING YOUR PAPER TO A JOURNAL.

The hard work is nearly over but, as always, there are a number of things to do that will make the process go more smoothly. You will, no doubt, have checked the author guidelines for the journal you are considering. Now is the time to revisit these. All journals also have an online manuscript submission process and portal. These can vary, although most of the key journals in SLP use Scholar One (previously known as Manuscript Central). These come with a wealth of information to guide you in your article preparation and submission. For example, Taylor and Francis, the publishers of IJSLP, provide a wealth of online guidance through their Author Services website https://authorservices. taylorandfrancis.com/using-scholarone-manuscripts. Critically, though, nothing impresses an editor more than receiving a manuscript that shows an author has carefully referred to the support materials and has formatted their article correctly for that specific journal. Conversely, it can be a source of embarrassment for the author if the article retains the formatting (and the same cover letter) from a previous attempt to submit to a different journal that met with a rejection. This isn’t as rare as you might think! So, before you start the submission process… • Be sure to read (again) the Instructions to Authors. The devil is in the detail. These stipulate such things as how to format headings and references and when to use punctuation! It’s actually important to check these details each time you

submit a manuscript as journals frequently update their guidelines. The reasons behind changes can be in response to new editorial styles, a desire to accommodate more work in the journal, and to ensure a smooth production process, limiting the introduction of unnecessary errors. If you are submitting to IJSLP, the link to the instructions is at https:// www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?show=in structions&journalCode=iasl20 • Do know and stick to the recommended manuscript length. Getting this right is critical. If you get this wrong, you risk immediate rejection or a significant delay. An editor is bound to these page limits (they are determined by greater forces!). For example, the length of manuscripts for IJSLP is 30 pages. • Check whether you need a cover letter. If this is required by a journal, they usually tell you what should be in it. For example, some journals ask you to confirm that the work is original and that appropriate ethical approval has been granted. All journals ask you to state that the work is not currently being considered by another journal, as this is not permitted. • Do be clear that you have checked with each of your co- authors and they have given their consent to the article being submitted in its current form. You will be asked to confirm this when submitting. It’s also helpful to have pulled together

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October 2018 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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