Do you have a paper ready to be sent out for publication?
Are you having challenges with attending to editor’s comments?
Are you done with a paper draft but wondering if you’ve dotted all your Is and cross all your Ts?
Before you send out any paper for external review, here is a brief research checklist that can help to erase all your doubts.
I hope you find it helpful.
Tips for Academic Journal Publishing
- Cite scholars that are experts in your field because they may be your peer reviewers.
- Avoid publishing in predatory journals
- Publish in recognisable and universally accepted journals
- Know where you want to go in terms of career path and publish in journal outlets that are acceptable there
- Think about the field you want to be and publish in that line. Do not just publish for the sake of publishing.
- Don’t just publish anywhere. Think of where you want to go, the reputation of the journal, and what it means for your career.
- Put in your best while preparing to publish
- Accept rejection in publishing and take it in good faith. Don’t see it as a weakness but rather see as it something that makes you stronger in research writing.
Points to Note While Preparing to Publish
- Take your time to think: Think properly, present your ideas before people. Think of what they say and work on it. Do not rush your gestation period as it is not enough to just publish, you have to publish well. It is better to have a tiny portfolio than to have a bunch of useless portfolio.
- Identify the gap- What are you trying to do? What new idea to you want to bring to knowledge?
- Read up on the Journal-What do they want? Check out their previous articles to ascertain how your work can compare.
- Do not submit more than one journal to a journal outlet
- Always remember that you are not just trying to publish. The main goal should not just be to be an academic but a scholar.
- Be a reader. Do not compromise on what you truly want. Dedicate yourself to reading. Don’t just read for a purpose but read because you believe in the power of excellent writing.
A. FIRST THING FIRST
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Am I sending my work to the right journal | ||
2 | Did I use the right theories and concept in my work | ||
3 | Did I cite influential researchers in my work | ||
4 | Did I cite essential literature in my work | ||
5 | Did I cite related literature in my work | ||
6 | Have I cited recent and relevant literature | ||
7 | Have I thoroughly accessed the quality of the journal | ||
8 | Have I checked the composition of the editorial board | ||
9 | Have I checked the competency of the journal | ||
10 | Have I tailored my work to the journal’s requirement | ||
B. ABSTRACT
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1. | Does it follow the MRCI (Motivation, Result, Contribution, Implication) framework | ||
2. | Did it synthesise the main points of the paper | ||
3. | Have I used the right keywords |
C. INTRODUCTION
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Have I identified the so-what question | ||
2 | Have I clearly stated my research question | ||
3 | Did I identified the gap in existing literature | ||
4 | Did I properly state the structure of the paper | ||
5 | Is my research question concise and clear |
D. LITERATURE REVIEW
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Have I reviewed literature related to my work | ||
2 | Is my review based on recent and relevant literature | ||
3 | Have I linked my literature review to my research question | ||
4 | Did I identified the gap between my research question and previous literature | ||
5 | Have I done an analytical review of the selected literature |
E. METHODOLOGY
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Is my research design coherent and transparent | ||
2 | Is my methodology compatible with my research problematic | ||
3 | Has the method used in collecting research data been clearly stated | ||
4 | Have I explained how the generated data will be used | ||
5 | Have I justified the research for the selected research design |
F. RESULT
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Is the findings of my study clearly presented | ||
2 | Have I highlighted the originality of the result | ||
3 | Did my result answer my research question |
G. DISCUSSION
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Have I proven the relevance of my work | ||
2 | Did I specify the contribution of my work to the academic community |
H. CONCLUSION
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Have I identify the strength and limitation of my work | ||
2 | Is my conclusion in line with my research question |
I. FINAL CHECK
NO | QUESTION | DONE | TO BE IMPROVED |
1 | Is my work well referenced | ||
2 | Are the keywords used adequate | ||
3 | Is the content of my work in line with the journal requirement | ||
4 | Does my work looks interesting and well written even to someone outside my research community | ||
5 | Was I consistent in my research | ||
6 | Is my English well written and free from grammatical errors | ||
7 | Have I thoroughly cross checked my work for plagiarism and typos | ||
8 | Do I think my finished research is worth publishing |
If you’ve you tick “done” in all of this, then your work is ready to be sent out for external review. Goodluck.
Thank you. Very informative
Please I need journal related to sustainable energy technology
You can check out
1. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments: An International Journal
2. International Journal on Sustainable Energy
3. International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology (IJRET)
4. Journal of Sustainable Energy Engineering
5. Journal of Renewable Energy
6. Journal of Renewable Energy and Technology
7. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy
8. MDPI: Energies
9. Journal of Clean Energy Technologies
10. International Journal of Sustainable Energy Development
Please I need journals on gasification technology
waste to energy
Modern landfill gas
Anaerobic digestion
Incineration
Energy recovery facilities