As an undergraduate student, you're probably embarking on your first significant research project. You might find yourself working with your tutors on a project that turns out to be suitable for publication in an academic journal. If this happens, it's a great opportunity to engage with the broader academic community and take your research to the next level. But where do you start, and how can you successfully navigate the publishing process?
The Open Research Team based in the Library have prepared this guide to take you through the steps involved in publishing as an undergraduate. We'll help you understand the key stages of submitting your work for consideration in academic journals.
Step 1: Decide on the Format for Your Output
Consider what makes your research unique. Is it groundbreaking or a review of existing research? Choose the format that best fits your work:
- Original Research Paper: When you have new findings or data to share.
- Literature Review: If you're summarizing existing research and offering new insights.
- Case Study: For in-depth analysis of a real-life example.
- Theoretical Paper: For developing or challenging existing theories.
Discuss your choice with your tutor. They will help guide you in selecting the best format for your research.
Step 2: Find a Suitable Journal for Your Output
Look for journals that have published research in the field. It’s more likely that they'll be interested in your work. Use databases like Primo and others you typically use to identify journals in your subject area.
Evaluate potential titles using the Think. Check. Submit checklist to ensure that you are choosing a trusted publication.
Step 3: Write Your Article
Follow the journal’s author guidelines, including formatting, style and word limits. Most journal articles adhere to the IMRaD format: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
Write clearly and be concise, avoid technical jargon and acronyms which may not be familiar to all readers.
Seek feedback from your tutor before you submit.
Step 4: Understand the Peer-Review Process
Submit to one journal. If the editor is interested in your article, they will send it for peer review. Experts in the field will assess your work and recommend whether it should be accepted or rejected. If accepted, they may ask for revisions before final approval.
Peer review is usually done by academic colleagues on a voluntary basis. Peer review is often anonymous, but open peer review is becoming common with the review feedback published alongside your article. Understanding which method your chosen journal uses can help you prepare for feedback and revisions.
Step 5: Understand the Copyright License
It's important that you understand the copyright implications of publishing your work. Traditionally, when you sign a copyright agreement with a publisher, you transfer the rights to your work, giving them control over distribution and reuse. As the author, you typically retain limited rights, such as using excerpts in other projects or sharing the work on personal websites.
If you plan to reuse or build upon your research in ways that may be restricted by the publisher's copyright, consult the Open Research team.
Step 6: Publish Open Access
Publishing open access makes your research available to a wider audience, including the public and readers in developing countries who may be unable to afford access to research behind a paywall. As student at the University of Aberdeen, you have access to resources that may not be available to you after graduation.
Open access options include:
- Gold Open Access: Your article is published freely available online but may require payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC) to publish, which can be costly with the highest APCs reaching around £9,000. You might find a suitable journal covered by one of the University's publisher agreements where eligible research articles may have the APC paid through the agreement. Make sure that you understand the costs involved before submitting to a journal that will charge you to publish open access. There are no University funds available to support publication costs.
- Diamond Open Access: Your article is freely available online with the costs covered by the publisher, often through sponsorship or some sort of crowdfunding from libraries.
- Green Open Access: Publish in a subscription or non-open access journal and deposit a copy of your article’s final draft (peer-reviewed, unformatted) in the institutional or a subject repository.
Check with the Open Research team to explore your options.
A Creative Commons license sets out the conditions for how the article can be reused with attribution to the original. Find out which licence best suits your open access requirements.
Step 7: Well Done! You’ve Published Your Article.
Congratulations on publishing your research! Now it’s time to share your success. Let people know about your work by sharing the article on your social media accounts. Don’t forget to inform your colleagues and department members—celebrate your achievement and engage with others who might be interested in your research!
