Making the Academic Writing Process Explicit for Doctoral Students in the Social Sciences

Authors

Sarah L. Ferguson, Rowan UniversityFollow
Cecile Sam, Rowan UniversityFollow
Brent Elder, Rowan UniversityFollow

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to clarify the academic writing process and stages of publication for novice scholars. With doctoral student mentorship being highly dependent on relationships with faculty mentors, the quality and type of mentorship received varies widely. We designed this article to provide a shared starting point for new scholars trying to navigate the writing and publication process. We use our experiences as three newly tenured faculty members to provide some guidance for students. Additionally, this article adds to the existing body of knowledge on the academic writing process by bringing some hidden curriculum and norms to the forefront and making the information available to all students. Article highlights include four areas of focus of academic publishing: (a) the presentation to publication process; (b) journal choice and preparing for journal submission; (c) revision as a communal process; and (d) the journal response. Within this article, we have recommended several places where new scholars can make decisions ranging from where to submit papers, who and how to ask for help, and ways that they can respond to reviewers.

Keywords

academic writing, publication process, doctoral students

Author Bio(s)

Dr. Sarah Ferguson is an Associate Professor of Quantitative Methods in the College of Education at Rowan University. As an applied methodologist in education research, she focuses on the application of advanced research methods and statistics approaches to issues in education. Her current research focuses on two areas: the education and utilization of quality research methods and analyses, and supporting the career development pathway for individuals from high school to career in STEM fields. Please direct correspondence to fergusons@rowan.edu.

Dr. Cecile Sam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Services & Leadership at Rowan University. She is a qualitative researcher whose current focus is on ethical considerations for faculty work and education that spans K-20 contexts. Please direct correspondence to sam@rowan.edu.

Dr. Brent Elder is an Associate Professor of Inclusive Education at Rowan University. His research and practice focus on the development of sustainable inclusive education practices in under-resourced schools in the United States and low-resourced countries around the world. Please direct correspondence to elderb@rowan.edu.

Publication Date

2-11-2023

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5464

Recommended APA Citation

Ferguson, S. L., Sam, C., & Elder, B. (2023). Making the Academic Writing Process Explicit for Doctoral Students in the Social Sciences. The Qualitative Report, 28(2), 495-516. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5464

ORCID ID

0000-0002-4382-2309