How to Write Academic Journal Articles That Get Published
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It's one thing to know how to write academic journal articles; it's entirely another to know how to write academic journal articles that get published. Learning how to write an academic journal article involves knowing the conventions of academic writing, the academic journal article format, academic editing, academic proofreading, and more.
Professional academics understand the writing process up to submission and publication. Learn how to write an academic journal article step-by-step with our comprehensive guide, from how to write a literature review and how to write a research proposal to how to write an academic journal article plan and how to format references, all alongside tips from an expert academic.
My name is Moazzam S., and I am a research writer and R&D expert with a bachelor's in chemical engineering and a master's in polymer engineering.
Along with providing specialty freelancing work for projects related to academic research writing, materials engineering, environmental sustainability, chemistry, and medical science, I have also worked as a senior editor and reviewer for well-reputed journals. In addition, I have worked as a materials expert for various companies around the globe. As a result, I have some special insights into how to actually get your articles published, and I'm here to share this advice with you.
Be sure to download the Journal Article Writing Roadmap to reference during your writing, editing, and proofreading. This will help you learn how to write an academic journal article step-by-step.
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Welcome to fail-safe, publication-ready academic journal articles.
How to Write Academic Journal Articles That Get Published
Academic writing explains ideas or findings. Its purpose is to prove to readers that a theory is correct. It is important to understand this purpose before learning how to write an academic journal article.
Like other forms of writing, academic writing follows specific conventions. When learning how to write an academic journal article, you will be expected to understand these conventions along with the conventional academic journal article format.
These conventions include the following:
- A formal tone
- A third-person perspective
- Precise word choice
There are several steps you must follow when learning how to write an academic journal article. These include:
- Preliminary research
- Topic selection
- Journal selection
- Plagiarism checking
- Research
- Thesis determination
- Outlining
- Writing
- Revising
We'll guide you through the entire academic journal article writing process. Download our free Journal Article Writing Roadmap to follow along step by step.
Download the Journal Article Writing Roadmap
7. Outlining
To write a good outline for an academic journal article, be sure to include the sections of the conventional academic journal article format. These sections include your:
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- References
Read More: How to Format a Scientific Paper
You will also want to consider whether to include subheadings. If you're wondering how to write an academic journal article that is organized and easy to follow, one of the best ways is to include subsections that clearly describe your subtopics.
Outlining your paper early on will help make your writing more efficient later. In addition, outlining is an integral part of learning how to write an academic journal article.
Expert tip: Drafting an outline before you begin writing is essential. In addition to establishing a solid framework, it will assist you in maintaining your motivation and progress. Writing with a strategy in mind is considerably simpler than writing without one.
8. Writing
Now that you understand the standard academic journal article format and other conventions, it's time to start writing. Are you still wondering how to write an academic journal article? You're in luck!
No matter what you are writing, you will want to learn the basics, including rules for effective academic writing and phrases to exclude from your writing.
Read More: 5 Rules for Effective Academic Writing
Expert tip: Learning how to write an academic journal article also means learning how not to write an academic journal article!
Don't be afraid to revise your writing as you go. Use your outline as a guide; it is not unusual to need to move body paragraphs around as you write.
Learning how to write an academic journal article also means learning how to be a writer, and that involves learning to be flexible during the writing process.
Read More: Academic Writing Q&A: Ask Our Editors
Be sure to keep track of your references as you go. It is easiest to record them in the style you must follow (such as APA, MLA, or Chicago format) for easy reference list building later.
Read More: How to Use Et Al. in APA, MLA, and Chicago Formats
Read More: MLA Citation and Style Cheat Sheet
Every type of academic writing requires clear organization. Whether you're learning how to write an academic journal article, a literature review, or a research proposal, you will need to include the following sections:
- An introduction
- A body
- A conclusion
If you're learning how to write an academic journal article, you'll also want to draft an abstract for when you submit your paper to a journal.
Write Your Introduction
Learning how to write an academic journal article also means learning how to write an introduction. The introduction to your paper tells the reader what to expect.
It typically includes:
- A hook
- Background information
- A thesis statement
- An outline of the rest of your paper
- A transition to the first body paragraph
Read More: How to Write an Introduction
The hook of your paper grabs the reader's attention. You can do this with:
- A fact
- Example: Charles Beard cast significant doubt on John Roche's claim that the founders of the Constitution were realistic liberals by characterizing them as wealthy upper-class supporters who shunned violent urban mobs and tiny dirt farmers.
- An anecdote
- Example: In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson articulated Locke's ideas nearly verbatim. According to Locke, the logic of how humans exist in nature must be the foundation for all forms of governance: All humans are endowed with the natural liberties of life, freedom, and ownership.
- A quote
- Example: John P. Roche termed the Founding Fathers "wonderful liberal politicians." He further claimed that they needed to exercise prudence, even if they were excellent politicians. Having the people's interests in mind at all times was necessary, and as a result, they chose not to anger them. According to Roche, the Founding Fathers relied more on experience than logic.
In conventional academic journal article format, the introduction should provide background information about your topic. This generally begins with broader information that quickly becomes specific. This allows for the best transition to your thesis statement.
Your thesis statement is the main point of your paper. It is meant to be very specific and is usually only one sentence long.
Here is an example from a Scribendi article on How to Write a Great Thesis Statement:
The polar backgrounds of John Roche and Charles Beard serve to form their quite distinct views of the U.S. Constitution. An analysis of their arguments shows Roche to be a dedicated and intelligent reformer, whereas Beard portrays a calculating desire to undermine America's poor.
The introduction also gives the reader a brief overview of what will be discussed in the remainder of the paper. This means introducing the main points that you will be addressing in the body.
Finally, the introduction typically includes a transition into the first body paragraph. There are many types of transitions, including effect and summary transitions.
Read More: Student Writing Guide: Transitions
Learning how to write an academic journal article also means learning how to write body paragraphs.
Expert tip: Here is an example of a good introduction paragraph using the same topic we established before:
The American Declaration of Independence can be seen as both a worldwide and a national text that proclaims the inherent rights of individuals as well as the right to independent statehood. The first state constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Articles of Confederation, America's initial federal government, are discussed along with their impact on Western constitutionalism. The article also examines the US Constitution with a focus on democratic governance, federation, and judicial review—three unique contributions that have grown to be crucial elements of the American Constitution.
Write Your Body Paragraphs
Whether you are writing a master's thesis or an academic paper for a journal, your body paragraphs will present your main points. Good academic writing does this alongside proof from authoritative sources.
If you would like to learn how to write academic journal articles that get published, you will need to learn how to write good body paragraphs. They should:
- Be logically ordered
- Transition smoothly
- Relate to your thesis
Expert tip: Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information.
If you learn the conventional academic journal article format, then you will have a clear outline to follow. However, making changes to your paper as you write is normal. As mentioned previously, learning how to write an academic journal article also means learning to be flexible as you write.
Write Your Conclusion
Your conclusion reestablishes the main point of your paper by first restating your thesis. To learn how to write academic papers that get published, you will need to learn how to write an effective conclusion.
After presenting your thesis statement, your conclusion should summarize the main points of your paper as well as its contributions to the field. A conclusion should reiterate the important points of the paper but should not repeat them nearly verbatim. It should also link briefly to the context developed in the Discussion section.
Read More: How to Write a Conclusion
Overall, this section should be persuasive and logical. In conventional academic journal article format, this is the last paragraph of your paper.
Expert tip: Here is an example of a good conclusion paragraph using the same topic we established before:
John Roche and Charles Beard had quite different perspectives on the US Constitution because of their opposing backgrounds. Comparing their positions reveals Roche to be a committed and knowledgeable reformer, while Beard presents a cunning aim to weaken America's poor. The study begins with a discussion of the American Declaration of Independence, which can be seen as both a worldwide and a national text that proclaims the inherent rights of individuals as well as the right to independent statehood. The article covers Roche's opinions and analyses of the US Constitution and opposes Beard.
Write Your Abstract
An abstract is a short summary of the aims and results of your research. This allows readers to understand the full scope of your paper from a single paragraph.
It is important to include the main points from each section of your paper. Most journals ask for a sentence each describing your:
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
However, this can differ, so be sure to check and carefully follow your target journal's requirements.
Read More: How to Write an Abstract
Be sure to check these guidelines, as they pertain to the length and structure of your abstract as well as to keywords.
Expert tip: Here is an example of an effective abstract:
The consideration of the American Declaration of Independence, which can be viewed as both a global and a national text that declares the inherent rights of people as well as the right to autonomous statehood, serves as the book's introduction. The article discusses the earliest state constitutions and how the Articles of Confederation, America's first national constitution, influenced Western constitutionalism. Additionally, it explores the US Constitution with a focus on three unique contributions: judicial review, federation, and democratic governance, which have all grown to be crucial parts of American constitutions.
After academic writing come academic editing and academic proofreading.
9. Revising
All writing requires editing and proofreading. If you're wondering how to write academic journal articles that get published, one of the keys is to submit perfectly polished writing. This can only be accomplished through academic editing and proofreading.
Just as all types of writing follow certain conventions, academic editing and academic proofreading follow specific conventions that differ from those of fiction editing, for example.
As a result, it is an excellent idea to have an academic editor review your work. A subject-matter expert will be able to provide specific feedback on your topic.
Merudio offers a convenient academic editing and proofreading bundle specifically designed to prepare your work for submission and publication. Merudio offers subject-matter expert editing to best serve academic writers.
Specialty Academic Editing and Academic Proofreading
If you cannot have a professional editor review your work, be sure to have someone who is familiar with academic editing, proofreading, and the conventional journal article format review your work.
You can also edit and proofread your own work if you are qualified.
Read More: Avoid These Common Mistakes in Academic and Scientific Writing
However, it can be difficult to review your own work objectively, especially if you have looked at the writing a lot. Some common tips include changing the font and taking a two-week break, if possible, to look at your writing with fresh eyes.
How to Write Academic Articles That Get Published: A Conclusion
Once you're confident that the content of your paper is the best it can be with academic editing and that your writing is completely free from errors with academic proofreading, it is time to submit your article to the journal of your choice.
As a writer, it is common to face rejection, so be sure to submit your paper to multiple journals, if allowed, or revise and resubmit your paper until you reach your publication goals. Academic editing and academic proofreading can also help you refine your ideas and writing so that your article is suitable for publication.
Our free Journal Article Writing Roadmap is also helpful for the revision process, so be sure to keep it on hand for all your academic writing endeavors.
Download the Journal Article Writing Roadmap
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WRITTEN BY
Moazzam S.
Moazzam S. is a research writer and R&D expert with a bachelor's in chemical engineering and a master's in polymer engineering. He provides specialty freelancing work for projects related to academic research writing, materials engineering, environmental sustainability, chemistry, and medical science. He has also worked as a senior editor and reviewer for well-reputed journals. In addition to being an author and researcher, Moazzam has worked as a materials expert for various companies around the world.
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