Publishing Your Research: Where to Start

• Communicate research findings to improve patient care
• Advance biomedical knowledge to benefit society
• Establish yourself as knowledgeable in chosen topics

When starting to think about publishing some research you have conducted, use these tips to plan your publishing journey. You can also start looking at journals that publish the subject matter and type of research you are writing about.

Select a topic

1. Ask a simple question 
   • Select a topic that has high impact in a time frame you can complete
2. Find a mentor who has published in your field
3. Get used to writing. Practice as much as you can
4. If you need funds, check with your department to see what they have to offer
5. Create your own tables and figures and make them perfect 
6. Keep your references together and check for the correct format. Citation management software can help

There are many web sites and articles on how to get published. Seek out assistance from faculty and remember the librarians can work with you on searching the literature to make sure you have an optimal topic.

From manuscript completion to publication it can take from 6 months for review and then 6 months for the publication to be available. This does vary from publisher to publisher.

• Select a journal for submission
• Prepare your manuscript according to the author instructions
• Understand open access publishing models
• Submit to one journal at a time. Wait to find out if your manuscript will be accepted before you submit again
• Editor will decide to send the manuscript for peer-review

Librarians:

• Available to work with you
• Make appointments to go over search strategies
• Manage references
• Research & Instruction Librarians available to teach your students
  • Searching
  • Citation formating
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • More!

Illinois

Arizona