Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
PUBLISHING
Perhaps the most famous mantra in academia is “publish or perish.” If your goal is to have
a career in skeletal biology and you plan on becoming a professor, then you must become
very familiar and comfortable with the process of publishing your original work. While it
can be intimidating especially when you have not done so before, it is certainly not impos-
sible. It will require a tremendous amount of work on your part (probably more than you
think it will), but it is manageable if you simply complete one step at a time.
Each journal operates a little differently, but typically most will accept manuscripts in the
following categories: original research, short reports, case studies, and topic reviews. Orig-
inal research papers are longer than short reports, which are usually just brief reports of
ongoing research. Case studies and topic reviews are self-explanatory, but keep in mind
that topic reviews are typically solicited by the editor (i.e., you should not send one in unless
specifically asked to do so). As noted, each journal is different in terms of the types of manu-
scripts they accept for publication. Ensure that the journal you are aiming for publishes the
type of study on which you are working. You may send a brief one-paragraph overview to
the editor in an e-mail to ask whether they would be interested in considering your study
for publication based on the subject matter.
Scientific Writing
Writing well is a critical skill you must acquire if you wish to have a career in anthropology
or in research, administration, academia, and beyond. Whether or not you choose to continue
with skeletal biology, at some point you will have to write a memo, a report, a proposal, or
perhaps even a recommendation letter for someone else. If you cannot write well, anything
you write will lose its impact and will reflect poorly on you. All colleges and universities
have tutoring centers where you can bring your work for editing. In addition, some colleges
have programs where they pair graduate students in English up with students writing scien-
tific papers d the English students get credit for helping you with your writing, and you
benefit by learning how to become a better writer. Scientific writing should be straightfor-
ward and clear, and even if you are already a good writer, writing in this style takes practice.
I strongly recommend that you find someone who is a good writer who can help you in a one-
on-one setting if you are writing in a language other than your native one, if you have
learning disabilities that impact your writing, or if writing is simply not your strong suit.
Your ideas may be brilliant but if you are unable to communicate them in a clear written
way, no one will benefit.
Choosing the Right Journal
You are halfway there if you have already presented your study at a conference. You will
have written an abridged version of your study for the presentation (discussed earlier) and
you can use that as your starting point. If not, then you will need to start from the beginning.
You should identify which journal you wish to submit to before you begin major revisions of
what you already have or start writing from scratch. Become familiar with the journals in the
field (if you are not already) and the themes that each covers.
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