How to write papers that get published

Writing a journal article can feel overwhelming. Especially when you consider it is actually many distinct challenges fused into one task: writing.

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Suggested workflow

For writing & publishing a scientific IMRaD journal article

Background & theory on scientific writing:

1. Know the Product
2. Two types of writing
3. Writing is not linear

Preparing the project:

3. Involving your writing team
4. Choosing a journal → to establish scope/ambition level of the paper

Building the knowledge:

5. Capturing research decisions → produces raw drafts for Introduction and Methods
6. Interpreting the findings → produces draft conclusions for Discussion
7. Structuring your ideas → generates structured Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion
8. Writing the final elements → produces study contributions, key messages, implications, abstract
9. Editing and polishing → prepare submission-ready manuscript

Submitting and publishing the paper:

10. Submitting a paper → prepare cover letters and other submission materials
11. Review status & workflow
12. Responding to reviewers → write rebuttal
13. Getting published

Need hands-on support? See Writing Consultations

Beta stage/living document

This hub is still under development — I’ve written most of the content, but am still reorganising sections to optimise the logic and flow.