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.

This knowledge hub breaks that process down in to manageable steps — from the early decisions shaping the paper, to final steps when your paper is accepted for publication.

Stuck somewhere specific?

Check out the troubleshooting guide.

Does this hub apply to my paper?

This hub contains Potential biases. The workflows and advice here are most directly applicable to hypothesis- and question-driven empirical papers. If you’re writing a different type of paper, I recommend checking out the biases page so you know which advice to take with a grain of salt.

Core concepts

The workflows and articles presented on this knowledge hub are based on my own ideas about scientific writing. Understanding the theory behind these workflows helps to write more effectively:

• What is a journal article
• Reviewer expectations
• What is writing
• Bottom-up vs top-down writing

Suggested workflow

For writing & publishing a scientific IMRaD journal article

This workflow is aimed at novice scientific writings and uses a bottom-up workflow that starts with brainstorming and writing chunks of drafts for sections of your paper, then structure them into a logical narrative (as opposed to outlining first and then writing).

Preparing the project:

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

Building the knowledge:

3. Capturing research decisions → produces raw drafts for Introduction and Methods
4. Interpreting the findings → produces draft conclusions for Discussion

Writing the paper:

5. Structuring your ideas → generates structured Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion
6. Writing the final elements → produces study contributions, key messages, implications, abstract
7. Editing and polishing → prepare submission-ready manuscript

Submitting and publishing the paper:

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

Need hands-on support? See Writing Consultations

Beta stage/living document

This hub is still under development. Writing about scientific writing tends to generate new insights. Expect content to deepen (and potentially be restructured) over time.