Ten steps - courtesy of Professor Mark Hayter - for publishing from your PhD

1. From a thesis to an
academic paper – 10
tips for success
Roger Watson
Editor-in-Chief
(courtesy of Professor Mark Hayter)
@jadvnursing

2. Why publish from your thesis?
Career progression/ CV strengthening
Useful at Viva
Prestige of your institution/supervisors
To share research findings
To disseminate good practice
Because you enjoy it........and

3. Let’s be honest..! – it’s good to see your
name in print!

4. The road to publication can be daunting.....

5. It can be done!

6. 10 ‘tips’ for publishing from
your thesis.......

7. 1 – ‘Plan Ahead’
• Discuss with
supervisors
• Authorship
discussion
• This may affect your
writing
style/structure

8. 2. How many papers?
• Literature review
separately?
• Qualitative and
quantitative
elements?
• Theoretical/clinical
paper?
• Beware of ‘salami
slicing’.

9. 3. Target journal/s
• Aims and scope
• Types of papers
• Always right for a
particular journal
• And make sure you
follow the
guidelines

10. Journal guidelines

12. 4. Make a ‘template’ paper
• Set out the sections
and headings
• Paste material from
the thesis into each
(don’t think about
word count yet.
• Think about style
• Start to edit

13. 5. Edit! Try not to be sentimental
• Try to remove
sections rather than
words at first.
• Seek help and
feedback.
• Always think ‘what
is essential’ to my
paper.

14. 6. Order of writing and editing
1. Methods
2. Findings and
Discussion
sections
3. Background or
literature review
4. Abstract

15. 7. Use tables when you can
• Tables can reduce
the word count.
• Check author
guidelines
• Tables for results –
but also
demographics and
data analysis

16. Table 6: extract from consultation 6 (clinic A)
Nurse: what we suggest you do is start your pill
from whatever date your period starts and from
then on you are sort of protected.
Woman: the last day…?
Nurse: no, the first day of your period, so
whatever day of the week that is and you carry on
for all your 21 pills. We suggest you take it at the
same time everyday, it doesn’t matter what time of
day it is, it’s whatever suits your lifestyle. It’s best
if you get up at the same time in a morning and
are able to remember to take it with your first cup
of coffee at breakfast.
Woman: yes
Nurse: What we suggest you do is take it at the
same time everyday within a few hours
Woman: I tend to do that
Nurse: That’s great. This is the leaflet we will be
giving you to go through. The pill is over 99%
effective, but that depends on how well you take it,
if you forget to take it and go messing around with
the times, then it is not so effective.
Open codes
Instructions on use
Protection from pregnancy
Women questioning
Awareness of menstruation
Being aware of time
Instruction in use
Fitting into lifestyle
Affirming understanding
Awareness of time
Instructions on use
Confirming compliance
Giving written information
Contraceptive % efficacy
Danger of non compliance
Interference with contraception
Education about physiology
Timing of pill taking
Requirement for protection/STI’s
Affirming compliance
Contraceptive % efficacy
Informing of side effects

17. 8. Final editing – things to watch
• Qualitative data
representativeness
• Remove references
to ‘appendix’ etc
• Remove thesis
section numbers
• Check all tables
referred to are there

18. Seek criticism of your writing
NOT THIS
OR THIS
THIS

19. 9. Understand the publishing process
• Write first for:
• Editors
• Reviewers
• Your audience
• Understand the
process papers go
through

20. What to expect when you submit to JAN
Submission online
Rejection
Revisions
Accept
Response in 10 weeks
Immediate email acknowledgement and
MS number
Copyright
Transfer
Agreement

21. 10 – Don’t give up
• Rejection is part of
academic writing.
• Not all rejections
are about quality.
• Treat rejection as
part of the next
submission – have a
plan ‘B’.

22. Edited by Karen Holland and Roger Watson
An invaluable guide on writing for publication, enabling
the reader to develop skills in writing articles,
book reviews and other forms
of publications, written by experts in the field.
September 2012, 288 pages
ISBN: 9780470657829
£19.99 / €25.90 / $32.95
Order online at www.wiley.com
Prefer digital? Visit your e-book retailer to order
Writing for Publication in Nursing and
Healthcare:
Getting It Right

23. Thank you
Email: r.watson@hull.ac.uk
@rwatson1955