1

PUBLICATION IN REFEREED JOURNALS 1. What is the article all about?

(issue/problem)
areas of assessment: 2. What does the paper intend to do?
-substance (objective/s)
-format 3. What are the most important findings?
(central argument/ conclusion/ significance)
A. SUBSTANCE - self-contained, together with the title (i.e., it
1. a CLEAR PROBLEM (issue) can be published and read on its own)
- Is there an issue being addressed? Is there a - 100 – 250 words, preferably one
well-defined problem? paragraph, not exceeding 300 words
- Is the background/context of the
issue/problem elaborated through an adequate Variation: elaborated abstract/ summary
review of literature? Background:
2. an ARGUMENT (thesis) …………………………………………………
- Does the manuscript propound a thesis Objectives: ………………………………..
vis-à-vis the problem? …………………
3. a NOVEL/DISTINCT CLAIM (scholarly Method:
significance/contribution) ………………………………………………………
- Is there something new in the Results/Findings: ………………………..
thesis/argument? …………………
- Does it contribute to the theoretical and Conclusion: ……………………………….
methodological discussions on the topic? …………………
4. a SOUND EVIDENCE (method/design: logic)
- Is the claim adequately supported? Is it 3. KEYWORDS
well argued? - highlights words/phrases that are central to the
5. an AUTHORITATIVE/ REPRESENTATIVE work but are not reflected in the title
reference list - the field/s where your article may be situated (e.g.,
- Is the list of references exhaustive and up- patient care, cancer, student performance,
to-date? indigenous education, etc)
B. FORMAT (IMRaD or APA) - not more than ten words/phrases
[1] Title
[2] Abstract 4. INTRODUCTION
[3] Keywords - a comprehensive but concise presentation
[4] Introduction that addresses the following areas but all rolled into
[5] Method a single, continuous essay (1-2 pages only):
[6] Results/Findings 1. what is the state of existing knowledge on the
[7] Discussion topic/issue? (review of literature: setting the
[8] Conclusion context/background/rationale)
[9] Acknowledgment (optional) 2. what is the issue you have identified and that your
[10] Notes (optional) study intends to focus on? (problem)
[11] References 3. what specifically are you going to address/ do in
------------------- this study (objective/s)
Number of pages: 10 – 30 4. why is your study important?
(significance/contribution)
1. TITLE: the most important part of a manuscript - Movement of ideas: from general to
Comprehensive specific
- Does it capture the essence/ give a
thorough idea about what the paper is? 5. METHOD (var.: Methodology; Materials and
Brief (no longer than 12 substantive words) Methods; Procedures; Design)
- Do away with phrases like “a study of, an this section elaborates on the HOW of the study,
analysis of…” which includes a description of the following:
Catchy - Research population or community: Where? Who?
- Does it attract interest? Why? How selected?
- Materials
2. ABSTRACT: the next most important part - Procedures
- a summative statement that answers the following - Methods: What? How? Why?
questions: - Data analysis: How did you analyze the data?
- Ethical considerations

6. RESULTS/FINDINGS
(‘Results’ for experimental researches; ‘Findings’ for
non-experimental)
- presents the study’s data: what did you find
out/observe?
- includes only the data that build the manuscript’s
thesis/argument, rather than each and every detail
that came out from the study
- comes in subheadings representing the various
themes of the study
- may use tables and figures (but judiciously)
7. DISCUSSION
- What do the results/findings presented in the
‘Results/Findings’ mean?
- How do these results/findings fit into the broader
context/literature?
- theoretical implications? practical
applications?
Note: movement of ideas is from specific to
general [from your study’s data to the wider
literature]
- includes the limitations of the research design and
materials used
Variation:
“Results/Findings and Discussion” as a
single section, especially if these are not that lengthy
8. CONCLUSION
- wraps up the article’s argument by:
1. restating aims/objectives of the paper
2. summarizing key findings/arguments
3. pointing out direction/s for future
investigation, if any
- 1-2 pages only
Variation:
“Conclusion” tucked into the last paragraphs
of the “Discussion” or the “Results/Findings and
Discussion”
9. ACKNOWLEDGMENT (optional)
- for co-researchers/research assistants,
providers of material support, financial assistance;
contributors of ideas; critics/reviewers; editor/s
- direct, one paragraph
her than personal attacks).
2
10. NOTES (optional)
- meant for incidental/supplementary comments (not
references), appearing at the end of the manuscript
Note: for references, use in-text citations
APA style: Jones, 1997; Jones, 1997, p. 31
variation: Jones 1997; Jones 1997: 31
11. REFERENCES
thumb rules:
- include only the materials you have used/cited
- give complete bibliographical entries
A. Published materials:
- Books/ monographs: Author. Year. Book. Place of
publication: Publisher.
- Journals: Author. Year. Title of Article. Journal,
volume (issue), pages.
B. Electronic sources:
- for published materials, follow above rule but
identify it as an electronic version, e.g. -
- Author. Year. Title of Article [Electronic
version]. Journal, volume (issue), pages.
- for stand-alone document (no author identified, no
date)
- GVU’s 8th WWW user survey. (n.d.)
Retrieved August 8, 2000, from
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/usersurveys/survey19
97-10/
Note: Provide URLs that work and that link
directly to the article.
C. Personal communication (not cited in references
but within text):
- (H.J. Simpson, personal communication,
September 29, 1999)
ADDENDUM
Writing style
- Be brief and straightforward (all paragraphs,
phrases, and words should count).
- Make the whole manuscript as one flowing
narrative, hence do away with numberings and
bullets.
Academic writers’ virtues –
- Seek collegial opinion for both content and prose
(avail of an outsider’s eye).
- Be open to editor’s/referee’s critique (possibilities
rat