How to Write and Publish a Paper, is a three-day intensive online course with formal lectures & interactive sessions. It is an international and unique course. Each iteration has led to fine tuning of the contents via feedback from successive attendees. This three-day course is designed to help you get your work into print. The course focuses on those basic skills common to all published work that can make the difference between acceptance and rejection. This course is suitable for all academics who wish to enhance their paper writing skills. It is delivered by highly skilled researchers, lecturers, editors and others in the Academic world. Throughout the course lecturers will be giving formal lectures as well as examples and will also be able to answer your questions. The idea is to deliver the lecturers' collective experience to our students in this vital phase of career progress, Being Published. The course is delivered by highly experienced researchers and lecturers through formal lectures and interactive sessions. The purpose is to impart the lecturers' collective experience to the delegates in this crucial aspect of career progress. All presentations will be made available to the delegates as soft copy handouts, as well as all Excel® add-ins used during the course, along with the papers which arose from these analyses and which were demonstrated during the talks.
Aims of the Course
The course aims to:
- Develop participants’ understanding of the academic publishing ecosystem.
- Enhance competence in structuring, writing, and submitting scholarly manuscripts.
- Strengthen knowledge of ethical, legal, and professional standards in research publication.
- Equip participants with practical tools for journal targeting, referencing, and manuscript management.
- Support academic career progression through strategic publishing and grant development.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Critically evaluate the hierarchy and suitability of research for publication.
- Apply the IMRAAD structure effectively in drafting academic manuscripts and theses.
- Construct clear, coherent, and publishable abstracts and full research papers.
- Conduct critical appraisal of published research literature.
- Select appropriate journals using recognised journal and author metrics.
- Demonstrate professional engagement with editors and respond constructively to peer-review feedback.
- Identify and avoid predatory publishing practices.
- Apply principles of research integrity, including plagiarism prevention, authorship ethics, and data protection compliance.
- Utilise reference management software (including Mendeley) and apply recognised referencing styles accurately.
- Develop structured research proposals and identify appropriate funding opportunities.
- Prepare academic posters and presentations suitable for scholarly dissemination.
- Distinguish between disciplinary conventions in the sciences and humanities.
Course Content
The curriculum includes the following core components:
- Hierarchy of Studies and Publication Pathways
- Writing a Paper and Thesis (IMRAAD Framework)
- Abstract Development
- Journal Selection and Metrics
- Editorial Processes and Peer Review
- Open Access and Predatory Journals
- Ethical Issues and Data Protection
- Plagiarism and Detection Tools
- Reference Management Systems (Overview and Mendeley)
- Referencing Styles
- Grant Funding and Proposal Writing
- Academic Presentation and Poster Design
- Authorship, Collaboration, and Professional Conduct
- Writing for Broader Media Audiences
- Comparative Approaches: Sciences and Humanities
All course materials are provided electronically, including lecture presentations, practical tools, and demonstrated analytical resources.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Formal lectures
- Interactive discussions
- Case studies and applied examples
- Practical demonstrations of software tools
- Question-and-answer sessions
Assessment
This course is delivered as a professional development programme. Where certification is issued, it is contingent upon full attendance and active participation.
Target Audience
- The course is intended for:
- Doctoral candidates and early-career researchers
- Academic staff seeking to improve publication outcomes
- Researchers in scientific and humanities disciplines
- Clinicians and professionals engaged in research activity
- International scholars publishing in English-language journals
Participants whose first language is not English and who hold an IELTS score of 6.5–7.0 are required to undertake the English Language Module.
