Writing a First Osteoarchaeology Article: Some Advice for Early Career Researchers

Abstract

Writing a journal article is a different skill from writing a postgraduate thesis or a technical report. Getting published is an important step in academic careers, so it is a key skill to master. It is obviously good to publish completed research to disseminate the research to wider academic and public communities. Your first publications are also often your formal introduction to the academic community and can help shape the next steps of your career. They help to establish reputation and may contribute to employment or funding application decisions (Nicholas et al. 2017; Bazeley 2003).

Academic article writing is a different style of writing for some to learn when coming out of a postgraduate degree. Remember, you can ask senior colleagues and peers to look at drafts, and you can also reach out to journal editors to check if your topic or study is within scope before submitting. Resilience and determination are important qualities to have in academic careers—as anyone who has published a lot will tell you, there are also rejections along the way. Listen to feedback; revise, and if necessary, resubmit elsewhere. Good luck with your writing and submissions!

There are no conflicts of interest.