Publishing and Editorial Issues

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This section of the toolkit presents advice and guidance on getting to grips with the world of science publishing, how the research communications industry works, how to get involved with it and make the right choices. We also cover the additional challenges faced by many academics for whom English is not a native language.

• How to choose a journal: scientific and practical considerations 
Chapter 2 from the Publishing Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed ebook, describing methods to select a suitable journal.

How to choose a journal and write a cover letter
A 2019 article, detailing the factors involved in optimal journal selection, giving insights into how to identify suitable journals, why particular criteria are important and ideal methods to approach this task. The article also includes a spreadsheet tool for tracking information about potential titles of interest and submission details

How to tackle publishing issues if you are a young or novice researcher
A chapter from the Publishing Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed ebook, which  describes how to overcome the challenges for authors who have minimal experience with the publication process.

• The Library of Alexandria and the University of Pittsburgh have established a free website (the Science Supercourse), to help researchers develop publication and presentation skills.

• The British Ecological Society have produced a guide for early career researchers which explains how to get published, with advice on selecting the right journal, writing effectively and dealing with decision letters. The guide is available to download for free here.

Resources for writing academic English when English is not your first language
This module identifies the challenges encountered by scientists whose first language is not English and/or who work in countries with few resources.

How to get published if you are from a developing country or non-English language culture