So often a faculty member or graduate student will write a paper on a very important topic - or at least a topic they consider important - without giving thought to where the manuscript might be published. With colleagues, I often conduct publication workshops for faculty and clinical colleagues. Consistently, we are confronted with the homeless paper, the paper that may never find a home.
Faculty often write on work they presented at a conference or as part of their scholarship (a recently completed dissertation, for example, or the product of a faculty work group). Or the manuscript may simply reflect their latest thinking. But writing the paper first, without considering where it may be published, is never a good idea.
In the case of graduate students, often the paper is written as a course requirement. The instructor for the course gives the student a "thumbs up," encouraging publication while providing no advice about a possible home.
Editors of nursing journals are all too familiar with the student paper submission. Two recent publications address this issue. Kennedy, Newland, and Owens (in press) surveyed nurse editors who are participants in the International Academy of Nursing Editors. A common problem among the 53 respondents was the submission of papers outside the scope of the journal or inappropriate for the journal; thus, the homeless manuscript.
On the basis of the findings of Kennedy et al., Cowell and Pierson (2016) developed a white paper titled "Helping Students Get Published." The two tables that accompany the Cowell and Pierson paper are especially instructive for nurse faculty. These include a table of resources for faculty for use in mentoring students in scholarly writing and a table of suggested books and websites for information on scholarly writing.
Avoiding a homeless manuscript means considering the match between your good ideas and the purpose of the journal that may eventually publish your paper. To find the best match, planning is essential.
Sometimes the solution is simple: to read the published scope and goals of the journal, almost always available on the journal website. Another approach, especially if you are not certain of the fit, is to query the editor before writing the paper. Query letters (accompanied by an abstract or brief overview of the potential paper) are almost always welcomed by nurse editors. If editors do not want query letters, this is posted on the journal website. Potential authors are also encouraged to meet the editors. Get to know them at conferences and discuss your ideas for manuscripts to determine the best fit.
Avoiding a homeless manuscript means considering the match between your good ideas and the purpose of the journal that may eventually publish your paper. To find the best match, planning is essential.
Nurse editors want to disseminate the highest quality work in our discipline. We also want to publish your work as expeditiously as possible. Helping you avoid the mismatch between your paper and the journal will save you time. But importantly, we are here for you and can help you find a home for your paper.
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