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Writing for Professional Publication: Some Myths and Some Truths

2003; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 84; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/003172170308401015

1940-6487

Kenneth T. Henson,

Reflective Practices in Education

In addition to providing readers with the results of his latest biennial survey of education journals, Mr. Henson gives some advice that will help educators begin to think of writing for publication as an opportunity rather than a burden. WHEN I RECEIVED my terminal degree and accepted my first teaching position in higher education at a state university in the Midwest, I felt intense pressure to publish -- or perish. In retrospect, the pressure was only modest, but my lack of preparation for this part of my job made the pressure a real threat. Because I was determined to survive, I published 16 articles in the next two years and landed a Fulbright scholarship in London. While there, I received a telegram saying that I had been granted tenure and a promotion. This news only whetted my appetite. I share this positive experience in my travels around the country helping to demystify the processes of writing and publishing, too often I see faculty members writing for the wrong reason: to get a few quick publications to achieve tenure. While no one can argue with the importance of earning tenure, most of us work better when motivated not by fear but by a sincere desire to do our best. And writing for publication can and should be about more than job security. So I use my workshops to simplify the demands of publishing and to make the process more enjoyable. Below are some of the myths surrounding writing for professional publication, followed by some nuts-and-bolts advice, which should lead you to greater success in publishing. Myth: for publication takes time that I should be spending preparing for my classes. for publication should never be separate from our teaching. By choosing to research and write about those topics that we teach, we can allow our publishing to enrich our classes by increasing the depth of our class discussions and keeping us current in our fields. Lev Vygotsky used the term negotiated to describe how students in small groups can talk one another through problems until they understand them and discover solutions. for publication can be a similar process in that it forces writers to negotiate meaning in their own minds. For the latest edition of for Professional Publication (Allyn and Bacon, 1999), I asked some widely published educators why they write. Thomas Good, the educational psychologist, said, Writing for professional publication provides an opportunity to conceptualize, explore, and on occasion reformulate one's understanding of a topic. Art educator Elliot Eisner writes for publication because it is through the process of writing that my own ideas get clarified and revised. Myth: for publication is something that faculty members should do for their department chairs, deans, and institutions. Glennelle and Gerald Halpin have written about the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards of publishing.1 Most professors chose their profession they love their subjects and enjoy engaging with other minds. When you have an important insight and you have crafted an effective method of sharing it in your classes, few moments are as rewarding as the moment when students connect this new knowledge with their prior understanding. a professional article can help make this connection happen more often in your classes. Myth: Publishing is a complex and difficult process that requires natural ability. Educational psychologist Edmund Emmer said, Sometimes you will hear individuals referred to as 'born teachers.' I don't know of any research that backs up this impression.2 Nor is the act of writing something people are born with, as the title of James Raymond's Is an Unnatural Act reflects.3 However, the good news is that writing is a simple process for those who are willing to relax and let it happen. Just use common words, short sentences, and short paragraphs. But successful writing does make one nonnegotiable demand: self-discipline is required. …