Field guide for publishing without perishing

Background & Issue: Dissemination of research findings and clinical practice is critical to the advancement of disciplinary knowledge, yet many potential nurse authors lack strong writing skills. Writing for professional publication requires skill in the organization of data and in the clear expression of the purpose of the paper, objectives of a study or report, and in the analysis of results for readers. Prospective authors and reviewers may enhance their effectiveness in getting papers published by careful attention to the mission and style requirements of the journal in which publication is sought.

Description: In this interactive session, Co-Editors of a journal with a focus on population-focused nursing will address best practices in manuscript development from conception to acceptance. The Editors will briefly talk about publication ethics and manuscript processing. They will also invite participants to examine and critique examples of good and bad portions of real but anonymous manuscripts.

Outcomes: Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions of editors and to examine selected examples that exemplify both best author practices and problem manuscripts. Editors will provide basic guidelines to enhance success in publishing for prospective authors and reviewers.