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Academic Publishing: Publishing Your Research

Formatting Your Article

  • Put your article in format that is used by the journal you are submitting your article to.
  • Use Spell Check & Grammar Check.
  • Ask someone in your field to read the article.

Submitting Your Article for Publication

  • Follow the publisher’s instructions.
  • Use the correct citation style guide of the journal, e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, guides from scholarly associations, societies, or the journal itself.

Cover letter:

  • Avoid using your personal stationery if possible.  Use the university's or college's letterhead, e.g., QCC, CUNY.
  • Find the name of the editor of the journal and address the letter to him/ her.
  • Include an abstract. It should be "blended into the letter, not set apart as an abstract." 
  • Mention that your article is not under review at another journal. It is unethical to submit your article to more than one journal or publisher for review.
  • Include important keywords.
  • Mention any permissions that are included.

Source & for more tips, please see:  Wendy Laura Belcher. Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks: a Guide to Academic Publishing Success. Los Angeles: Sage, 2009.