How To Write a Journal Article: Three Tips for Writing Journal Papers

How To Write a Journal Article: Three Practical Tips for Successful Publication

Introduction: From Research to Publishable Paper

There are two common ways to approach a journal article. Some researchers write the paper first and only then look for a suitable journal. Others choose the journal first and plan the article from the outset to fit that outlet. Both strategies can work, and many experienced authors use a mixture of the two depending on the project and deadlines.

A doctoral candidate turning a thesis chapter into their first article will often find that the biggest challenge lies in reshaping a long, detailed piece of writing into a concise, journal-ready manuscript. In contrast, an experienced researcher designing a new study may already have a specific journal in mind and use its expectations as a blueprint for the eventual article.

Regardless of where you start, the goal is the same: to produce a clear, coherent, and well-structured paper that fits the journal’s requirements and conveys your research in a way that editors, reviewers, and readers will find both rigorous and engaging. The three tips below focus on practical steps you can take to move from a good piece of research to a successful journal submission.

1. Study the Journal’s Instructions for Authors—Then Follow Them Exactly

Every journal has some form of instructions for authors or “submission guidelines”. These are not simple suggestions; they are a detailed description of what the editor expects to see. Authors who ignore them risk immediate desk rejection, no matter how strong the underlying research may be.

Go Beyond a Quick Read

Do not simply skim the guidelines. Download or print them and read them carefully, section by section. Pay attention to:

• Article types: Many journals publish different categories of paper (original research, review articles, short communications, case studies, commentaries). Make sure you are following the correct instructions for your article type.
• Length and limits: Note the maximum word count for the main text, as well as limits on tables, figures, supplementary files, and references.
• Structure and headings: Some journals require a specific structure (for example, IMRaD – Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). Others offer more flexibility but still list expected sections.
• Referencing style: Check which citation style is required (e.g. APA, Vancouver, Harvard) and whether references should be numbered or author–date.
• Tables and figures: Many journals specify file formats, resolution, labelling conventions, and where tables/figures should be placed or uploaded.

Pay Attention to Submission and Review Requirements

Beyond the layout of the article itself, journals also provide guidance on the submission process and peer review mode:

• Double-blind review: If the journal uses double-blind review, your manuscript must be anonymised. Remove names, affiliations, and self-identifying references from the main file and place them only in the title page or submission system fields.
• Ethics and disclosures: Many journals require statements on ethics approval, consent, funding sources, and conflicts of interest. Omitting these can delay review or result in rejection.
• Cover letter and forms: Some outlets ask for a cover letter explaining why your article fits the journal. Others require copyright forms or author contribution statements.

Use Guidelines to Shape Your Draft

If you are writing from scratch, use the journal’s structure as an outline. If you are adapting a thesis chapter, use the guidelines as a checklist for trimming and reshaping the material. For example, a thesis literature review might be 10,000 words, while the journal only wants a brief introduction with key references. Knowing this at the start will save time and help you focus on what the journal actually values.

Remember: excellent research can be rejected because of poor presentation, but careful adherence to the journal’s requirements removes many avoidable obstacles and sends a strong signal to editors that you understand and respect their processes.

2. Align Your Article with the Journal’s Aims, Scope, and Audience

Following the technical guidelines is necessary but not sufficient. To have a real chance of acceptance, your article must also fit intellectually and thematically with the journal.

Read the Aims and Scope Carefully

Most journals publish a clear “aims and scope” statement. This typically describes:

• The subject areas covered by the journal.
• The types of methods and approaches it welcomes.
• The audience it serves (for example, clinicians, policy-makers, educators, or theoretical researchers).

Ask yourself: Does my article clearly belong here? If your topic falls at the edge of the journal’s scope, you may need to adjust the focus of your paper or choose a different outlet. It is often better to submit to a slightly less “famous” journal that is a perfect fit than to target a high-impact title that rarely publishes your kind of work.

Study Recent Issues

Reading several articles from the past two or three issues will give you a concrete sense of what the editor and readership value. Pay attention to:

• The typical length and depth of discussion sections.
• The balance between theory and practice.
• The kinds of research questions and methods that appear repeatedly.

Use these observations to shape your article. For instance, if the journal emphasises practical implications, make sure your discussion section explains clearly how your findings might influence practice or policy. If the journal highlights theoretical innovation, foreground your conceptual contribution and link it explicitly to existing models or frameworks.

Highlight What Matters Most to This Journal

In a journal article, there is rarely space to say everything you might want to say. You may have multiple possible conclusions or several interesting side findings. When deciding what to emphasise:

• Ask which aspects of your results align most strongly with the journal’s priorities.
• Select the key messages that will feel fresh and relevant to its readers.
• Consider whether certain details can move to supplementary material to keep the main text sharp and focused.

By keeping the journal’s aims in mind as you plan, write, and revise, you increase the likelihood that an editor will view your submission as a natural and valuable addition to their publication.

3. Write Clear, Precise, and Professional Prose

High-quality research can be undermined by weak writing. Editors and reviewers cannot properly judge your methods and results if your prose is unclear, ambiguous, or full of errors. In a competitive publishing environment, language problems are one of the most common reasons for rejection—even when the underlying research is sound.

Prioritise Clarity and Precision

An academic journal article is not the place for vague or careless language. Your goal is to communicate your research so clearly that the reader has no doubt what you did, why you did it, and what you found. To achieve this:

• Use complete, well-constructed sentences.
• Define technical terms and abbreviations the first time they appear.
• Avoid unnecessary jargon where simpler language would do.
• Check that each paragraph has a clear main point and that paragraphs are ordered logically.

Ambiguous statements can be especially dangerous in methods and results sections, where a misunderstood phrase may lead readers to misinterpret your experimental design or statistical analysis.

Eliminate Errors in Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

Small mistakes can have a large impact on how your work is perceived. Frequent errors give the impression of carelessness, which may make reviewers question the rigour of your research itself. To minimise problems:

• Leave time between drafting and editing so that you can return to the text with fresh eyes.
• Read your paper aloud to catch awkward phrasing and overly long sentences.
• Use spellcheck and grammar tools, but do not rely on them blindly.
• Ask a trusted colleague or mentor to read the manuscript and comment on clarity and flow.

For many authors—especially those writing in a second language—working with a professional academic proofreader can be extremely helpful. A specialist proofreader will not change your ideas but can help you express them in fluent, journal-appropriate English, ensuring that your manuscript is judged on its scientific merits rather than being dismissed for language issues.

Maintain a Professional and Consistent Style

Editors look for a tone that is confident but not exaggerated, critical but fair, and analytic rather than emotional. To maintain an appropriate style:

• Avoid overclaiming—do not state that your study “proves” something beyond doubt when it merely supports one interpretation.
• Be consistent in terminology (e.g. do not switch between different names for the same variable).
• Use reporting verbs carefully (e.g. “suggests”, “indicates”, “demonstrates”) to reflect the strength of the evidence.
• Follow the journal’s conventions regarding first person (“I/we”) and the passive voice.

A polished, consistent style signals that you respect the reader’s time and that you take the publication process seriously.

Conclusion: Bringing the Three Tips Together

Turning research into a publishable journal article is a demanding but rewarding process. Success depends on more than the quality of your data or the originality of your theory. It also hinges on how well you adapt your work to the expectations of a specific journal and how clearly you communicate your ideas.

By studying and following the journal’s instructions for authors, you ensure that your manuscript meets basic technical and structural requirements. By aligning your article with the journal’s aims, scope, and audience, you make it more likely that editors and reviewers will see your work as a natural fit. And by writing clear, precise, and professional prose, you remove avoidable barriers that might otherwise lead to rejection on language grounds.

In a publishing environment where AI-generated content is closely monitored and often prohibited, these human skills—careful reading of guidelines, thoughtful shaping of arguments, and meticulous editing—are more important than ever. Combining them with expert human proofreading support, rather than AI rewriting, gives your article the best possible chance of surviving peer review and contributing meaningfully to your discipline.