Customer Reviews

Persist and Publish: Helpful Hints for Academic Writing and Publishing

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I have many friends who say they wanted to be a teacher, not a writer. This book helps those of us who are good teachers, good at research, and even good writers, but don't seem to find the time or energy to get enough publication credits.

Graduate school should be about developing a good mentor relationship with a senior (full) professor in the exact field you want to be in. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, a lot of grad students and young professionals do not get the guidance they need. This book fills in the gaps - it explains the different types of publications, which are the easiest/quickest to knock out (such a book reviews and reference articles), what kind of publication credit you should expect to receive, how to publish your book/dissertation chapter at a time (and double your publication credits), and many more useful ideas.

Perhaps the bulk of the book is about the writing process - how to avoid writing about topics/methods you don't like, how to break down the writing process into fun & enjoyable steps, how to develop discipline and good writing habits, etc. The last chapter is geared towards helping you find an academic publisher for your book or dissertation, how to write an abstract that will appeal to the publisher, and more.

This is a very meaty book - if you are expecting a "dummies guide" for writers, look elsewhere. This book is geared specifically to those who are in a profession which requires them to publish. It is specifically suited to those just getting starting, or trying to jumpstart their professional career.

Covers all aspects of academic publishing thoroughly. Provides extensive documentation from other sources. Not particularly inspiring, but good if you don't know the basics.