Publish, Don't Perish: The Scholar's Guide to Academic Writing and Publishing [Paperback]

Joseph M. Moxley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0275944530 | ISBN-13: 978-0275944537 | Publication Date: August 30, 1992

Publish, Don't Perish provides practical suggestions for conceiving, developing, marketing, and publishing scholarly documents. Written especially for faculty, graduate students, and professionals engaged in the business of scholarly publishing, this useful book offers concrete strategies for researching and publishing academic manuscripts. Joseph M. Moxley, a widely published author and editor, presents working habits and attitudes that academicians can use to shatter writing blocks, develop original ideas, and improve as writers. Throughout Publish, Don't Perish, Moxley illustrates how the generative nature of language empowers academicians to develop and publish original ideas. Because writing promotes thinking and creativity, Moxley argues that we should be concerned that only about 10 to 20 percent of faculty appear to be responsible for 90 percent of what's published. If we could engage more faculty in practical and theoretical scholarship, Moxley argues that we could hope for some solutions to the subtantive problems now confronting us as world citizens and educators. Moxley identifies the political and economic factors that impinge on what academicians write and on what is published, critiquing the peer-review process, the "star system," the denigration of practical scholarship, and the adversarial view of scholarship and teaching. He outlines new policies that institutions, professional organizations and scholars can make to encourage more faculty to engage in scholarship. An appendix of information sources offers material for further reading on both writing and publishing as well as guides to publishing outlets for scholars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Moxley offers useful guidance on how to get started, the conventions of academic writing, how to revise and edit, and current issues and emerging possibilities. Given tenure pressure, a lot of people should be reading this. . . .”–Communication Booknotes

“a valuable assist to new faculty by an English professor at the University of South Florida, Tampa. It's filled with useful advice.”–Communication Booknotes

About the Author

JOSEPH M. MOXLEY is Associate Professor of English at the University of South Florida, Tampa.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Paperback (August 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275944530
• ISBN-13: 978-0275944537
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bring out the Writer in you!, March 26, 2005

By 

George H. Latimer-Knight (Detroit, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Publish, Don't Perish: The Scholar's Guide to Academic Writing and Publishing (Paperback)

Moxley, through his accessible book "Publish, Don't Perish", shows us why only 10-20 percent of professors are "responsible for the bulk of what is published" and offers practical avenues of how we can fix this problem. (xvi) This lack of participation causes two detrimental problems. One, only a few minds are guiding the respective fields (and society). Two, the "keys" of wisdom we are looking for may very well be in the minds of the silent 80-90 percent. But why is academia like this?

There is a false *myth* in academia is that academics (professors) cannot be both exceptional teachers and great scholars/researchers/writers. In addition, Moxley argues that because academics are so enthralled (because of tenure concerns) in looking for original ideas that they lose sight of the power of reviewing what is out there in their own words, which often times leads to engaging dialogues and breakthroughs. Furthermore, many academics, despite their degrees and intelligence, have such misunderstandings and misgivings about the writing process that they write only when they have to. He also talks about the desperate need for change in the academic journal review processes, including, but not limited to, more "blind" reviewing.

Anyone and everyone should read this book. We all have something important to say. A great many insights lie in each of us, writing helps us bring them out. There are, of course, a few dated references, but the research, reading, writing, and editing strategies he offers transcends time and can help graduate, undergraduate, and even high school students become great writers. I give this book the highest praise!

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars useful introduction, July 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Publish, Don't Perish: The Scholar's Guide to Academic Writing and Publishing (Paperback)

A very useful introduction to academic publishing. Have used this book for several years in an introductory Ph. D. course I teach