Editorial

Peggy Johnson
2012 Library resources & technical services  
A s I prepared the first issue of the last volume of Library Resources and Technical Services (LRTS) I will edit, I decided to return once more to one of my recurring topicswriting for publication and, specifically, writing for publication in LRTS. People frequently ask me how they can write a paper that will be accepted for publication. The simple answer is "write a good paper that fits within the scope of LRTS," but that response is insufficient for most would-be authors. In this editorial, I
more » ... will offer targeted advice that will improve your chances of publication. Read the professional literature, not just to learn the content but, equally important, to learn what makes a paper good. As you read, think about what you like about the paper, what makes it effective, and why you are reading it to the end. Pick a topic in which you are interested and that will be of interest to our readers. Ideally, the topic should be something that has not been explored previously or that presents a new approach to solving a problem others have. The paper needs to answer the question, "so what?" Why should the reader care about your findings or your case study? Any material submitted must be your own work. It should be original and not published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Avoid redundant publication (publication of a paper that overlaps substantially with one already published, is under editorial consideration, has been published, or is in press). Do not submit to the same or different journals more than one paper describing essentially the same research or project. Research the topic in the literature and summarize your findings in a section of the paper called the literature review. This will help you avoid revisiting topics that have been addressed in the same way and permit you to build on the work of others. An effective literature review sets the context for your paper and is necessary in both research papers and case studies. Follow LRTS stylistic guidelines for citing your sources. These are clearly spelled out in the "Advice to Authors" section of the LRTS website (www.ala.org/ alcts/lrts). Look at recent issues of LRTS and make sure the format of your citations matches what you see there. Almost nothing annoys reviewers and editors more than inadequate, inaccurate, or poorly constructed references. Always properly cite the work of others as well as your own related work. The latter can be redacted in the submission to keep your name confidential during the review process. Plagiarism (the use or presentation of the ideas or words of another person from existing sources without appropriate acknowledgment of that source) and self-plagiarism are unacceptable. Note at the time of submission whether the work is based on thesis or dissertation research, any earlier presentations of the work at meetings, or previous distribution through electronic means. This does not usually disqualify a work for submission, but the editor should be aware of the state of ongoing dissemination of the work. The information can be conveyed to the editor at the point of submission and does not need to appear in the paper at this stage.
doi:10.5860/lrts.56n1.2 fatcat:hml6inbusjda7buaxtwsghckcy