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Part I: Research & Preparation

Hidden Treasure

Discover Your Next Article

The seeds of your next journal article are already waiting for you in your dissertation, the last poster session you participated in, the next conference you are preparing for, or maybe the next course you’ll teach. To uncover the good ideas you already have, ask yourself:

Dissertations or book-length projects

  • Can a chapter stand on its own, with some editing and introductory context?
  • Could one of my themes be a stand-alone article?
  • Can a question that came up during oral defense become the focal point for an article?
  • What pieces were cut from my project that I still want to pursue?

Poster sessions or conference presentations

  • What would a written outline of the topic look like?
  • What questions came up at the session that would make interesting additions to my discussion?
  • Who else is doing work in this area? Would they be interested in collaborating?

Teaching assignments

  • Which ideas do I find myself returning to over and over again while I teach? What has been on my mind?
  • What courses have students been asking for?
  • What were the best questions I heard in class this term?

When I'm inspired to write it's usually in response to a problem or the notion that I have a solution to propose. To get the ideas moving I generally read whatever I can find on the topic. This gives me a frame of reference in which to place my idea.
-- Crystal Sharp, author

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