Tech Tip: Managing academic reference sources in Microsoft Word

Although a number of software tools are now available for managing citations and references for research papers and journal articles, I have found that using the tools built into the latest versions of Microsoft Word provide a single tool for document creation and reference source management. The reference features of Word support a variety of manuscript styles, allow for quick and accurate citations, automate the development of bibliography or works cited pages, and support the reuse of sources across multiple documents with ease.

In this article, I will discuss the basic steps for implementing the tools to manage your academic reference sources in Microsoft Word.

Tech Tip: Managing academic reference sources in Microsoft Word Read More

TweetChat Recap: #AcWriChat 11/3 – Get Organized

On November 3rd, TAA co-hosted its first TweetChat event with SAGE Methodspace as part of Academic Writing Month (AcWriMo). The focus on this event was getting organized with your academic writing projects.

Six questions were presented during the hour-long event on type of project, inspiration, organization steps, audience influence, desired impact, and next steps. The full conversation is available in the Storify record below.

Mark your calendar and join the discussion this Friday, November 17th at 11am ET as we discuss writing productivity. Simply log in to your Twitter account and search for #AcWriChat. As questions are posted, tag your responses with the #AcWriChat hashtag. See you there!

TweetChat Recap: #AcWriChat 11/3 – Get Organized Read More

6 strategies to help you secure ‘impactful publications’

In part 2 of his two-part TAA webinar, “A 30-Step Guide to Publishing in Scholarly Journals“, Dr. Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Sam Houston State University, and distinguished visiting professor at the University of Johannesburg, shared several strategies for helping authors secure “impactful publications”—those that advance the field.

The following are six of those strategies. 

6 strategies to help you secure ‘impactful publications’ Read More

6 of Dr. Onwuegbuzie’s 30 steps to publishing in scholarly journals

In part 1 of his two-part webinar, “A 30-Step Guide to Publishing in Scholarly Journals”, Dr. Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Sam Houston State University, and distinguished visiting professor at the University of Johannesburg, shared insight into his 30-step process, which he calls a meta-framework for publishing with steps that are “continuous, iterative, interactive, holistic, dynamic, and synergistic”.

The following steps are six of the 30 he shared: selecting a topic of interest, determining the outlet and audience, deciding on whether collaboration is needed/feasible, choosing the outlets for publication, and writing the work.

6 of Dr. Onwuegbuzie’s 30 steps to publishing in scholarly journals Read More

4 Key strategies for choosing the right journal

During the 2017 TAA Conference session, “Weeding and Harvesting the Most Appropriate Journal for Your Work: Successful Strategies from Novice and Experienced Academic Writers,” Laura Jacobi, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato, shared four key strategies she employs when seeking the right journal to publish her work. View the full presentation.

4 Key strategies for choosing the right journal Read More

The not-always-obvious ‘infrastructure’ of journal articles: Abstracts and textual linkages

Not all who wander are lost.  In fact, some who wander are not lost but just exploring the terrain. Yet, when I read a journal article, I do not want to wander and wonder where the work is headed. Partly because of my busy schedule and largely because I am seeking ideas, information and even inspiration, I want to know right away what the scholarly work is about. Scholars can guide readers along a smooth reading road by paying attention to the not-so-obvious infrastructure of typical journal articles and writing their submissions with this structure in mind.

The not-always-obvious ‘infrastructure’ of journal articles: Abstracts and textual linkages Read More