Publication Strategies Workshop

Tentative Schedule, Wednesday 11 October., 2023, 9:00–16:30

This all-day workshop consists in roundtable discussions, participant presentations, and peer review. It is very important that all participants read the following texts ahead of time:

• Besnier, Niko, and Pablo Morales. 2018. “Tell the Story: How to write for American Ethnologist.” American Ethnologist 45, no. 2 (May): 163–172. Available in open access at https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/amet.12629
• Stout, Noelle. 2016. “Petitioning a Giant: Debt, Reciprocity, and Mortgage Modification in the Sacramento Valley.” American Ethnologist 43, no. 1 (February): 158–171.
• Four article-length manuscripts authored by participants to be distributed at least a week before the workshop (Lika Jalagania, Tinatin Khomeriki, Laura Mafizzoli, Tamta Tatarashvili)

The first article presents reflections on article writing and editing from my perspective as editor-in-chief of a major journal in 2016–19 and my co-author’s experience as copy editor of the journal. Stout (2016) will be the basis of an exercise during which we will analyze the article through an editorial lens; please read this article as carefully as you can, focusing in particular on the structure of the argument. The four manuscripts will form the basis of hands-on discussion of structure, form, and clarity. In addition, participants are encouraged to submit abstracts that can be discussed informally in the 14:00 session.

• Program

9:00 Welcome and round-robin introductions
9:15 General presentation: why publish? Different types of publications and devising a
publishing strategy that matches disciplinary expectations; choosing a journal;
matching writing style to journal style; avoiding common writing pitfalls; the
submission process; responding to reviewers and editors
10:00 Coffee break
10:15 The structure of a published paper: close examination of the outline, organization,
and language of Noelle Stout’s “Petitioning a Giant” (it is essential that participants
read the article closely ahead of time)
11:00 Writing and editing for publication: The authors of the volunteered manuscripts
present the structure of their manuscript and other participants provide feedback (30
mins each)
13:00 Lunch break
14:00 Idea to Article: Discussion of pre-circulated abstracts, editorial suggestions and
advice on the structure of future articles
The authors of the volunteered manuscripts will use this time to prepare a revision
plan for their articles on the basis of the comments they received
15:00 Coffee break
15:15 Revision plans: The authors of the volunteered manuscripts present revision plans (10 mins each); Q&A and closing discussion
16:30 End of workshop

For further questions please contact Prof. Florian Muehlfried: florian.muehlfried@iliauni.edu.ge