How to Read Like a Scholar (Without Drowning)

Leslie H. Nicoll emphasizes the importance of purposeful reading for scholars to manage overwhelming reading loads. By defining clear goals, adapting reading speeds, and knowing when to stop, academics can engage with literature effectively. Nicoll advocates for maintaining pleasure reading to enhance overall comprehension and joy in the reading process.

Email Etiquette for Authors: Editor Irks, Super Irks, and How to Avoid Them

Annie J. Rohan and Leslie H. Nicoll present essential guidelines for professional email etiquette aimed at authors communicating with editors. They emphasize that emails should be clear, respectful, and appropriately formatted, with the correct use of salutations and avoiding casual language, such as emojis and textisms. Authors should be mindful of their relationship with editors, addressing them formally unless invited otherwise, and carefully considering the content and tone of their messages. Key "editor irks" identified include using generic salutations, improper journal names, and marking emails as high importance. Overall, professional email habits reflect one's reputation and respect for the recipient.

Don’t Hate on the Percolate

Drs. Jenny Chicca and Teresa Shellenbarger compare writing to coffee brewing methods, emphasizing the importance of percolation. While Chicca favors quick writing, Shellenbarger believes in allowing ideas to develop over time. They discuss how percolation enhances creativity and organization, encouraging writers to take their time and refine their thoughts for better outcomes.

Writing Retreats Your Way

Jayne Jennings Dunlap and Julee Briscoe Waldrop emphasize the adaptability of writing retreats, detailing their experience with a virtual retreat due to unforeseen circumstances. They highlight the importance of dedicated time for writing, whether solo or group-based, and encourage readers to envision their own dream retreats to enhance creativity and productivity.

How Journals Work: A Systems-Based Framework for Understanding Scholarly Publishing

Scholarly journals are often judged by prestige or impact, yet these signals reveal little about how journals actually function. The Journal Systems Framework offers a systems-based way to understand differences in editorial intent, capacity, infrastructure, and governance—helping authors, editors, and institutions move beyond simplistic labels toward clearer, more informed conversations about publishing.

Misuse of Methods in Academic Publishing: A Growing Concern

Editors Roger Watson and Mark Hayter highlight the troubling trend of method misuse in nursing research. Many complex studies lack theoretical foundations and meaningful contributions, driven by a "publish or perish" mentality. They urge a focus on substantive research questions and propose education reform for editors, reviewers, and academic leaders to combat this issue.

Plain Language as a Recipe for Effective Writing

Jenny Chicca offers ten principles for effective writing, emphasizing clarity and accessibility. Key strategies include understanding your audience, stating main points upfront, using active voice, and employing everyday language. By organizing content and proofreading thoroughly, writers can create impactful and comprehensible materials that resonate with readers, enhancing overall communication efficacy.

Why Evidence Reviews Are Not Research Studies

The article by Julee Briscoe Waldrop and Staci Reynolds emphasizes the importance of clearly distinguishing between systematic search strategies and systematic reviews when conducting evidence-based practice (EBP) initiatives. Effective EBP relies on high-quality evidence for practice change recommendations. Authors often conflate these concepts, impairing clarity and hindering meaningful practice improvements.

The Power of I (and Me): A Writer’s Guide to First Person Clarity

Faith A. Tissot explores the appropriate use of first-person pronouns “I” and “me” in scholarly writing. She emphasizes that understanding their grammatical roles enhances clarity and professional tone. Tissot also discusses how different style guides address these pronouns, advocating for attention to audience and context to improve academic writing effectiveness.

Limit the Limitations: Rethinking How We Write About Constraints in Scholarly Work

Authors often misinterpret study limitations, confusing personal shortcomings with methodological constraints. This article emphasizes the importance of clearly distinguishing between genuine limitations of the research and those stemming from the researcher’s circumstances. Accurate presentation of limitations enhances scholarly communication, promoting transparency, rigor, and integrity in research reporting.

Artificial Intelligence and Academic Writing: Innovation with Integrity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping academic publishing by streamlining workflows, enhancing peer review processes, and offering significant administrative relief. While AI cannot replace human judgment, it assists in tasks like plagiarism detection. Ethical challenges regarding authorship are prominent, emphasizing the need for transparency and responsibility. Embracing AI is essential for scholars' development.

Anthropomorphism in Academic Writing

Roger D. Carpenter discusses anthropomorphism in academic writing, emphasizing its risks of obscuring author agency and clarity. He advises against attributing human actions to nonhuman entities and suggests using first-person pronouns to clarify authorship. Style guides also advocate for maintaining clear communication about who is interpreting and analyzing research.