How do you get your work published in a well-recognised journal?  What is involved, and why is it important? This session is aimed at anyone new (or relatively new) to research-based writing for publication in the social sciences.  The main focus is on getting social science work published in refereed journals (though we will also consider how such writing differs from that aimed at other audiences and will touch upon other ways of communicating research outcomes which participants may wish to follow up).  We look at examples of journal policy, how editors operate, and at the theory and practice of peer review. The emphasis throughout is on the practical steps that can be taken at each stage in the process. The workshop includes presentation, activity, a step-by-step guide, discussion and some critique of provided examples.

The workshop will be led by David James, who is Professor of Sociology of Education in the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, and until recently, Director of the ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Partnership. He is chair of the REF 2021 Education sub-panel.  David has lots of relevant experience (not least as an author and recipient of ‘reject’ as well as ‘accept’ decisions). He is a regular referee for a range of journals, and is editor of a highly regarded international journal, the British Journal of Sociology of Education.