Early Medieval China Editor Michael Farmer shares his golden rules for authors. Read on to get an editor's insight on creating a compelling journal article.
1. Have something to contribute to the discussion. Original arguments, revision/correction of prior scholarship, annotated translations, bibliographies, research notes, etc. all have places in the ongoing discourse of the field.
2. Read the journal you are thinking of submitting to. It helps to know the discussions of the field before jumping in with your own contribution. Make sure your manuscript is appropriate for the journal in terms of content, approach, and length.
3. Clarity and concision matter. Focus your manuscript on a single/few important issues. You will not likely be given unlimited word count (unless you are very prominent in your field).
4. Avoid "straw-man" arguments. If you are "correcting" someone else's view, engage with them directly by naming names, citing/quoting their work.
5. Read and follow the "Instructions for Authors" guidelines. Ask the editor if you have questions.
Dr. Farmer specializes in the history, thought, and culture of early and medieval China. He holds Masters Degrees in Chinese history and Chinese literature, and a PhD in Chinese literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Dallas.
1. Have something to contribute to the discussion. Original arguments, revision/correction of prior scholarship, annotated translations, bibliographies, research notes, etc. all have places in the ongoing discourse of the field.
2. Read the journal you are thinking of submitting to. It helps to know the discussions of the field before jumping in with your own contribution. Make sure your manuscript is appropriate for the journal in terms of content, approach, and length.
3. Clarity and concision matter. Focus your manuscript on a single/few important issues. You will not likely be given unlimited word count (unless you are very prominent in your field).
4. Avoid "straw-man" arguments. If you are "correcting" someone else's view, engage with them directly by naming names, citing/quoting their work.
5. Read and follow the "Instructions for Authors" guidelines. Ask the editor if you have questions.
Dr. Farmer specializes in the history, thought, and culture of early and medieval China. He holds Masters Degrees in Chinese history and Chinese literature, and a PhD in Chinese literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Dallas.
Early Medieval China is the world's only journal dedicated to the transformative Six Dynasties period, between the end of the Han and beginning of the Tang eras.
Sample articles:
The Half-Life of Half Rhyme
The Accession of Sima Yan, AD 265: Legitimation by Ritual Replication
Huilin on Black and White, Jaiang Yan on Wuwei: Two Buddhist Dialogues from the Liu-Song Dynasty
Sample articles:
The Half-Life of Half Rhyme
The Accession of Sima Yan, AD 265: Legitimation by Ritual Replication
Huilin on Black and White, Jaiang Yan on Wuwei: Two Buddhist Dialogues from the Liu-Song Dynasty