Inspirational framework 'Write and Publish'

Towards a PhD dissertation that advances knowledge in the field

Inspirational framework 'Write and Publish' for PhD candidates

Added valueof theresearch stage

Objective of the inspirational framework

Achievementsand training opportunities

Best practices by PhD canidates

Expectations

Objective of the inspirational framework

Objective

1. To provide inspiration on how to approach the 'Write and Publish' stage during the PhD trajectory
2. To clarify the minimal expectations regarding writing and publishing in PhD research
3. To guide the members of the doctoral advisory committee and project counselor

towards their coaching opportunities for the various research stages

Added value of the research stage 'Write and Publish'

Added value

1. To dessiminate research results to experts in the field, which is crucial for advancing the state of knowledge and maximizing the impact of the research
2. To publish in peer-reviewed journals, which demonstrates the accountability and credibility of the researcher and remains a significant criterion for securing research funding opportunities
3. To present your research, which can foster (interdisciplinary) collaborations and joint project opportunities
4. To dessiminate research findings, which contributes to evidence-based practices and informs policy decisions

Expectations

To develop into an independent researcher and acquire the scientific expertise and competences as reflected through:

Expectations

1. The PhD dissertation, which reflects the output of various years of research and is generally based on several articles or manuscripts with the PhD candidate as (shared) first author. The articles or manuscripts are published, submitted, or ready for submission in international peer-reviewed scientific journals.
2. The acceptance or publication of at least one manuscript as a scientific article with the PhD candidate as (shared) first author in an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journal.
3. The achievement of at least one presentation of the doctoral research at an international scientific conference (i.e., a conference organized by an international organization), either as an oral or poster presentation.

Achievements and training opportunities

Achievements

Article publication

Grant writing

Article submission

Dissimination

Training

Manuscript writing

Basic sciences

Translational / clinical sciences

Health sciences

1. ...

Best practices

dr. Arne Peirsman and drs. Eva Blondeel Department of Human Structure and Repair

dr. Cassandra Alighieri Department of Rehabilitation Sciences

dr. Laurens Lambrechts Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

Published 2 first-author A1 papers during his PhD, with the highest ranked being:

Published 2 (Arne) and 3 (Eva) first-author A1 papers during their PhDs, with the highest ranked being a shared first authorship:

Published 14 first-author and 1 shared first-author A1 papers during her PhD, with the highest ranked being:

Published in Nucleic Acids Research (2023): Rank 6/313 (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology), Impact Factor: 16.7

Published in Nature Methods (2021): Rank 1/79 (Biochemical Research Methods), Impact Factor: 48.0

Published in the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders (2021): Rank 26/195 (Linguistics), Impact Factor: 2.9

Arne: "Be brave: don’t be afraid of the rabbit hole"

Eva: "Nothing is more rewarding than seeing all your hard work finally come together in an inspiring publication with far reaching impact"

"Writing and publishing is a challenging but extremely valuable process — from finding the right words to getting through peer review. Each round of revision makes your research stronger and sharper"

"I let the data speak first — starting with the figures and letting them shape the manuscript’s form, story and target journal"

More information? Arne.Peirsman@UGent.be enblonde.Blondeel@UGent.be

More information? laurens.lambrechts@vib.be

More information? Cassandra.Alighieri@UGent.be

Acknowledgements and references

AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks to Anne Magherman and Valery Labarque for the outline of the inspirational frameworks. Many thanks to Team Open Science at the Ghent University - especially Laura Standaert - for providing a solid content-related foundation for the development of this inspirational framework. Sincere gratitude to dr. Arne Peirsman, drs. Eva Blondeel, dr. Laurens Lambrechts and dr. Cassandra Alighieri for sharing their experperience on the writing and publishing proces.ReferencesNature masterclasses Orpheus Best Practice Handbook 2024 Doctoral School of the Ghent University KCGG

Acknowledgementsand references

For concrete grant writing tools, take a look at:- Doctoral School offer - Nature Masterclasses Platform - the Knowledge 2 Connect seminars of the KCGG

When writing a scientific article, you should follow a clear and structured format. The IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) is widely used in academic writing. It is also essential to choose a reference style (e.g., AMA, APA, MLA, NLM) and apply it consistently throughout the article. Tools for reference management are EndNote, Mendeley,... Visualization, such as tables, graphs and figures, helps present complex data more effectively, making it easier for readers to interpret key findings. Important: Before you start writing, consider which journal you aim to submit to and tailor your structure, formatting, visualization and reference style according to their guidelines. Take a look at the Doctoral School offer , the Knowledge 2 Connect seminars of the KCGG and the Nature Masterclasses platform to increase your academic writing skills!

The minimum requirement for publication as a (shared) first author in a scientific, peer-reviewed international journal is that the work must present original research data. provides an overview of the types of publications that qualify or do not qualify to meet this publication criterion. Furthermore, the doctoral student must demonstrate that the manuscript underwent a comprehensive review process, including the following .

This table

timeline details

Dissemination refers to the process of sharing research findings with a wider audience, ensuring that the knowledge generated reaches the right people who can benefit from it. Methods to dissiminate your scientific protocol, data, workflow and/or results include:- Making protocols or SOPs available (e.g., protocols.io ) - Depositing data in a repository/archive - Making (software) code or computational workflows available (e.g., github.com ) - Uploading preprints - Contributing to journals - Presenting orally or via posters at scientific conferences and/or symposia - Offering plenary or hands-on courses/workshops/webinars - Sharing on (social) media - Creating podcasts and video content - ... Take a look at the Doctoral School offer , the Knowledge 2 Connect seminars of the KCGG and the Nature Masterclass platform to expand your dissemination tools!

Take a look!

Inspirational framework ‘Societal Outreach’

After submission, most journals send your article for peer review, where experts in the field evaluate the quality and relevance of your work. Based on their feedback, your article may be accepted, rejected, or requested for major or minor revisions. If revisions are required, reviewer’s comments should be addressed, and the revised article and rebuttal letter should again be submitted for additional review. Once your article is accepted, it will go through final editing and proofreading, and will then be published either online and/or in the print issue of the journal. Important: Always check the author guidelines regarding payment instructions in advance, as some journals require a submission and/or publication fee (e.g., for open access), and discuss with your supervisor whether you wish to proceed with this or not. Publishers may also require a Data Availability Statement, references to underlying datasets deposited in a data repository or a contact point for Data Access Requests in case of restricted access data. Plan in advance to be able to meet these requirements. Take a look at the Doctoral School offer , the seminars of the KCGG and the Nature Masterclasses platform to guide you through this research phase and increase your publication success rate!

Before submitting your article, ensure that all individuals who have made substantial intellectual contribution are appropriately credited as authors. More information can be found on the ICMJE guidelines for authorship. The submission process generally involves the following steps: 1. Choosing the right journal: select an for which the scope and readership align with your research topic and target audience. 2. Preparing the manuscript: follow the journal's submission guidelines. 3. Submitting the manuscript: articles are typically submitted through an online submission platform. There are several types of articles that may be considered suitable for publication in journals: - Original research article - Review - Protocol or technical paper - Proceeding paper - Letter to the editor - Case study It is recommended to make your research publicly available as a preprint prior to journal submission whenever possible. Most journals allow - or even encourage - preprint posting, and some even offer their own platforms (e.g., ‘Research Square’ by the Nature group). Preprints make your research findings accessible much more quickly. Consult the author guidelines of your target journal(s) to verify whether preprint submission is permitted or not.

international peer-reviewed journal

Take a look!

Take a look at the 'PhD submission for defence' to see the various options to fulfil the faculty minimal publication requirements!

Explore the Doctoral School offer and the training opportunities of the Faculty Research Training Program on 'Write and publish' and 'Share, dissiminate and apply': Module 'Academic writing' Module 'Publication strategy' Module 'Data visualization' Module 'Science communication with peers' Module 'Societal outreach' Module 'Innovation and valorization' Module 'Evidence-based guidelines'