School Successfully Holds Lecture on “Academic Paper Writing and SSCI Journal Publication”

On the morning of December 10, 2022, the School of Languages and Communication Studies successfully held a lecture titled “Academic Paper Writing and SSCI Journal Publication”. The keynote speaker was Professor Louisa Ha, an Eminent Scholar and Graduate Director from Bowling Green State University, and the session was moderated by Professor Su Linsen from the Department of Communication Studies at the School.

Drawing from her extensive experience in manuscript submission and review, Professor Ha provided a detailed introduction to the norms of academic writing and the journal submission process. She covered the differences between academic writing and journalistic writing, key points considered by journal editors and reviewers when evaluating articles, and common errors made by Chinese scholars when submitting to international journals. The lecture attracted faculty and students from renowned universities worldwide, including Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Beijing Normal University, Sichuan University, and Hunan University, with over 540 participants in attendance.

At the beginning of the lecture, Professor Ha explained the differences between academic writing and journalistic writing. She emphasized that the purpose of academic writing is to generate new knowledge and explain real-world phenomena through macro-level theories, which distinguishes it from journalistic writing. First, the readership differs: journalistic writing targets the general public, requiring only a secondary school level of comprehension, while academic writing addresses scholars who demand higher academic rigor and depth. Second, the standards differ: journalistic writing may cite data from official authoritative sources, whereas academic writing places greater emphasis on article structure, comprehensive research design, empirical data, and theoretical frameworks. Third, the methods differ: journalistic writing focuses more narrowly on real-world events, centered on factual reporting, while academic writing follows strict conventions, addresses abstract theoretical issues, and places significant importance on literature reviews.

The second part of the lecture focused on the requirements and norms for publishing in SSCI journals, particularly in the field of journalism and communication studies. Professor Ha noted that there are currently 95 communication journals indexed in SSCI. She highlighted Taylor & Francis and SAGE as publishers with a large number of journals and mentioned Oxford University Press as the publisher with the highest impact factor journals. She also shared the preferred academic styles and methodological paradigms of various SSCI journals, helping the audience gain a comprehensive understanding of the SSCI journal landscape in journalism and communication studies. Professor Ha stressed that English academic writing should focus more on theoretical and methodological contributions.

The third part of the lecture addressed common errors made by Chinese scholars when submitting to SSCI journals, along with suggestions for improving manuscript submissions and expression. With her rich experience in writing, submitting, and reviewing manuscripts, Professor Ha detailed the frequent mistakes made by Chinese scholars, including: 1) Overemphasizing China’s uniqueness: Instead of highlighting the national context, scholars should focus on the theoretical value of the research itself. 2) Failing to establish research relevance: Many submissions lack an introduction to the significance of the study. Since SSCI journals target a global readership, it is essential to explain the research’s importance beyond the Chinese context. 3) Not adhering to academic journal standards. 4) Grammatical errors: Clear and precise academic language is crucial, as grammatical mistakes often lead to misunderstandings.

Professor Ha also offered practical advice for manuscript submission based on her experience. First, authors should visit the journal’s website to understand its writing structure and article style. Second, they should carefully read the submission guidelines and adjust the manuscript’s format accordingly, including structure, word count, and image usage. Third, they should thoroughly review the manuscript for writing grammar and English expression to eliminate basic errors. Finally, authors may contact the journal editor in advance to ensure the topic aligns with the journal’s scope. To improve manuscript expression, Professor Ha suggested collaborating with scholars experienced in publishing English papers to learn academic writing conventions or seeking help from professional English editors for polishing and refinement.

After Professor Ha’s insightful presentation, the lecture moved to an active Q&A session. Many attendees raised thoughtful questions on various aspects of academic writing and journal submission, including how to improve English expression, select appropriate research methods, highlight the academic value of research, identify suitable journals for interdisciplinary studies, and address data usage in submissions. Professor Ha provided detailed and targeted responses to each question. In conclusion, Professor Su Linsen thanked Professor Ha for her insightful sharing and announced upcoming lectures in the series.

编译：梁昱卓