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To get ahead in research, you need to write papers and publish them in peer-reviewed journals. This online course will help you write journal papers and get them published in the most effective way. You will get insider insights from expert trainers who know academic journals from many angles. You will work together with other participants to experience writing and publishing together. You will have a chance to draft your own abstract and get individual feedback on it from other participants and from an expert editor.

About the course

In each live session we will discuss the course material in small groups, answer questions and do exercises together. Presentations will be provided as recorded videos, and they, together with handouts, will be provided on Cofactor’s Moodle site, for you to work through at any time. The total amount of time you will need to put aside for the course is about 16 hours (though you can spend longer if you wish). Please ensure that you can attend all the sessions.

 

The course will answer questions such as:

  • How can I get myself motivated to write and get the paper finished?
  • How should I organize my paper?
  • What writing style should I use?
  • How can I find the journal that’s just right and that will accept my paper?
  • How can I ensure my paper makes as much impact as possible?
  • How can I get my paper published more quickly?
  • How do I deal with peer reviewers' comments and rejection letters?

Course dates

  • 13 June 2023,   2pm - 3.30pm Zoom
  • 20 June 2023.  2pm - 3.30pm  Zoom 
  • 4 July 2023      1pm  - 4.30pm This session will be in person at the Strand campus, King's College London but we will hold a few places for delegates who would prefer to attend online  (due to accessibility/carer/employment needs).
  • 11 July 2023    2pm - 3.30pm  Zoom

Who can attend?

The course is for early career researchers and PhD students who are working in applied, basic or social care research at one of the universities where the NIHR ARC academic partners are based ((King’s College London, St George’s, University of London and Kingston University) or at our partner NHS trusts.

You are eligible to apply if you meet the following criteria:

  1. You are enrolled for a research higher degree at one of the universities* or you are an early career researcher where the NIHR ARC academic partners are based.
  2. You are currently writing or planning to write a research paper to be published in a peer review journal.
  3. You are carrying out research based in the UK.
  4. You are a researcher who has published as part of a team but not led a paper before.
  5. You are available to attend ALL sessions and to undertake the preparatory work between sessions.

Please note: Places will be offered on a first come first served basis there will also be limited places for researchers from other ARCs if there is availability. 

The course is funded by the NIHR ARC South London.

You may also wish to indicate if your research is allied to one of the ARC South London research themes, which are described here

*Please note: Applicants from NIHR ARC SL collaborators will be given precedence over other NIHR ARCs as this event is organised by NIHR ARC South London. Please contact us at arcshortcourses@kcl.ac.uk if you are interested.

How to apply

Please complete your application form by midnight on Tuesday 16 May 2023.  Complete the application form here. 

Please note: Applications received after this deadline will not be considered. We have twenty places available for this course, if we have received twenty eligible candidates before the deadline we will close the applications.

Previous participants on Cofactor courses have said:

“This course really demystified the process of submitting to a peer-reviewed journal and I feel much more confident about starting my first submission.”

“This was an excellent course. The weekly materials catered to different learning styles and the workload was more than doable. The use of breakout rooms allowed for fruitful discussions.”

“The course was jam packed full of content and actionable points/ideas that you can do straight away to improve your publication success.”

Trainer biography

This course was developed by Cofactor founder Anna Sharman, an experienced researcher trainer who has been a postdoc, an in-house biology journal editor and a publishing consultant. The interactive sessions will be run by Jack Ullrich PhD and Stefania Vaga PhD, two of Cofactor’s experienced associate trainers. Cofactor courses aim to inform, include and inspire. See http://cofactorscience.com.