Writing for Publication: Transitions and Tools that Support Scholars’ Success - Mary Renck Jalongo, Olivia N. Saracho 2016

Criteria for Quality in Quantitative Research
From a Research Project to a Journal Article
Conference Proposals and Article Types

Published quantitative research makes an original contribution to knowledge, theory, and practice; it also disseminates research findings in a way that researchers can use and replicate. Research also serves as a ballast and a guide for future research. However, conducting and writing an empirical study in a publishable format can be challenging and intimidating not only to novice researchers but also to experienced researchers. This feeling can be reduced when they use a practical and systematic approach (Cunningham, 2004). Davie (2012) suggests that, prior to writing the research study, researchers need to evaluate the quality of the study using the checklist in Activity 7.1 As you read through these questions, it becomes even more apparent that the professor in the example that introduced this chapter faltered at this initial step.

Activity 7.1: Checklist to Evaluate a Quantitative Study

Use the following questions to evaluate a quantitative study—one that you have written or that is in development. What flaws have you identified?

Success in publishing a quantitative research article requires attention to three interrelated elements: (1) the complete concept, (2) the achievement of the study, and (3) the description of the study. Although the three major elements are important, the guidelines presented below primarily address the third component, because a study that is well written but has a weak research design is just as likely to be rejected as a study that is well-designed study but poorly written. The following guidelines can help researchers publish their research manuscript. A published research article is usually some type of study that was carried out and is reported in a structured format that is presented in a logical sequence.