Guidelines for adapting coursework for submission to Plymouth Institute of Education Online Journal (PIEOJ)

Recommendations for authors on converting their coursework or dissertation into a journal article
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You may be considering turning your coursework or dissertation into a journal article. This is an excellent way to share your research with a broader audience and contribute to your field. Don't be intimidated by the process – with some strategic thinking and editing, you can transform your work into a publishable article.
Remember, every published author started where you are now. With persistence and careful editing, you can successfully transform your coursework into a valuable contribution to your field. Good luck on your writing journey!
 

10 tips for adapting coursework

1. Believe in your work
Your coursework or dissertation is valuable research that deserves to be shared.
Remember, you're already an expert on this topic – you’ve done the hard work!
Publishing is a natural next step in your academic journey and can be a very rewarding experience.

2. Understand the differences
Journal articles are more concise and focused than dissertations or long coursework.
They typically have a much smaller word limit (e.g., 4,000–6,000 words for a research paper, 3,000–4,000 for a case study, 2,000–3,000 words for an opinion piece and around 1,000 words for a brief communication).
The audience is broader than just your lecturers, which makes it even more important to avoid assumptions.

3. Choose your focus
While you may want to condense your entire dissertation into the smaller word count, another approach is to identify the most significant and novel aspects of your research and only include those. Consider what will be most interesting or useful to researchers in your field.
It’s okay to focus on just one part of your larger work – you don’t need to include everything.

4. Consider restructuring
Start with a clear, concise abstract (usually 150-250 words – please see the guidelines for writing an effective abstract below).
Ensure your introduction clearly states your research question and its importance while being inviting for the reader (it’s a good idea to start with a hook).
Methods section: Focus on the essential details others would need to replicate your study.
Results: Highlight your key findings, using tables or figures where appropriate.
Discussion: Emphasise the implications and significance of your results.
Conclusion: Summarise key points without sounding repetitive and suggest future research directions.

5. Trim content
Remove background information that isn’t directly relevant to your main argument or excessive positionality statements and personal reflections. Limit ethics statements to the minimum, only confirming that the research received ethical approval.
Condense your literature review – cite key studies and their implications, but avoid extensive summaries.
Cut redundant examples or explanations.
Use tables or figures to present data more concisely.
Be ruthless with your editing – every sentence should earn its place.

6. Enhance readability
Use clear, direct language. Avoid jargon where possible.
Break up long paragraphs into shorter, more digestible ones. A paragraph should be between 100 and 250 words, with each paragraph making a clear point. Follow these guidelines for building effective paragraphs.
Use subheadings to guide your reader through your argument.

7. Adapt to the journal style
Review the journal’s author guidelines carefully.
Adjust your referencing style to match the journal’s requirements.

8. Talk to others for feedback
Ask your supervisor or colleagues to review your draft.
Consider forming a writing group with peers for mutual support and feedback.

9. Don't rush
Give yourself time to step away from your work and return with fresh eyes.
Expect to go through several drafts – this is normal and part of the process.

10. Remember the rewards
Publishing can boost your academic profile and career prospects.
Your work will contribute to the broader academic conversation in your field.
The skills you develop in this process will serve you well in future academic writing.

Writing an effective abstract

An abstract is a concise summary of your research paper or article. It’s often the first (and sometimes only) part of a paper that people will read, so it is crucial to get it right. It should provide a brief overview of your entire paper so you can help the reader decide whether to read the full article.
Key components of an effective abstract include:
Introduction/background: 1–2 sentences
  • State the main topic or research question;
  • Provide context for your study.
Methods: 1–2 sentences
  • Briefly describe how you conducted the research;
  • Mention key techniques or approaches.
Results: 2–3 sentences
  • Summarise your main findings;
  • Include key data or observations.
Conclusion: 1–2 sentences
  • State the main conclusions;
  • Discuss implications or applications of your findings and your contribution.

Writing Tips

  • Keep it concise: 150–250 words
  • Use clear, direct language
  • Write in the past tense for completed research
  • Avoid jargon, acronyms, or abbreviations
  • Don’t include citations or references
  • Avoid introducing new information not found in the paper.
  • Write as a single paragraph
  • Ensure the abstract can stand alone from the main paper
  • Check that it accurately reflects the content of your full article
  • Proofread carefully – this is your paper’s first impression

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