Publishing in Academic Journals: Strategic Advice for Doctoral Students and Academic Mentors

Given the increasingly competitive nature of the academic job market and the profession of sociology at large, publishing has become an even more important marker of scholarly success. This article discusses the benefits of publishing in academic journals during graduate school. We outline a series of strategies that doctoral students can use to achieve this important objective and address the role of academic mentors in fostering their students’ research productivity. Strategic advice on each facet of the publication process (e.g., academic writing, journal selection, manuscript submission, and revision for resubmission) is offered. Faculty mentors and graduate program directors are encouraged to create an environment in which graduate student publications are the norm rather than the exception.