Are you preparing to submit your first journal article but are not sure what editors are looking for or how to make your work stand out? We hosted an online session designed to help early-career and first-time authors navigate the academic publishing process. Whether you’re writing for Development in Practice or any other scholarly journal, this session will provide valuable insights into what makes a strong submission and what common pitfalls to avoid.

Download some of the questions and answers asked in the session and also the slides from the discussion.

Getting your first paper published can feel daunting — but editors from Development in Practice shared some insider tips that can boost your chances of success. Here are five practical takeaways for early-career researchers.

Before you hit “submit,” make sure your paper actually fits.
“All journals will have a section on what they’re looking for,” said Managing Editor Emily Finlay. “One of our most common issues is submissions that don’t follow the instructions to authors — and they don’t get past the first check.”

Tip: Read the journal’s aims, scope, and author guidelines carefully. If your paper doesn’t quite fit, you can explain why it should in your introduction.

Editors are looking for articles that move the conversation forward.
As Editor-in-Chief Patrick Kilby put it: “Say what your paper adds — that’s important, because if you can say what your paper adds, you will get cited.”

Tip: Show how your work builds on and extends current debates. Use up-to-date references (within five years where possible) — but don’t forget to anchor classic theories in current discussion.

Development in Practice is read around the world, so clarity matters. “We send people back saying, can you have more straightforward English, please?” said Kilby. “Our readership is broad — not everyone’s a statistician or philosopher.”

Tip: Keep it readable. Avoid jargon, overcomplicated equations, and make sure your literature speaks to a global audience, especially from the Global South.

Most papers get a “major revisions” decision before acceptance — and that’s normal.
“You’ll almost always be asked to revise and resubmit,” said Finlay. “Take reviewer comments seriously and respond respectfully. Often your response table goes back to the reviewer.”

Tip: Rejection isn’t the end. As Kilby noted, “Sometimes the reviewer just didn’t get it — send it somewhere else.” Every accepted paper usually has a few rejections behind it.

AI tools can help, but they can’t write your paper for you.
“Did it come from you?” asked Deputy Editor Joyce Wu. “You can brainstorm or tidy your language with AI, but the words and ideas must be yours.”
Kilby added: “AI cannot be a co-author — and it’s trained to help you, not to tell you it doesn’t know. So always check that the references exist.”

Tip: You can use AI for structure, phrasing, or inspiration — but declare it, double-check everything, and make sure the argument is genuinely yours.

Publishing is part skill, part perseverance. As Deputy Editor Rochelle Spencer reminded participants:
“Behind every paper that got accepted, there were probably a few rejections — but you only see the success stories.”

Keep writing, revising, and resubmitting  – that’s how every researcher gets there.

Development in Practice publishes research from around the world that promotes critical inquiry and reflection, is a resource for research and teaching, and offers a contribution to global development knowledge and practice, concerning the Global South and Indigenous/First Nations people everywhere. Find out more.