Nordicom recently hosted its first-ever workshop on academic publishing, tailored for doctoral students. The event drew young scholars from across the Nordic region, offering them a valuable opportunity to navigate the complexities of the publishing process and gain insights from Nordicom’s experienced editors.
For early-career researchers, entering the world of academic publishing can be particularly challenging, as the fundamentals of the process are often not covered in formal education.
Recognising this gap, Nordicom hosted its first-ever workshop to equip doctoral students with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully engage with academic publishing.
Kristin Clay, the manuscript editor for Nordicom’s academic publications and a workshop speaker, commented on the initiative, shedding light on its origins and objectives: “Many doctoral students find the complexities of academic publishing challenging to navigate. My colleague Magnus recognised this and organised this workshop with the goal of sharing our expertise as editors and offering them practical guidance on every step of getting an article published – from understanding the publishing landscape and preparing a manuscript for submission to writing effective reviews and responding to feedback”.
Magnus Fredriksson, one of the editors of Nordicom’s academic publications, also reflected on the experience: “As this was our first time organising such an event, we were initially unsure of how it would be received. However, the positive feedback from participants has confirmed that this has been an incredibly rewarding and successful initiative for everyone involved”.
Ekaterina Ivanova, a PhD candidate from Jyväskylä University in Finland, and one of the workshop’s particiapants, shared her perspective on the experience: “I had a great time at the workshop! The experience was enriching, particularly due to the supportive and friendly atmosphere. It was a unique opportunity to take on the roles of reviewers and editors and explore the nuances of academic publishing from the perspective of Nordic scholars.
Reflecting on her key takeaways, Ekaterina added: “I’m now more aware of the importance of understanding the specific challenges that scholars from Nordic countries face in academic publishing. Trust remains a crucial element in the process, and I’ve realised that peer review can be a rewarding experience if approached with the right mindset”.
Jullietta Stoenceva, a doctoral student from Malmö University, emphasised the practical benefits of the workshop: “The workshop was well organised and the participants were engaged, which made for a great experience. I learned the critical importance of aligning articles with a journal’s aims and scope, prioritising clarity in both article format and title, and structuring feedback by order of importance. Nordicom should definitely organise more workshops on the topic of academic publishing, as I’m sure others would find it just as valuable”.
Nordicom thanks all the participants for joining the workshop and for their active engagement throughout.