URI students, faculty, and staff share what it takes to get research published

February 27, 2026

For many academic disciplines, a researcher’s success is partially measured by the peer-reviewed scientific journals in which they get published. For those who haven’t been through the publication process, it can seem daunting.

“Our model of success relies heavily upon our publication record,” said Erin Peck, assistant professor at GSO. “Publications result in better outcomes on the job market in many scientific careers. But publishing is also rewarding—it’s how we make sense of our research and how we communicate it to others.”

The motivation for getting published varies by where someone is in their academic journey.

“For Ph.D. students, publications will enhance their competitiveness in job markets,” said Jing Jian Xiao, professor of Human Development and Family Science in URI’s College of Health Sciences. “For master’s degree students, if they want to go to strong Ph.D. programs, their publications will show their motivation and abilities. For undergraduates, their publications will help them enroll in strong graduate programs.”

There are many considerations when writing and submitting an article.

“A lot of the publishing process, especially picking the right journal, dealing with copyrights, and communicating with editors, seems daunting, but can be made significantly more accessible with the assistance of someone who has been through the process,” said Izzy Rico, a native of Portland, Maine, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in oceanography at URI.

When Peck was a graduate student, she felt getting started was a difficult part of the process.

“One of the hardest parts is finding the motivation to sit down and put words to paper,” said Peck. “I struggled a lot when I was a graduate student to write up my research. I thought I had to have a complete story in mind before I started writing. I realized that writing is how I make sense of my research.”

Peck taught the course Science Publishing in the fall semester to demystify the writing and publishing process. The course was open to all URI graduate students.

“Professor Peck walked us through every step,” said Andrew Goering, an oceanography Ph.D. student from Marlborough, Massachusetts. “She had us write several mock reviews for a paper she was in the process of publishing to help us understand the reviewers’ perspective.”

During Peck’s course, Rico, Goering, and Michael Norton, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in biological and environmental sciences in the College of Environment and Life Sciences, did a final project in the form of a research paper about the publishing process. Their paper titled, “Graduate students need formal training on the publication process,” was published in the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography’s Bulletin in February.

Interacting with reviewers

“Throughout the submission process, I learned how to interact with reviewers,” said Norton, who is from Lakeville, Massachusetts.

Xiao, who is one of the world’s most cited financial literacy and personal finance scholars, has served as editor for various academic journals.

“Authors need to convince the editor in the title, abstract, and introduction that their research is innovative and contributes to the literature of their field,” said Xiao.

Formal and informal training

Rico, Goering, and Norton made the case that more formal publication training is needed for graduate students.

“I agree with the article’s findings that one of the best ways to learn the process and combat the ill effects of hidden curriculum is through formal training,” said Peck. “I’d recommend that students advocate for this formal training at their home institutions and academic units and seek training through discipline-specific societies.”

The URI Graduate School’s Writing and Presentation Lab offers writing and presentation support for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, researchers, and visiting assistant professors. 

“The lab is a valuable resource for graduate students to hone their writing and presenting skills,” said Colleen Mouw, acting dean of the Graduate School.

Students may schedule one-on-one tutoring for any part of the writing process with a trained consultant.

“In addition to tutoring, the consultants also lead workshops on topics such as ‘Writing for Publication,’ ‘Writing Scientific Abstracts,’ and ‘Citation Management,’” said Cara Mitnick, associate director of professional and community development for the Graduate School and administrative director of the lab.

The lab also hosts a couple of writing retreats each year. As graduate assistants, Jordan Scott and Meng Gao serve as co-coordinators of the lab.

“One challenge is organizing research into a good scientific story,” said Gao. “Students should ask themselves questions such as: how do I make the audience understand the contextualization and significance of the study, can people replicate the research based on the methodological writing, why are the results important, and how do I validate this study.”

Gao added, “Students also need to rely on their advisor to consider their strategy for getting published—and where. Sometimes it’s tricky to respond to reviewers. Some reviewers’ comments are criticisms, and some feedback may suggest additional work that is not possible.”

While the writing and publishing process can be challenging, URI faculty and the team at the Writing and Presentation Lab are available to help students hone their skills. Lab support is offered in 50-minute blocks by appointment online, in person in room 250 of Pastore Hall, or on the Narragansett Bay Campus.