Thinking about writing a journal article? A brief presentation about focusing on the point that you want to make.

1. writing about/from/with a
research project – what’s the
point?
Pat Thomson

2. I’ve done my
project now I have
to publish in a high
impact journal…
Well. No. Not
exactly.

3. what is my raw material?
a research project and its results
This now needs to be moulded to fit a publication.
Alas, rewritten.

4. what is my raw material?
a research project and its results.
my example: recent research with Becky Coles
• Young artists are having a terrible time. They cant get
a permanent secure income, make connections,
afford studio space, build a portfolio.
• They don’t all want the same thing - there are
potential entrepreneurs, curators, artists, creative
industries workers, a job with some art in it.

5. what is/are the messages, and for
whom?
• e.g. policymakers, user communities

6. • lots of effort now going
into impact –
• different genres and
media now being used
• funding often
dependent on impact
plan

7. what is/are the messages, and for
whom?
e.g. policymakers, user communities
My example
• Art schools – you must do more – above all stop
assuming everyone can do unpaid work placements
and internships
• Policymakers – there isn’t a one size fits all
intervention, you have to meet different interests
• Young artists – it’s not just you

8. what is the contribution to knowledge?
Find the piece of your research that adds to the literature - you
first of all need to establish the key things already known
• Current research in education/cultural policy/sociology shows
(1) the risky choice biographies of young adults, and (2) the
classed nature of creative industries and arts jobs. Some one-
off interviews with young artists to show how these come
together.

9. what is the contribution to knowledge?
Current research in cultural policy/sociology shows (1) the risky choice
biographies of young adults, and (2) the classed nature of creative
industries and arts jobs. Some one off interviews with young artists to
show how these come together.
Becky and I can say that
• our longitudinal interviews track experience, provide texture to the
known big picture but basically support it.
• the five dispositions of young artists is our new bit
• a focus on Art school and gallery experiences is new but we still
need more data

10. so now we ask ourselves…
• what should we write, for what academic reader - and for what
journal(s)?
• what do these readers already know? (see what’s already in the
literatures and think about this in relation to the journal we now
have in mind)
• what might these readers be most interested in?
• what are possible angles we might take to frame up our small
contribution – and what is the big international picture which we
help to illuminate?
• what theoretical resources might we use to make our case?

11. a possible title?
Can we sum the point we want to make in a title?
We need to also say something about the study.
• We can use the title to guide our next steps, keeping
The Big Point we want to make in mind while we write
a tiny text or an outline.
• Our working title: A studio of one’s own? Life stories of
young artists in austerity Britain.