PEPonline
Professionalization
of
Exercise Physiologyonline
An
international electronic
journal
for exercise physiologists
ISSN
1099-5862
Vol
3 No 9 September 2000
|
Scholarly Writing:
Student Empowerment
for the Advancement
of Exercise Physiology
Greg E. Bradley-Popovich,
MSEP, MS, CSCS,
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Candidate
Department of Physical Therapy
School of Pharmacy and Allied
Health Professions
Creighton University
Omaha, NE 68178
A HALLMARK OF A PROFESSION
is the existence of a body of knowledge specific to members of that profession.
It follows, then, that an important aspect of professionalization is the
collective commitment of members to establish in writing a body of knowledge.
While the responsibility of scholarly writing is inherent in the role of
the academician, another great repository of ideas has been overlooked:
students. Many students and professors alike may believe that publication
follows full academic preparation and can occur only after the completion
of a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. The purpose of this
article is to offer alternative views to such restrictive perspectives
and to provide strategies for successful student publication.
Hopefully, this article will
stimulate sufficient thought to allow students of exercise physiology to
accomplish the following objectives:
• Describe possible
perceived barriers to student publication
• Identify at least one
barrier to a student’s own publication
• Defend the student’s role
as an author
• Rank the reasons to publish
in order of importance for a particular student
• Rank possible challenges
of publication from most to least important for the student
• Self-identify a student’s
own qualities that are conducive to publishing
• Discuss strategies to
facilitate publishing
• Identify at least one
previously written assignment that has potential for publication
• Determine a future assignment
with potential for publication
Given the newness of the writings
on the professionalization in exercise physiology, there is an opportunity
to fill a void while helping to shape one's profession. Students
are poised to make a significant contribute to the professionalization
of exercise physiology because they are relatively unaware of self-imposed
restrictions on the role of exercise physiologists.
The content of this article
is based primarily on personal observation and experience. The following
ideas represent my perceptions of scholarly writing as both a student and
an author. This approach has worked for me (see
Appendix 1), and a similar approach may work well for others.
Possible
Perceived Barriers to Student Publication
Below are a few perceived
barriers to student publication that either I or my student acquaintances
once held to be true. I suspect that there are many more impediments
that individual students may believe to be preventing them from contributing
to the literature.
• Research
Misconception:
You must conduct experimental research to publish in peer-reviewed journals
Alternative perspective:
Many journals feature letters, review articles, perspectives, case reports,
and assorted columns
• Knowledge / Expertise
Misconception:
Students have nothing of value to offer
Alternative perspective:
Each student may offer a fresh, unique perspective on a given topic
• Learning
Misconception:
Recycling school assignments for publication limits learning
Alternative perspective:
Papers become more sophisticated and refined while increasing
the depth of knowledge in a particular area of interest; multiple uses
for derivatives of the same paper is an exercise in creativity
• Perfectionism
Misconception:
Errors in your manuscript mean certain death for your idea
Alternative perspective:
Editors don’t expect you to be infallible and they and peer-reviewers
can offer guidance to improve a submission
Reasons
to Publish
Readers will likely identify
additional reasons for student publication beyond those I have listed.
Indeed, the benefits of scholarly writing are many. Scholarly writing
accomplishes the following:
• Furthers the profession
of exercise physiology
• Additionally rewards you
for previous and/or future school assignments if they can be published
• Promotes individuality
• Builds one’s curriculum
vitae
• Shows initiative to prospective
employer
• Develops integrity
• Earns respect of peers
• Promotes the author
• Promotes the author’s
educational institution
• Hones writing skills
• Develops the ability to
accept constructive criticism
• Develops a professional
network
• Creates a cause for celebration!
What I consider to be an unfortunate
occurrence in higher education is the cumulative number of hours that many
students invest in term papers and other writing projects that never see
the light of day outside of the classroom. By adapting such school
assignments with the intention of submitting the work to a journal, newsletter,
etc., the literary effort is cheating death from the circular file.
(Note that all publications in Appendix
1 were adapted from school assignments.) It has been said that
sharing knowledge is a way to achieve immortality, for our ideas may long
outlive our bodies.
Challenges
of Publishing
The following obstacles may
impede the student publication process:
• Extra effort
• Editorial / reviewer comments
and criticisms
• Political presence
• Territorial issues
• Rejection of manuscript
• Editorial / publishing
errors
• Page fees
• Reprint fees
• Transfer of copyright
• Delays in publication
with lack of immediate gratification
It would be misleading to suggest
that scholarly writing will require little effort on behalf on the student
author. Most of the challenges cited above are self-explanatory with
a few exceptions that deserve further elaboration.
Unfortunately, a political
presence, or favoritism, may be shown to authors who have good rapport
or influence with editors or reviewers of a certain publication.
Also, students may anticipate a territorial issues of some publications,
particularly if the publication is specific to a society or organization
different from that of the author. For example, it may prove difficult
for an exercise physiologist to have a manuscript accepted in a journal
sponsored by a society made up primarily of physicians. Furthermore,
students may be subject to discrimination from a relative lack of formal
credentials. Nevertheless, it is best to believe that it does not
matter who you are but rather what you say. Otherwise, one may be
unnecessarily limiting one’s scope of influence without ever having tested
the waters.
Other difficulties are more
closely tied to the publishing process. For example, some journals
charge the author page fees to offset the cost of publication, and the
student may need to find a way to subsidize these costs. Also, to
obtain multiple hardcopies of the final published article, the author may
be assessed reprint fees that are also relatively costly for the student.
Reprint fees may need to be paid to avoid copyright infringement stemming
from signing transfer of copyright forms that may prohibit the mass distribution
of self-copied reprints.
Personal
Qualities Conducive to Publishing
Scholarly writing is not
for everyone. Undoubtedly, many students will find the challenges
of scholarly writing to outweigh the benefits. Perhaps the following
section offering strategies to facilitate publishing will stack the cards
in favor of publication. Below appears a list of personal traits
that may assist in successful writing. Can you think of others?
• Willingness to
sacrifice short-term for long-term gain
• Persistence / mental endurance
• Flexibility
• Patience
• Organization
• Self-discipline
Strategies
to Facilitate Publishing
The road to successful publication
can be a long one. The following are some methods to maintain momentum
so that the article’s publication comes to fruition:
• Begin with a small
article
• Write about that which
you are passionate or curious
• Be aware of collaborative
potential with classmates
• Respectfully request permission
of professors for creative latitude in assignments
• Gain faculty support /
advisement
• Ask published professors
what journal they recommend for a particular article
• Consult reference librarians
for potential places for publication
• Read the references of
articles you find yourself reading and note the journal of publication
• Become familiar with exercise
physiology journals and related journals
• Pay attention to “Call
for Papers” notices
• Carefully follow the “Instructions
for Authors” for a given journal
• Associate yourself with
others who write or appreciate and understand your efforts
• Make yourself accountable
• Reward yourself
Frequently, fellow students
have commented to me that they will contemplate publishing more seriously
when they are better established, yet never again will the student be surrounded
with so many accomplished authors as they are when they are within the
halls of academia. Perhaps the ultimate demonstration of advisory
support for student publication is the increasingly common trend that allows
a student to prepare his or her graduate work in submission-ready form
in lieu of a formal thesis or dissertation.
A degree of accountability
helps to expedite the writing process. Ideally, we would all be accountable
solely to ourselves and our own goals and ambitions, but it usually is
beneficial to be accountable to someone else as well. Accountability
can be established by simply developing a time line for manuscript development
alongside one’s advisor or by setting a specific meeting time to discuss
progress on the paper. Having a writing group of a few individuals
has proven extremely beneficial at my present institution. The writing
group surrounds the student with like-minded professors and peers who support
writing, but adds a degree of accountability because the group members
are always excited to see what progress has been made on each paper since
the previous meeting.
For those who do not perceive
the internal rewards of successful publication to be sufficient, external
rewards may be helpful. I encourage others to reward themselves with
something that will further their writing, such as a computer upgrade,
updated writing software, new texts for their personal library, etc.
Doing so is a reinvestment and helps to ensure continued literary productivity.
Recommended
Resources
The following represent the
most basic resources for the aspiring student writer:
• Books and journals
• Professors
• Peers
This article has not delved
into the actual mechanics of scholarly writing because there are a number
of excellent printed resources on the subject (see
Appendix 2).
Limitations
It is true that my peer-reviewed
publications have all been submitted after attaining two advanced degrees.
However, I attribute this chronology to my own prior lack of foresight.
For those students who feel disadvantaged in developing and submitting
a paper for consideration in a refereed journal, the importance of having
a faculty member as his/her advocate cannot be underestimated. For
example, well-published faculty members can assist the fledgling author
by writing the editor-in-chief of the intended place of publication to
test the waters for receptivity. A second limitation of this report
is the fact that I possess a multidisciplinary background, which may provide
more avenues for publication and a wider range of subject matter within
my scope of knowledge. Nevertheless, I am optimistic that during
the four or more years of higher education of an exercise physiologist,
at least one writing project may result in a publication.
Conclusion
Given the proper motivation,
vision, and faculty support--among other factors--students of exercise
physiology are capable of producing meaningful literature for peer-reviewed
exercise physiology journals such as Journal of Exercise Physiology Online
and Professionalization of Exercise Physiology Online and newsletters such
as that for the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. For example,
this article itself began as a school assignment.
Appendix
1: Recycled article references
1. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E. & McGuff, M. D. (2000). Exercise withdrawal and migraine headache:
addiction to endogenous opiates? [letter]. Journal of Exercise Physiologyonline.
3. Available at: www.css.edu/users/tboone2/asep/JEPletter.html [2000, January].
2. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E., Frounfelter, G. G., Abshire, K. R., Crookston, C. M., & Jensen,
G. M. (2000). Self-adapted resistance exercises for an individual with
paraplegia [Innovation]. Physical Therapy Case Reports. 3:141-147.
3. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E. (2000). An exercise in ethics: case analysis with implications for the
exercise physiologist. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.
3. Available: www.css.edu/users/tboone2/asep/ExerciseInEthics.html [2000,
June].
4. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E., Abshire, K. R., Crookston, C. M., & Frounfelter, G. G. Resistance
training in paraplegia: rationale and recommendations [Special Populations].
Strength
and Conditioning Journal. In press.
5. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E. Scholarly writing: student empowerment for the advancement of exercise
physiology. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.
In press.
6. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E., Karageorgos, G., Eckerson, J. M., Stout, J. R., & Gale, J. R. Oral
creatine supplementation in AIDS-related muscle wasting [lead article].
Positive
Communication. In review.
7. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E., Abshire, K. A., & Vost, K. Quantity of therapeutic resistance exercise:
evidence, ethics, and professionalism. Professionalization of Exercise
Physiologyonline.
In preparation.
8. Bradley-Popovich, G.
E., Stout, J. R., Fontaine, K. R., Fischer, D., & Smith, P. Acute postpolio
syndrome: muscle function and quality of life following oral creatine supplementation.
Journal
of Exercise Physiologyonline.
In preparation.
9. Frounfelter, G. G. &
Bradley-Popovich, G. E. Ethical considerations in anabolic-androgenic steroid
use. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.
In preparation.
Appendix
2: Select printed resources
1. American Medical Association.
(1998). American Medical Association Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors
and Editors. (9th edition). Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.
(Cost: approximately $40)
2. Day, R. A. (1998). How
to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper. (5th edition). Phoenix, AZ:
The Oryx Press. (Cost: approximately $20)
3. Day, R. A. (1995). Scientific
English: A Guide for Scientists and Other Professionals. (2nd edition).
Phoenix, AZ: The Oryx Press. (Cost: approximately $20)
4. International Committee
of Medical Journal Editors. (1997). Uniform requirements for manuscripts
submitted to biomedical journals. New England Journal of Medicine.
336:309-315. (Cost: approximately 70¢ to photocopy)
5. McEwen, I., ed. (1996).
Writing
Case Reports: A How-to Manual for Clinicians. Alexandria, VA: American
Physical Therapy Association. (Cost: approximately $35)
6. Strunk, W., Jr. &
White, E. B. (2000). The Elements of Style. (4th edition). Needham
Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. (Cost: approximately $7)
About the Author
Greg
Bradley-Popovich holds master's degrees from West Virginia University
in Exercise Physiology and Human Nutrition. He is currently a Doctor
of Physical Therapy (DPT) candidate at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska
where he is researching the use of creatine supplementation as an intervention
in medical conditions. He is a free-lance fitness and sports nutrition
writer whose ultimate ambition is teaching on the university level while
promoting a multidisciplinary approach to fitness, wellness, and rehabilitation.
Copyright
©1997-2000 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved.
ASEP
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