Strategies for success in peer-reviewed publications: Insights from the NJMT editorial team

Disseminating our clinical and research findings in scientific journals is essential for the music therapy profession. Yet, writing a peer-reviewed article and navigating the peer review process can be challenging. The purpose of this workshop is to provide essential information on scientific article writing and on preparing a manuscript for submission, and to develop participants’ understanding of what editors and reviewers are looking for. The workshop will combine a presentation on essentials of scientific writing by the NJMT editorial team and small break-out groups to meet participants’ specific needs. The presentation will cover: 1) types of articles, 2) writing style, 3) resources for non-native English writers, 4) how to structure your manuscript, 5) common reasons manuscripts are declined publication, and 6) strategies for responding to reviewers’ comments. For the break-out sessions, participants will be divided into 3 or 4 groups according to their level of experience with peer-reviewed publications and members of the NJMT team will be assigned to work with each group to address specific questions and facilitate group discussion.