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Description
Dissemination of research findings and sharing clinical perspectives are foundational to counselor education and in enhancing the profession of counseling. According to the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2001), counselor preparation programs should promote the "use of research to improve counseling effectiveness" (Section II, K.8.e.). The Ethical Standards for School Counselors of the American School Counselor Association (2004) states that an ethical counseling professional "conducts appropriate research and report findings in a manner consistent with acceptable educational and psychological research practices" (Standard E 1.c). Finally, the American Counseling Association's (ACA; 2005) ACA Code of Ethics states that ethical "counselors report the results of any research of professional value. Results that reflect unfavorably on institutions, programs, services, prevailing opinions, or vested interests are not withheld" (Standard G.4.b.). Therefore, scholarly writing is not only an academic exercise but also an ethical and professional responsibility for all counseling professionals.
Often, the achievements of counselor educators working as academicians are assessed through their scholarship activities (Hill, 2004; Magnuson et el., 2003; Ramsey, Cavallaro, Kiselice, & Zila, 2002; Seipel, 2003; Smaby, 1998). Additionally, graduate students in counselor education need to learn about writing and the publication process (Hill, 2004; Magnuson, Norem, & Haberstroh, 2001) because constructing works for publication (i.e., journal articles, books, and conference presentation papers) is an essential part of scholarship and routinely a necessity for graduation (e.g., thesis, dissertation). Given the importance of writing style in the publication process, counseling professionals need preparation in the construction of scholarly works. This is a developmental process, and growth can best be facilitated through mentoring in which new writers work collaboratively with more experienced and published authors.
The components of a manuscript to be submitted for publication are delineated in the American Psychological Association's (APA; 2001) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (hereinafter referred to as the Publication Manual). However, scholarly writing is a "unique genre" (Glatthorn & Joyner, 2005, p. 142) with its own norms. Writing is also a personal process, and the judgments of authors, reviewers, and educators often vary (Heppner, Kivlighan, & Wampold, 2008). Thus, in the field of professional counseling, there are both general standards and personal and contextual components in writing for publication.
Furthermore, getting a manuscript accepted for publication can be challenging. According to McGowan and Scholl (2004), it is rare for a manuscript to be accepted outright on the first submission. Additionally, many manuscripts that might possibly provide significant contributions to the field of counseling are poorly written and may never be published. Scholarly works that do not adhere to APA's (2001) Publication Manual are often confusing to read and are thus not likely to be accepted for publication, and their potential contributions are lost. According to Thompson (1995), one's writing style is the foundational ingredient in successful scholarly writing. Therefore, the preparation of a well-written manuscript may be the most critical step in the publication process. Glatthorn and Joyner (2005) noted that "the best scholarly writing is lucid, even to someone not expert in the field" (p. 143).
This article was constructed by counselor educators from several universities who have editorial board experience and have successfully published in ACA-refereed journals. The article is intended to serve as a practical resource for both counselor educators and their students in order to support their scholarly production. Specifically, the article (a) outlines the basic components of a scholarly manuscript or paper, Co) identifies prevalent writing errors, and (c) offers suggestions for counselor educators and their students to improve their scholarly writing.
* Basic Components of Scholarly Work
There are some general guiding principles for the production of scholarly works. First, the purpose of a research review is to analyze and synthesize the most relevant and meaningful information about a chosen topic. Therefore, it is necessary to be both thorough and selective in the literature review process. Writers (referring to new authors) must first evaluate the most current literature to increase their understanding of the counseling issue investigated. Additionally, prior to constructing a scholarly manuscript/paper, writers must learn some fundamental writing guidelines, including appropriate citing and appropriate organization (typically the title page, abstract, introduction [rationale and literature review], discussion [conclusion, limitations, and implications], and references). The following section provides an orientation to these components of scholarly written works.
* Appropriate Citation
Writers need to support their positions, statements, and arguments with appropriate citations. According to Glatthorn and Joyner (2005), one mark of scholarly writing is that assertions are documented and supported; that is, the writer provides evidence for his or her statements or claims that may be "reasonably challenged" (p. 145). In most cases, it is best to use only the most current references (less than 10 years old) and landmark "older" articles and writings (e.g., a theorist's seminal publication). McGowan and Scholl (2004) suggested that most cited references be published within the prior 5 years. Additionally, writers should reference rigorous academic journals (peer-reviewed) and avoid heavy reliance on the popular press and textbooks. Furthermore, writers should avoid secondary sources of information and use the original work whenever possible. Writers should use direct quotations sparingly.
Many new writers incorrectly cite their references. When citing another author's(s') work, use only his or her (their) last name(s). It is not necessary to refer to the title of the publication, except in the reference section of the paper. Also, writers need to cite only sources they have personally reviewed. If the writer refers to information cited in a secondary source, he or she should note the original work and identify that he or she reviewed the information in a secondary source (Szuchman, 2008). An example of this citation would be "Rogers, as cited in Corey (2004)." However, as noted earlier, citing secondary sources should be limited. Additionally, all cited works need to be appropriately referenced. A common problem found in manuscripts and student papers... |
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