[Second year Development Communication students of Xavier University strike a pose with other participants at the USAID's STRIDE-START learning series in partnership with publishing company Elsevier.]
Text by Maria Monica L Borja
Photo by Philip Louis B Embate
Second year Development Communication students of Xavier University participated in a learning session on “Writing a Great Paper and Getting It Published In A Research Journal,” conducted by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under its Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development - Skills in Technical and Advanced Research Training (STRIDE-START) series in partnership with publishing company Elsevier.
STRIDE-START is a five-year initiative of USAID managed by USAID-Philippines Office of Education. The Php1.3 billion project aims to promote inclusive economic growth through science, technology and innovation. USAID has partnered with Elsevier, an academic publishing company specializing in science, technology and health in implementing the project.
The topics discussed covered writing a paper, ways of using citation database in evaluating journals, authors, and collaborators, the proper way of using manuscript language, the process of building an article, and the rights and responsibilities of authors. The students were also taught how to pick the right journals, how to share their paper when published, and how to track readership and citation statistics. The discussions were delivered by Derrick Duncombe of Elsevier-Singapore and Pio Omana of Elsevier-Philippines.
Dr Fiorello Abenes, distinguished professor and institutional development manager of USAID STRIDE, told the students that there is really just one consideration that a writer should keep in mind when writing. That is, will this paper “get published or be perished”?
This is where revision is vital. “No one gets it right the first time,” he assured. “Revision is key to everything.”
The students were able to appreciate the discussions on research writing.
“The program was a great avenue for us, young communicators, to enhance and sharpen our skills as writers,” shared DevCom student Joshua Christian Dael.
“It did not only give us ideas on how to make a great article and how to get it published, it also helped us think out of the box.”