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12 Good Books on How to Write and Publish Research Papers

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Published: June 18, 2023 | Updated: June 6, 2024

Books on how to write and publish research papers are the topic of our blog post today!

Embarking on the journey of writing and publishing scientific papers signals your initiation into the academic and professional world. The transition from years of intensive learning to sharing your knowledge with the world is a milestone whether you’re a new Ph.D. graduate or a veteran educator.

Indeed, publishing your research is akin to emerging from a protective shell, basking in the bright light of scrutiny. This experience can stir feelings of vulnerability and impostor syndrome , particularly when your work is critically examined by peers, which is an inevitable part of the process. However, fret not, as with time and experience, you develop resilience, much like the tough skin of an alligator. We all do!

As a scholar, you’re likely acquainted with the often daunting axiom ‘publish or perish’. This mantra embodies the pressure academia imposes on its students and scholars to maintain a steady flow of publications. Such demands can sometimes feel stifling, seemingly inhibiting your creativity.

Having spent numerous years crafting academic prose, I’ve experienced firsthand the discomfort of pushing past personal thresholds. Fortunately, this blog offers a haven for my thoughts, a space where I can articulate ideas freely, without the constraints of formal structure, academic vernacular, and austere style. While I find immense gratification in writing research papers and the thrill of their subsequent publication, I’m also acutely aware that an excess of anything can be detrimental.

Check out these other posts on academic writing:

• Best books on how to write research and dissertation proposals
• Best books on how to write a dissertation
• Best books on how to write a literature review
• Best grant writing books

That brings me to the objective of this post: to share a curated collection of exceptional books that provide insights into writing and publishing research papers. The act of creating and disseminating research papers is paramount for the progression of knowledge in various scientific fields. Moreover, it opens opportunities for wider audiences to engage with your research and offers a platform for receiving peer feedback.

These books cover a broad spectrum of academic writing: from formulating robust research questions, honing writing skills, navigating the maze of the publishing process, responding to reviewers, to understanding intellectual property rights. They provide comprehensive, practical guidance for aspiring academic writers aiming to excel in their craft.

Books on How to Write and Publish Research Papers

Here is a collection of some very good books on how to write and publish research papers:

1. Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded , by Joshua Schimel

“Writing Science” is an insightful manual that offers a comprehensive guide to effective science writing, using the principles of story structure. This approach seeks to engage and retain the reader’s attention while delivering core arguments effectively.

Schimel teaches how to create an overall structure for a paper or proposal, ensuring that each section, paragraph, sentence, and word contributes to the narrative, with an emphasis on creating memorable and engaging stories.

2. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , by Kate L. Turabian et al.

Kate L. Turabian’s book is a classic guide to scientific writing. Despite the changes in research methods over the years, this manual maintains that fundamental aspects remain unchanged.

The book encourages writers to construct an evidence-based argument, cite their sources correctly, and structure their work logically, thereby establishing a strong research question. Turabian’s guidelines are a timeless resource for anyone involved in scientific writing.

3. Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks , by Wendy Laura Belcher

Belcher’s book is a detailed, step-by-step guide to crafting a research paper from start to finish. The approach is systematic and organized, providing daily tasks, templates, and reminders to assist writers in creating strong articles.

The goal is to enhance the confidence of academic writers – from graduate students to faculty members – ensuring they understand the rules of academic publishing and possess the tools needed for success.

4. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper , by Barbara Gastel, Robert A. Day

Gastel and Day’s book imparts necessary skills to write and publish a scientific paper effectively. This comprehensive resource touches on every aspect of the process, from writing different sections of a paper to publishing it.

The book also addresses psychological, ethical, and cultural considerations, offering invaluable advice on composing recommendation letters, preparing presentations, editing work, and dealing with the media.

5. The Scientist’s Guide to Writing , by Stephen B. Heard 

Heard’s book emphasizes the need for clarity in scientific writing. It encourages direct engagement with the writer’s attitudes and behaviors during the writing process.

By sharing practical tips on various aspects of scientific writing and encouraging deliberate practice, Heard aims to make scientific writing more accessible and effective.

6. The Craft of Scientific Writing , by Michael Alley

“The Craft of Scientific Writing” is a rich repository of insights gained from Alley’s extensive teaching experience across continents. Rather than offering a formulaic approach, this book brings to light the nuances that distinguish excellent scientific writing, using concrete examples to illustrate these principles.

7. Scientific Writing and Communication , by Angelika H. Hofmann 

Hofmann’s all-inclusive handbook provides guidance on all aspects of scientific communication. Covering everything from scientific writing style to preparing academic presentations and posters, this resource aids scientists in promoting their research and advancing their careers effectively.

8. Writing Scientific Research Articles: Strategy and Steps , by Margaret Cargill, Patrick O’Connor 

Cargill and O’Connor’s book provides clear, systematic guidance for writing compelling scientific papers that increase chances for publication. The guide encourages scientists to apply their analytical skills, synthesis abilities, and effectively communicate their research.

9. Your First Research Paper , by Henry M Burton

Burton’s comprehensive guide demystifies the process of writing a top-quality research paper. It details everything from forming a robust research question and understanding intellectual property rights to referencing, footnote, referencing, footnoting, and the publishing process. This book offers readers the tools they need to craft a high-quality, publishable research paper while adhering to timelines.

10. Write an Impactful Research Paper , by Dr. Martins Zaumanis

Dr. Zaumanis’ book is an inspiring guide for producing impactful academic writing. It outlines the four steps of the “LEAP” process to become a prolific writer and helps researchers craft a compelling message based on their results.

Additionally, it provides advice on responding to reviewers and getting published in top journals. This book also unveils eight unwritten rules of academic publishing to boost citations and enhance academic careers.

11. Scientific Writing and Communication , by Angie Hofmann

Hofmann’s “Scientific Writing and Communication” is a comprehensive handbook covering all aspects of scientific communication. Presented in an easy-to-understand manner, it explains the basics of scientific writing style and applies these principles to various types of scientific documents. It also gives detailed guidance on academic presentations and posters, making it an ideal resource for students, researchers, and scientists across multiple fields.

12. How to Write a Lot , by Paul J. Silvia

Silvia’s “How to Write a Lot” is a fresh take on overcoming barriers to productive academic writing. It addresses common excuses and bad habits, providing practical strategies for becoming a better, more prolific writer.

The book offers guidance on writing, submitting, and revising academic work without sacrificing personal time. This second edition updates the tips and strategies to apply to most academic disciplines and includes a new chapter on writing grant and fellowship proposals.

Final thoughts

As we come to the end of this exploration into books that guide you through writing and publishing research papers, it’s hard not to feel inspired. The journey from an idea to a published paper is fraught with hurdles—be it crafting a compelling argument, mastering the art of citation, or navigating the publication process. I’ve seen in my own research journey how the right resources can turn these challenges into milestones. That’s what these books are: your trusted companions on a journey that, let’s be honest, can sometimes feel like a labyrinth. Whether you’re new to the world of academic writing or you’re a seasoned researcher looking to fine-tune your skills, these books offer a wealth of wisdom that can help you get your research off the ground and into the pages of a reputable journal.

Related Posts

Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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Top 10 books and other resources on academic writing for researchers

• Books & Tools
• Planning to Write

Yateendra Joshi

In his book 10 Novels and Their Authors , William Somerset Maugham, the well-known 20th-century English writer, recounts that one day, he was asked by a publisher to make a list of what, in Maugham’s opinion, were the ten best novels in the world. Talking of that list, Maugham adds: 1 “Of course my list was arbitrary. I could have made one of ten other novels, just as good in their different ways as those I chose, and give just as sound reasons for selecting them.”

As I attempted to list the top ten books or other resources on academic writing, I remembered those words and took comfort in that. However, the purpose of this article is more practical, and although others would make a different list, I like to think, as Maugham did, that “in all the lists most of those I have chosen would find a place.”

The other consideration that has driven the choice of books for researchers is to focus on books that will show you how to be a competent writer over time by showing you what good writing is and what it takes to be able to write well, although I have also included three resources for researchers to help you during the task of writing, sources that are more in the nature of reference tools similar to well-known style guides—which I have excluded deliberately, simply because they are already widely known. For the same reason, I wanted to highlight some of the lesser-known books for researchers (actually, for academic writers) that deserve to be more widely known.

That said, here, in random order, is my list of the top ten resources for researchers.

1. Stylish Academic Writing

Few have subjected academic writing to such scrutiny as Helen Sword has done, and the results of her study are for everyone to use. She began by asking ‘more than seventy academics from across the disciplines to describe the characteristics of “stylish academic writing” in their respective fields’. She then analysed ‘books and articles by more than one hundred exemplary authors recommended [to her] by their discipline–based peers’ and analysed in great detail a corpus of a thousand articles from ten disciplines taken from the top journals in each discipline. Helen < www.helensword.com> also offers a free test of how good your writing is at < https://writersdiet.com/> .

2. Words of Science and the History Behind Them

Words of Science also has a companion volume, namely More Words of Science , both written by Isaac Asimov, that most prolific of science writers perhaps of all time. Although far from recent (the books were published in 1959 and 1972), any academic writer will do well to dip into these books now and then because, as Asimov puts it, ‘scientific vocabulary is the bridge by which we enter the land, not the wall that keeps us out.’ The books are arranged alphabetically and consist of short essays, each on one selected word. The essays not only explain what the word in question means but also how it was derived, how it is used, and, where required, how it is pronounced. Some may think these two books to be an odd choice for this list of books for researchers but it is not—after all, words are the building blocks of any writing.

3. How to Write a Lot

For those who find it hard to find the time to write or suffer from the writer’s block, Paul Silvia has come up with some excellent advice. At fewer than 150 small pages, How to Write a Lot (2nd edition, 2019) is packed with lots of practical advice and shows that productive writing is a skill that people can learn.

4. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

As the subtitle claims, this is indeed a classic, the 6th edition of which was published in 2001. William Zinsser wrote the first edition in 1976, when most of the writing was done either by hand or using a typewriter. As Zinsser puts it, the ‘word processor made good writers better and bad writers worse.’ However, On Writing Well is a concise and readable guide that teaches the ‘craft of writing warmly and clearly.’

5. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century

Steven Pinker is a scientist who studies cognitive psychology. On top of that, he is a best-selling author of such books as The Language Instinct and Words and Rules . Illustrated with examples of good writing and poor writing, The Sense of Style is ‘designed for people who know how to write and want to write better’ and is one of the more recent books for researchers.

6. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills

Again, as the subtitle claims, John Swales and Christine Feak draw on their considerable experience of as writing instructors at Michigan’s English Language Institute to show how writers can tackle different kinds of writing. This first-hand experience makes their book one of the top resources for researchers.

7. Simple and Direct: A Rhetoric for Writers

Jacques Barzun wrote several memorable books for researchers, academics, and scholars. The Modern Researcher is one of the more widely known of those books. Barzun cared for scholarship and was also particular that the fruits of scholarship be expressed simply and clearly. In Simple and Direct , he writes not only about choosing the right word and arranging the chosen words in clear syntax but also touches upon the right tone and the need to revise your writing.

8. The Editor’s Manual

Whereas nearly all the books for researchers mentioned so far are for background reading to master the craft of academic writing, The Editor’s Manual < https://editorsmanual.com/>   is a website to be used more as a reference to look up bits of specific advice while engaged in actual writing or revising. The contents are divided into four main categories, namely usage, punctuation, style, and grammar, so that users can quickly find specific and relevant information in settling a particular query.

9. The Academic Phrasebank

A handy writing tool, the academic phrasebank < https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/> is a particularly useful resource for researchers who are struggling to paraphrase – trying to express the relevant findings of your fellow researchers in your own words instead of copying them verbatim – (and, in the process, escape the ‘similarity check’ that may point to plagiarism). The phrasebank groups typical phrases used in academic writing by the typical sections of a research paper, such as introduction, method, and results, so that users can turn to the more common phrases that are often used in the respective sections.

10. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary of Academic English

Designed to cater to those who are learning English specifically for purposes of academic study, this dictionary supports meaning of each word with example sentences drawn from authentic academic texts. I had reviewed this book a few years ago, 2 and it was the first resource that came to my mind as I began compiling this list of books for researchers. The print version comes equipped with a disk, which contains a writing tutor for ready reference.

1. William Somerset Maugham. Ten Novels and Their Authors . (Heinemann, 1954).

2. Yateendra Joshi. English for academic writing: A helpful dictionary for researchers. Editage Insights https://www.editage.com/insights/english-for-academic-writing-a-helpful-... (2014).

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Published on: Nov 09, 2021

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Recommended Books on Scientific Writing

Links to available WHSC Library books on topics of grant, manuscript, and other scientific writing and communication

Available as eBook

• Writing dissertation and grant proposals: epidemiology, preventive medicine and biostatistics , 2014
• Communicating science effectively: a research agenda , 2017
• Academic & scientific poster presentation : a modern comprehensive guide , 2017
• Communicate science papers, presentations, and posters effectively : papers, posters, and presentations , 2015
• Effective science communication : a practical guide to surviving as a scientist , 2016
• The biomedical writer: what you need to succeed in academic medicine , 2018
• How to write better medical papers , 2019

Available in Print

• Writing in the biological sciences: a comprehensive resource for scientific communication , 2019
• Writing in biology: a brief guide , 2016
• Writing, reading, and understanding in modern health sciences: medical articles and other forms of communication , 2014
• Reporting research: a biologist's guide to articles, talks, and posters , 2014
• Successful scientific writing: a step-by-step guide for the biological and medical sciences , 2014
• A short guide to writing about biology , 2016
• Making sense: life sciences: a student's guide to writing and research , 2015
• Medical writing: a prescription for clarity: a self-help guide to clearer medical English , 2014
• How to write an exceptional thesis or dissertation: a step-by-step guide from proposal to successful defense , 2014
• Scientific writing and communication: papers, proposals, and presentations , 2017
• Succeeding in literature reviews and research project plans for nursing students , 2017
• Health sciences literature review made easy : the matrix method , 2017
• Doing a systematic review : a student's guide , 2017
• Systematic approaches to a successful literature review , 2016
• Systematic reviews to answer health care questions , 2014
• Medical and scientific publishing : author, editor, and reviewer perspectives , 2018
• The 21st century guide to writing articles in the biomedical sciences , 2018
• Writing for publication in nursing , 2019

Available in Print 

• Writing and publishing a scientific research paper , 2017
• How to write and publish a scientific paper , 2016
• Getting research published: an A to Z publication strategy , 2016
• Anatomy of writing for publication for nurses , 2014
• Proposal writing for clinical nursing and DNP projects , 2018
• Successful grant writing : strategies for health and human service professionals , 2014
• Writing winning proposals for nurses and health care professionals , 2016
• Grant writing handbook for nurses and health professionals , 2018
• How to write a competitive R01 grant , 2016
• Grant writing for dummies , 2014
• The grant application writer's workbook. National Institutes of Health version , 2021
• The only grant-writing book you'll ever need , 2014
• Successful grant proposals in science, technology and medicine: a guide to writing the narrative , 2015
• Writing research proposals in the health sciences: a step-by-step guide , 2018