1. What’s the point? A manuscript without a point is like a dog without a bone. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of hitting readers over the head with the point of the manuscript, as in the standard “purpose statement” in the introduction section. As a reader, I prefer to have to read and reflect and infer the point. Still, whether it’s blatant or subtle, the manuscript must have a point to make.
Why manuscripts are rejected
December 7, 2007 · 1 Comment
Categories: Academic journals · Academic publications
1 response so far ↓
Arni // December 8, 2007 at 5:22 pm |
Hi Paul,
Welcome to Interorganisational!
I agree; the point cannot be boiled down into a brief statement. Although I appreciate the rigor in abstract structure of several journals, which deliver the “standard purpose statement”, it can also be frustrating reading a paper that does not live up to the expectations, is not delivering a point at all, or a paper that is delivering a different message than stated in the standard statement.
Some papers do experiment with, intendedly or not, the idea of not delivering the traditional punch lines — à la Monty Python.
Cheers
Árni