What is a trade publication? 

Professional, industry, or trade journals and magazines are more specialized than popular journals but are not intended to be scholarly. These types of publications are aimed at experts in the field and/or keen amateurs and the content focuses on news, trends in the field, promotional material etc. Research findings are not typically disseminated here – though they may report that a scholarly publication is forthcoming. These types of publications typically will contain more advertising than a scholarly journal—though it is usually targeted to the field in some way. Examples: Publishers Weekly; Variety; Education Digest. (Evaluating Information Sources, n.d., What is a Trade Publication? section)

For this assignment, you will write for a specialized publication specific to an industry of your selection, one that will support your research and writing for the ADP. You will expand on the previously submitted Industry blog to develop a ‘publishable’ industry journal article.

References

Evaluating information sources. (n.d.). What is a trade publication? The University of British Columbia. https://guides.library.ubc.ca/EvaluatingSources/ScholarlyPopular(new tab)(new tab)

Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to write for industry and practitioner journals and websites.

Background Information

Are you looking for some great resources to aid your writing efforts? If so, you might check out professional, industry, and trade journals and magazines specific to the industry selected for your applied doctoral project. Most of the publications should have the editorial guidelines and submissions requirements readily accessible on their website to support authors desiring to submit an article or other form of writing for publication. On the same accessible webpage, there may also be tips and resources for helping you write more effectively. See the example tips for effective writing obtained from the Institute of Management Accountants, publishers of the Strategic Finance management accountant journal.

TIPS FOR [INDUSTRY JOURNAL ARTICLES] EFFECTIVE WRITING

Staff editors carefully edit every manuscript scheduled for publication. They follow a number of general principles in the editing process. Here are some suggestions for effective writing:

• Write punchy lead paragraphs that will “grab” readers and pull them into the article.
• Avoid long introductions. Get right to the point. Tell the reader exactly what you plan to do.
• Avoid jargon and acronyms. Readers don’t like to go back and check their meaning.
• Don’t pad your manuscript. It will be obvious to the editor and to the reader—if the editor lets the material stand.
• Avoid long, complex sentences. Break a complex thought into two or more sentences.
• Don’t assume that the reader knows as much as you do. Carefully explain or define a term that isn’t commonly used or was coined at your company.
• Use the active voice, not passive. Instead of writing “It was accomplished in 10 days,” say “We finished the project in 10 days.”
• Write a conclusion that sums up your major points and makes a statement on why the article is important to the reader. (SF Editorial Guidelines and Submissions, n.d., Tips for Effective Writing section)

References

Tips for effective writing. (n.d.). SF editorial guidelines and submissions. Strategic Finance.https://sfmagazine.com/editorial-guidelines-submissions/(new tab)

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Read Part III–chapter 48 (pp. 121–149) in Everybody Writes.
3. Retrieve your Industry Blog completed in a prior assignment. Be sure to also retrieve the faculty feedback for that submission to support the process of turning your original blog into an industry article.
4. Access and review How to Turn a Single Blog Post into 10 Fresh Pieces of Content (or more!)(new tab) at the blog site known as Meet Edgar.
5. Access and review Seven Easy Steps in Writing an Article with Substance(new tab) to establish your ‘game plan’ for completing the article timely and well.
6. Obtain the link to the editorial guidelines and submissions for at least one industry or trade journal, preferably the industry journal for which you might someday submit an article for review and publication based on your ADP.
   1. Refer to the list of industry journals obtained for the blog assignment.
   2. Access the example guidelines from Strategic Finance Editorial Guidelines and Submissions(new tab)—a publication serving the needs of management accountants.
7. Access and review some of the articles contained in the selected industry or trade journal publication to become more familiar with the journal and its accepted submissions.
8. Complete the Industry Article assignment, selecting a topic/focus that will be beneficial for your ADP:
   1. Establish a plan for how best to complete the written assignment timely and well using the available downloadable resources and others accessible to you.
   2. Select a topic that closely matches the prior Industry Blog or is a spin-off of the blog topic using some of the prior assignment content and a few of the resources.
   3. Write the article in the range of 1,200 to 1,500 words, single-spaced, with double spacing between paragraphs and graphic content (e.g., a figure or table).
   4. Integrate content from at least seven sources appropriate for the focus of the study and the targeted industry journal. Conduct a more significant literature review as needed.
   5. Incorporate at least one quality graphic item (i.e., infographics, table, chart, list, diagram, picture, figure, etc.).
   6. Research how to write catchy headlines and blog titles that capture readers’ attention, and draft a working title.
9. Use single line space with double-spacing between paragraphs and graphics. Format per APA for all else.
10. Edit, edit, edit using Word spelling and Grammar checker, Grammarly, and other helpful means.
11. Submit your article as a Word document by the end of the workshop. Include the following in the notes field in Brightspace for the written assignment:
    1. the title of the article,
    2. the name and NAICS code for the selected industry, and
    3. the name and hyperlink for at least one industry journal editorial guidelines and submissions criteria.
12. LOOK AHEAD: Please note that in activity 8.1 you will be asked to submit your Industry Article for peer review by DAY TWO of the Workshop.