Services for Authors at the Penn Libraries: Introduction-Getting Started

Navigating the publishing world—scholarly or otherwise—can be a daunting process because of the many considerations at play, and the often-times high stakes involved. This guide will help you identify key elements to explore in order to make an informed decision about where to publish your work.

 What to Consider When Choosing a Publisher

An introduction to academic publishing, this slide presentation provides an overview of publishing options, a discussion of open access publishing, and a selection of resources and tools to assist in evaluating which is right for you. 

   Raising Your Visibility Through Sharing Your Scholarship

This presentation covers the benefits and challenges associated with sharing your work on academic platforms both commercial and discipline specific. In particular, it provides information on pre-print platforms and their role in time stamping your work, making your research discoverable, and providing an opportunity for discussion among peer scholars. 

  Choosing Publishing Options for Medical Academics

An introduction to academic publishing tailored to the needs of academics in the medical field. These presentation slides include an overview of the publishing landscape, an exploration of open access publishing (along with potential costs and funding sources), and tools and resources for selecting a publishing outlet and evaluating scholarly impact. 

  I Wrote My Dissertation, Now What?

Designed for those currently writing a dissertation or who have recently completed one, these workshop slides provide an overview of important considerations, including: embargoes, submitting to ProQuest, copyright registrations, Creative Commons licenses, scholarly repositories, future publishing goals, etc.  

Beyond this guide, Penn Libraries' subject specialists are available to further assist in the publishing process. With expertise in identifying, evaluating, and assessing impact of journals, publishers, and scholars across the disciplines, our subject specialists are a useful resource for your publishing needs. 

• Search for your subject specialist
• Request a consultation

The Penn Libraries in collaboration with the Grad Center offers a slate of workshops to support your publishing process. From citation management to online profiles and scholarly sharing platforms to approaches to writing book reviews, from choosing a journal or publisher that serves your scholarly goals to ethical approaches to research. You can find a full list of our "Support for Publishing" workshops  on the Libraries workshop calendar. Many of our fall workshops continue to be online via zoom but several are being offered in person at the Graduate Center. Follow the links below for full information. Register in advance for each workshop.