Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION

The act of publishing in scientific journals serves multiple critical functions in the academic ecosystem. At its core, journal publication is the primary means by which scientific findings are disseminated, scrutinized, and built upon. According to Bourne (2005), the published article is a means of communicating findings and a form of "intellectual currency" in academia. Being published in a peer-reviewed journal offers an imprimatur of quality and rigor, giving researchers' work a platform for exposure and validation (Ware & Mabe, 2015). Therefore, it can be said that the publication of scientific studies also serves an important function in terms of the researcher's self-improvement.

Publications also significantly impact a researcher’s academic career. Van Noorden (2014) noted that publications are often the yardstick for promotions, funding, and institutional reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the broader advancement of knowledge and can potentially lead to significant societal impacts, including policy changes and technological innovations (Sutherland et al., 2014). In this way, it can be stated that the researcher fulfills her responsibility to make some kind of contribution to the society in which s/he lives. Thus, we can explain the importance of academic publishing with the following points:

• Contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage of humanity
• Ensuring progress in scientific, technological, cultural, or social fields
• Solving real lifer problems and with scientific methods
• Ensuring individual academic career development
• Providing social and economic impact

In summary, publishing in scientific journals fulfills many critical functions in the academic ecosystem. Essentially the main way scientific findings are disseminated, studied and built upon, journal publication provides a platform for researchers to showcase and validate their work. Published articles are the communication of findings and are considered "intellectual currency" in academia. Additionally, publications significantly impact a researcher's academic career. Publications are often used as benchmarks for promotion, funding, and corporate reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the advancement of knowledge and can lead to societal impacts such as policy changes and technological innovations. As a result, the importance of academic publishing can be summarized with points such as contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage, making progress in scientific, technological, cultural or social fields, solving real-life problems with scientific methods, ensuring individual academic career development and providing social and economic impact.

The act of publishing in scientific journals serves multiple critical functions in the academic ecosystem. At its core, journal publication is the primary means by which scientific findings are disseminated, scrutinized, and built upon. According to Bourne (2005), the published article is a means of communicating findings and a form of "intellectual currency" in academia. Being published in a peer-reviewed journal offers an imprimatur of quality and rigor, giving researchers' work a platform for exposure and validation (Ware & Mabe, 2015). Therefore, it can be said that the publication of scientific studies also serves an important function in terms of the researcher's self-improvement.

Publications also significantly impact a researcher’s academic career. Van Noorden (2014) noted that publications are often the yardstick for promotions, funding, and institutional reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the broader advancement of knowledge and can potentially lead to significant societal impacts, including policy changes and technological innovations (Sutherland et al., 2014). In this way, it can be stated that the researcher fulfills her responsibility to make some kind of contribution to the society in which s/he lives. Thus, we can explain the importance of academic publishing with the following points:

• Contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage of humanity
• Ensuring progress in scientific, technological, cultural, or social fields
• Solving real lifer problems and with scientific methods
• Ensuring individual academic career development
• Providing social and economic impact

In summary, publishing in scientific journals fulfills many critical functions in the academic ecosystem. Essentially the main way scientific findings are disseminated, studied and built upon, journal publication provides a platform for researchers to showcase and validate their work. Published articles are the communication of findings and are considered "intellectual currency" in academia. Additionally, publications significantly impact a researcher's academic career. Publications are often used as benchmarks for promotion, funding, and corporate reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the advancement of knowledge and can lead to societal impacts such as policy changes and technological innovations. As a result, the importance of academic publishing can be summarized with points such as contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage, making progress in scientific, technological, cultural or social fields, solving real-life problems with scientific methods, ensuring individual academic career development and providing social and economic impact.

The act of publishing in scientific journals serves multiple critical functions in the academic ecosystem. At its core, journal publication is the primary means by which scientific findings are disseminated, scrutinized, and built upon. According to Bourne (2005), the published article is a means of communicating findings and a form of "intellectual currency" in academia. Being published in a peer-reviewed journal offers an imprimatur of quality and rigor, giving researchers' work a platform for exposure and validation (Ware & Mabe, 2015). Therefore, it can be said that the publication of scientific studies also serves an important function in terms of the researcher's self-improvement.

Publications also significantly impact a researcher’s academic career. Van Noorden (2014) noted that publications are often the yardstick for promotions, funding, and institutional reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the broader advancement of knowledge and can potentially lead to significant societal impacts, including policy changes and technological innovations (Sutherland et al., 2014). In this way, it can be stated that the researcher fulfills her responsibility to make some kind of contribution to the society in which s/he lives. Thus, we can explain the importance of academic publishing with the following points:

• Contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage of humanity
• Ensuring progress in scientific, technological, cultural, or social fields
• Solving real lifer problems and with scientific methods
• Ensuring individual academic career development
• Providing social and economic impact

In summary, publishing in scientific journals fulfills many critical functions in the academic ecosystem. Essentially the main way scientific findings are disseminated, studied and built upon, journal publication provides a platform for researchers to showcase and validate their work. Published articles are the communication of findings and are considered "intellectual currency" in academia. Additionally, publications significantly impact a researcher's academic career. Publications are often used as benchmarks for promotion, funding, and corporate reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the advancement of knowledge and can lead to societal impacts such as policy changes and technological innovations. As a result, the importance of academic publishing can be summarized with points such as contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage, making progress in scientific, technological, cultural or social fields, solving real-life problems with scientific methods, ensuring individual academic career development and providing social and economic impact.

The act of publishing in scientific journals serves multiple critical functions in the academic ecosystem. At its core, journal publication is the primary means by which scientific findings are disseminated, scrutinized, and built upon. According to Bourne (2005), the published article is a means of communicating findings and a form of "intellectual currency" in academia. Being published in a peer-reviewed journal offers an imprimatur of quality and rigor, giving researchers' work a platform for exposure and validation (Ware & Mabe, 2015). Therefore, it can be said that the publication of scientific studies also serves an important function in terms of the researcher's self-improvement.

Publications also significantly impact a researcher’s academic career. Van Noorden (2014) noted that publications are often the yardstick for promotions, funding, and institutional reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the broader advancement of knowledge and can potentially lead to significant societal impacts, including policy changes and technological innovations (Sutherland et al., 2014). In this way, it can be stated that the researcher fulfills her responsibility to make some kind of contribution to the society in which s/he lives. Thus, we can explain the importance of academic publishing with the following points:

• Contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage of humanity
• Ensuring progress in scientific, technological, cultural, or social fields
• Solving real lifer problems and with scientific methods
• Ensuring individual academic career development
• Providing social and economic impact

In summary, publishing in scientific journals fulfills many critical functions in the academic ecosystem. Essentially the main way scientific findings are disseminated, studied and built upon, journal publication provides a platform for researchers to showcase and validate their work. Published articles are the communication of findings and are considered "intellectual currency" in academia. Additionally, publications significantly impact a researcher's academic career. Publications are often used as benchmarks for promotion, funding, and corporate reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the advancement of knowledge and can lead to societal impacts such as policy changes and technological innovations. As a result, the importance of academic publishing can be summarized with points such as contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage, making progress in scientific, technological, cultural or social fields, solving real-life problems with scientific methods, ensuring individual academic career development and providing social and economic impact.

The act of publishing in scientific journals serves multiple critical functions in the academic ecosystem. At its core, journal publication is the primary means by which scientific findings are disseminated, scrutinized, and built upon. According to Bourne (2005), the published article is a means of communicating findings and a form of "intellectual currency" in academia. Being published in a peer-reviewed journal offers an imprimatur of quality and rigor, giving researchers' work a platform for exposure and validation (Ware & Mabe, 2015). Therefore, it can be said that the publication of scientific studies also serves an important function in terms of the researcher's self-improvement.

Publications also significantly impact a researcher’s academic career. Van Noorden (2014) noted that publications are often the yardstick for promotions, funding, and institutional reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the broader advancement of knowledge and can potentially lead to significant societal impacts, including policy changes and technological innovations (Sutherland et al., 2014). In this way, it can be stated that the researcher fulfills her responsibility to make some kind of contribution to the society in which s/he lives. Thus, we can explain the importance of academic publishing with the following points:

• Contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage of humanity
• Ensuring progress in scientific, technological, cultural, or social fields
• Solving real lifer problems and with scientific methods
• Ensuring individual academic career development
• Providing social and economic impact

In summary, publishing in scientific journals fulfills many critical functions in the academic ecosystem. Essentially the main way scientific findings are disseminated, studied and built upon, journal publication provides a platform for researchers to showcase and validate their work. Published articles are the communication of findings and are considered "intellectual currency" in academia. Additionally, publications significantly impact a researcher's academic career. Publications are often used as benchmarks for promotion, funding, and corporate reputation. Beyond individual or institutional benefits, publications contribute to the advancement of knowledge and can lead to societal impacts such as policy changes and technological innovations. As a result, the importance of academic publishing can be summarized with points such as contributing to the scientific knowledge heritage, making progress in scientific, technological, cultural or social fields, solving real-life problems with scientific methods, ensuring individual academic career development and providing social and economic impact.

According to Belcher (2019), there are two structural levels in academic writing. They are:  

Macrostructure: the outline of the article/coherence

Macrostructure is the superstructure, the overarching meaning working down through the entire article to organize it, with argument being the main organizing principle. You have a coherent macrostructure when each section, subsection, and paragraph of your article is organized argumentatively into an overall logical structure.

Microstructure: diagrams of the articles’ paragraphs and sentences /cohesion

Microstructure is the focused meaning working up from the paragraph and sentence level, with clarity as the organizing principle. You have a cohesive microstructure when each sentence is clear and grammatical, leads logically to the next sentence, and adds up to a paragraph that has a unifying concept and hangs together.

Introductory chapters should fulfill two basic functions. These are to provide the necessary preliminary information to the audiences and to grab the reader's attention to the text. In order to provide the necessary preliminary information, authors can write their introductions with background information, conceptual frameworks or historical backgrounds. The type of introduction to be written here depends on the author's preference and the requirements of the text structure. According to Murray (2013) although “being interesting” is one of the last things you want to say about your academic paper, in order to grab your audiences’ attention, you need to wary about the topic you worked on branded as “important” in your subject area.  Also, that theories that are interesting deny certain assumptions of their audiences. Thus, introduction section should emphasize the importance and study’s originality that change the perspective. In this point, Belcher (2019) suggests starting to academic writing with gripping first sentence such as a telling anecdote, a striking depiction of your subject, an aggressive summary of the literature, a dire social problem, an intriguing thought puzzle, or a solid claim about the significance of your topic.     

Subject opening:

Since the identification of the Zika virus in Brazil in early 2015, the virus has spread rapidly throughout the Americas. (Rasmussen et al. 2016)

(For an article about the relationship between the virus and birth defects)

Anecdotal opening:

When I was growing up in New York City, my parents used to take me to an event in Inwood Park at which Indians—real American Indians dressed in feathers and blankets—could be seen and touched by children like me. This event was always a disappointment. (Tompkins, 1986)

(For an article analyzing US textbooks’ presentation of indigenous peoples’ role in US history)

Critical opening:

“Historians have been much more concerned with explaining questions surrounding how Africans produced, transported, and sold captives than with exploring African strategies against the slave trade.” (Diouf 2003)

(For an article about Guinea Bissauans’ strategies for resisting the slave trade)

Significance opening:

Few children’s movies can rival the success of The Lion King or the controversy that has surrounded it since it was first shown commercially in 1994. (Martin-Rodriguez, 2000).

(For an article about Latina/o immigration to the United States as the anxious subtext of a Disney film)

Historical opening:

In the 1970s and 1980s, amid concerns over the negative effects of concentrated urban poverty and suburban resistance to the encroachment of public housing, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) slowed the construction of new large-scale public housing projects and increased the use of Section 8 certificates and vouchers to subsidize low-income households in the private rental market (Marr, 2005). 

(For an article about tactics that community workers used to help low-income families gain housing when landlords were suspicious of Section 8 vouchers)

Argumentative opening:

Civic education is important. (Blair 2003)

(For an article arguing that civic education is essential to a functioning democracy)

Introductions play a dual role: these provide readers with basic background information and aim to capture their attention. Authors achieve the former by including background details, conceptual frameworks, or historical contexts. The choice of introduction style depends on the author's preference and the structural requirements of the text. To effectively attract the attention of readers, the importance and originality of the topic is emphasized. For example, one might start with an engaging opening sentence such as an anecdote, literature summary, a thought-provoking question, or a statement that emphasizes the importance of the topic.

Introductory chapters should fulfill two basic functions. These are to provide the necessary preliminary information to the audiences and to grab the reader's attention to the text. In order to provide the necessary preliminary information, authors can write their introductions with background information, conceptual frameworks or historical backgrounds. The type of introduction to be written here depends on the author's preference and the requirements of the text structure. According to Murray (2013) although “being interesting” is one of the last things you want to say about your academic paper, in order to grab your audiences’ attention, you need to wary about the topic you worked on branded as “important” in your subject area.  Also, that theories that are interesting deny certain assumptions of their audiences. Thus, introduction section should emphasize the importance and study’s originality that change the perspective. In this point, Belcher (2019) suggests starting to academic writing with gripping first sentence such as a telling anecdote, a striking depiction of your subject, an aggressive summary of the literature, a dire social problem, an intriguing thought puzzle, or a solid claim about the significance of your topic.     

Subject opening:

Since the identification of the Zika virus in Brazil in early 2015, the virus has spread rapidly throughout the Americas. (Rasmussen et al. 2016)

(For an article about the relationship between the virus and birth defects)

Anecdotal opening:

When I was growing up in New York City, my parents used to take me to an event in Inwood Park at which Indians—real American Indians dressed in feathers and blankets—could be seen and touched by children like me. This event was always a disappointment. (Tompkins, 1986)

(For an article analyzing US textbooks’ presentation of indigenous peoples’ role in US history)

Critical opening:

“Historians have been much more concerned with explaining questions surrounding how Africans produced, transported, and sold captives than with exploring African strategies against the slave trade.” (Diouf 2003)

(For an article about Guinea Bissauans’ strategies for resisting the slave trade)

Significance opening:

Few children’s movies can rival the success of The Lion King or the controversy that has surrounded it since it was first shown commercially in 1994. (Martin-Rodriguez, 2000).

(For an article about Latina/o immigration to the United States as the anxious subtext of a Disney film)

Historical opening:

In the 1970s and 1980s, amid concerns over the negative effects of concentrated urban poverty and suburban resistance to the encroachment of public housing, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) slowed the construction of new large-scale public housing projects and increased the use of Section 8 certificates and vouchers to subsidize low-income households in the private rental market (Marr, 2005). 

(For an article about tactics that community workers used to help low-income families gain housing when landlords were suspicious of Section 8 vouchers)

Argumentative opening:

Civic education is important. (Blair 2003)

(For an article arguing that civic education is essential to a functioning democracy)

Introductions play a dual role: these provide readers with basic background information and aim to capture their attention. Authors achieve the former by including background details, conceptual frameworks, or historical contexts. The choice of introduction style depends on the author's preference and the structural requirements of the text. To effectively attract the attention of readers, the importance and originality of the topic is emphasized. For example, one might start with an engaging opening sentence such as an anecdote, literature summary, a thought-provoking question, or a statement that emphasizes the importance of the topic.