Getting Started with Academic Publishing at RIT

Only four weeks into my journey at RIT as a first-year master’s student, the idea of attending the Writing for Publication Workshop: The Social Practices of Getting Published in Academic Journals initially felt a bit daunting. I worried that my limited research experience might make it difficult to follow along or fully participate. Instead, the speaker did an excellent job presenting information that was accessible and valuable for students at every stage of their research journey.

Because I work full-time and attend RIT part-time, I hadn’t originally planned to pursue publishing my own research. However, the workshop encouraged me to think more seriously about getting involved in research at RIT. At the very least, I plan to use the resources shared during the session to begin reading journal articles and building stronger background knowledge in my field. I’ve already scheduled an appointment with an RIT librarian, as recommended in the seminar. The guidance on evaluating journals and understanding different types of articles will be especially helpful as I work toward becoming more engaged in the scientific community.

Beyond the academic takeaways, the workshop also created valuable networking opportunities. I connected with several graduate students and exchanged LinkedIn contacts. It was refreshing to meet peers in person and speak directly with the RIT Graduate School team. I particularly appreciated that students were grouped by interests, which made it easier to have meaningful conversations with others studying similar topics and facing similar questions.

I would strongly encourage any graduate student, especially those new to RIT or considering publishing, to attend this seminar. If I do become more involved in research, I would absolutely return to this workshop to ask more advanced questions and continue building my understanding of the publication process.