Writing Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Articles for Peer-Reviewed Journals

Abstract

LOCATE: There are many general books and articles on publishing in peer-reviewed journals, but few specifically address issues around writing for scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) journals. One of the challenges of beginning to write about SoTL is that most scholars have become interested in exploring teaching and learning issues in higher education (HE) alongside their disciplinary interests and have to grapple with a new literature and sometimes unfamiliar methods and genres as well. Hence, for many, as they write up their SoTL projects, they are simultaneously forging their identities as SoTL scholars. FOCUS: We unpack the process of writing SoTL articles for peer-reviewed journals with the goal of supporting both new and experienced SoTL scholars (faculty/academics, professional staff, and students) as they nurture and further develop their voices and their SoTL identities and strive to contribute to the enhancement of learning and teaching in HE. REPORT: We pose three related sets of overarching questions for consideration when writing SoTL articles for peer-reviewed journals followed by heuristic frameworks for publishing in five specific writing genres (empirical research articles, conceptual articles, case studies of practice, reflective essays, and opinion pieces). ARGUE:  Using the metaphor of being in conversation, we argue that writing is a values-based process that contributes to the identity formation of SoTL scholars and their sense of belonging within the SoTL discourse community.