On November 29th 2016, the Empirical Analyses of Political Economy Unit hosted the lecture “How to publish your research in international journals and how to apply for an international job” by Dr. John Tang of the Australian National University. Dr. Tang is a renowned scholar whose main specialty is Pre-War Japanese industrial and financial development. In addition, he is also engaged in a wide range of related research fields such as economic history, growth and development, international trade, financial history, and institutions. He currently serves as an associate editor for the “Australian Economic History Review.” He has previously worked for the U.S. Census Bureau.
The audience was mainly graduate students studying economics and political science who are interested in publishing their research in academic journals and seeking employment in academia and government agencies, as well as the private sector.
In the first part of the lecture, Dr. Tang offered his insights on how to publish papers in academic journals. He elaborated in detail on the three main stages of the publication process and gave advice based on his own personal experiences. Although aware of the many difficulties and challenges new research faces, he was convinced that it is possible to achieve a higher rate of success through a carefully planned strategy, by avoiding pitfalls and focusing on ways to refine research and boost chances of getting published.
In the second part of the lecture, Dr. Tang offered his insights about the job market and job prospects for young researchers. He gave advice and tips on how and where to do a successful job hunt and what to always keep in mind. He showed that though getting a job in academia is not always an easy task to accomplish, there are many other options to be considered. The expertise obtained by the academic training is very valuable in related fields, such as research and teaching but also in the corporate and governmental sectors.
The lecture concluded with a question and discussion session. With much interest in the subject from the audience, the discussion was informative and constructive.
