Write for Talk Journal

The aims of Talk Journal

• sharing competence and information
• strengthening the role of experts
• stimulating discussion
• providing information and exerting social impact

From an idea to the readers – in interaction

• When you have an idea for an article, please contact the Editor of the thematic magazine. You can find the contact information on the Instructions & info page.
• Consider the aim and target audiences of your text: who are you writing for and why?
• Decide your viewpoint, define your topic, choose the suitable Talk thematic magazine, and text type.
• Consider which story type would best suit your topic.

The story types make the writing process easier

Select the suitable story type:

1. A problem and a solution
2. An expert’s view on change
3. A feature story: Turku UAS offers solutions
4. Podcast, video documentary, other video or audio publication

The staff and students of Turku UAS can find more specific instructions on the story types on the Talk page in Messi.

The article highlights your expertise

• Bear the reader in mind. They might not be familiar with the topic beforehand. Write as an expert and highlight your own competence and experience, provide background information. You can also invite readers to join in a discussion.
• Focus on the point. When writing, contemplate e.g. the broader importance of an RDI project or collaboration. Why has a specific project been launched, what kind of needs does it address and what new solutions are being developed? What specific outcomes have resulted from an event or visit – what lessons have been learnt?
• Be specific and provide tangible examples. You can link the topic to a current social phenomenon and contemplate how a specific research finding manifests itself in the reader’s everyday life. Results are more interesting than goals. Try to write in active voice as much as possible instead of passive voice.
• Explain your area of expertise in an accessible way. Avoid jargon, meandering sentence structures, repetition and superlatives. You can utilize bullet points to improve readability.
• Length depends on the purpose. No specific character limit has been set for the texts. You can, however, check previously published articles for reference. It is also possible to agree on e.g. publishing a series of articles.

A clear structure helps the reader

• Headline
• An introductory paragraph which acts as a bridge between the headline and the text
• Short body text paragraphs – one idea per paragraph, 2–3 sentences only
• Engaging subheadings every couple of paragraphs (remember search engine optimization – which words can potential readers use to search information on your topic).
• Genuine snapshots fit naturally between the text, embedded videos can also be used.
• In the end, include details and a link if the article is linked to a research group’s work.
• You can also place a summary of the project details and information on the pictures in a blue box at the end.
• A vertical line can be used to separate an info box, so-called sidebar or list of references.

Help for writing in practice

• Plan the content structure of the text: which points will be covered and in what order.
  Consider what kind of new content you will introduce in your text that has not yet been presented in other publications.
• Write in clear language that is understandable to your target audience. Do not try to write in a fancy style. Instead, aim at being illustrative and engaging.
• Put one idea in each paragraph.
• If you use abbreviations, explain them at least the first time they appear in your text.

Citing sources and referencing practices

The sources are cited within the text as in-text references and listed in the list of references. Only mention the sources you have referred to in your article. We use APA7 referencing style (American Psychological Association, 7th edition).

This is how you cite sources in the text in basic cases:

• In-text citation: (Surname, year)
• The page number is indicated if a specific section in a publication is referred to, e.g. (Surname, year, p. xx)
• List of references (in alphabetical order): Surname, E. (Year).  Title of work. Publisher.

Please note:

• The text must indicate which parts represent the author’s own thinking and which parts are based on the source.
• The list of references must contain sufficient details to enable the reader to identify the source used.
• Our employees and students can get to know more specific information on the referencing instructions in the intranet.

Finally

• Read through your text carefully and check:
  • Does the text clearly convey your aims?
  • Does it contain any new information?
  • Does it include practical examples?
• Write a short author biography in the language of the article (max. 1 500 characters, incl. spaces). The biography should contain your name and title, the name of the research group or project you represent and your role in it.
• Consider which relevant links for more information could be included at the end of the text (e.g. a project card on the turkuamk.fi website). Remember to mention if the article is a part of a research group’s work. This information is collected in the publication database.
• Find suitable images for the topic with adequate resolution. Check the user rights of the images. Send the images to the editorial team as separate attachments.
• The editor of the thematic magazine will make editing suggestions and ask for necessary changes or more information. The finalized text and images are moved to be submitted to the Talk platform and a suitable publication date is chosen for the article in the publishing calendar.
• Share your text with your own networks in different channels and spark discussion on the topic. You can get more tips from the editorial team.

Enjoy the writing, and feel free to ask for more information!

License instructions

The publications of Turku University of Applied Sciences (Talk Journal, Talk Reports and Talk Guides & Course Materials) are primarily licensed under the Creative Commons license CC BY-SA 4.0. For justified reasons, another CC license can also be used. The license is mentioned in connection with each content.