Passing the Torch at Suiyuan Campus: New Insights into Academic Paper Writing. On the morning of January 14, the School of Foreign Languages and Cultures at Nanjing Normal University invited seasoned core journal editor-in-chief Tan Xiuying to deliver an academic lecture titled "Paper Writing: Problem · Process · Result." The lecture was hosted by Professor Lin Minjie, Dean of the Institute of Regional and International Studies at Nanjing Normal University, and was attended by Sun Xumin, Party Secretary of the International College for Chinese Studies. More than a hundred young faculty members and master’s and doctoral students from the School of Foreign Languages and Cultures gathered both online and offline to participate in this academic event.

Editor-in-chief Tan Xiuying is a senior editor at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), with over thirty years of experience in academic journal publishing. She formerly served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of World Economics and Politics and currently holds the position of Editor-in-Chief of International Security Studies at the University of International Relations. She also chairs the International Politics Expert Committee of the Chinese Humanities and Social Sciences Journal Expert Committee under the Evaluation Research Center of CASS. With the rigor of an editor and the depth of a scholar, Tan has long been committed to advancing the high-quality development of international politics journals.

Centering on the theme “The Whole Process of Paper Writing: Self-Awareness, Self-Knowledge, and Self-Confidence,” Tan systematically analyzed the structure and writing principles of academic papers. She pointed out that paper writing is a comprehensive project involving “precision of topic selection + standardization of writing + strategy of submission,” emphasizing the research principle of “a small entry point with deep excavation.” Regarding paper structure, she explained in detail the key points for writing the front matter (title, abstract, keywords) and the main body (introduction, literature review, core sections, conclusion), using concrete case studies for illustration.

At the end of the lecture, Professor Lin Minjie noted that Editor Tan’s presentation provided detailed guidance on paper writing, with particular reference value in her analysis of small-entry-point topic selection and linguistic norms. Party Secretary Sun Xumin remarked that Editor Tan’s rigorous scholarly attitude exemplifies the sense of responsibility of academic practitioners. Faculty and students present engaged in in-depth discussions with Editor Tan on practical issues encountered in paper writing.

That afternoon, Editor Tan chaired a follow-up symposium titled “Topic Selection and Effective Journal Submission.” She systematically explained the criteria and methods for choosing a research topic, suggesting that researchers in foreign languages disciplines should start from real-world issues such as cross-border language economies in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative and the building of regional cultural soft power, while paying attention to the academic merit and innovativeness of their topics. On submission strategies, she emphasized the importance of understanding the stylistic preferences of target journals, taking review comments seriously, and avoiding simultaneous submissions to multiple journals.

This lecture systematically analyzed the entire process of academic paper writing and publication, offering practical guidance for the intersection and integration of foreign languages disciplines with regional and international studies. With her profound academic expertise, rich editorial experience, and passionate dedication to nurturing young scholars, Editor-in-chief Tan Xiuying deepened the audience’s understanding of academic norms and pathways to innovation. The event concluded in a rigorous and professional atmosphere. Faculty and students left with methodological inspiration and renewed academic confidence as they moved forward with their research. The academic torch was passed on, and the path of research grew ever clearer.

(Contributors: Wang Yangchenxi, Chen Zhilin)