Last week I talked about how to create a 4* REF journal article and what the component parts were. This week I want to unpack in a little more detail the idea of originality, which is usually the thing thats scuppers many ECR and mid-career academics from claiming the 4* status.
First it sounds undoable the way it is framed in the REF: to remind you, the REF fashions 4* works as:
"4* = Quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance, and rigour."
We read “world-leading in originality” and immediately think:
Well that’s not me. I’m not Einstein. I’m not rewriting the field.
And you know what? You're right, you’re probably not. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to be. The REF language sounds like it's calling for revolutionary, once-in-a-generation research. But if we’re being practical - and we must be - we know that kind of paradigm-shifting work doesn't emerge on tidy 4-year cycles. Not unless someone’s hiding their time machine.
So what does REF actually mean by originality? Let’s break it down.
1. Originality Isn’t Invention — It’s Contribution
You don’t have to invent a new method or theory out of thin air. You do have to do something useful and new with what’s already there.
That could mean:
Applying a theory in a novel context
Synthesising existing debates in a way that unlocks fresh insight
Proposing a new conceptual model that helps others see the issue more clearly
The key word here is contribution. You’re helping the field evolve. That’s original.
2. Originality Is About Position
You don’t need to be on a pedestal looking down at your field. You need to be in it, showing that you understand the current conversation — and that your work shifts it meaningfully.
Ask yourself:
What debates is my article entering?
What does it move forward?
What can no one say again once they’ve read it?
If you can answer that last one confidently — you’re likely in 4* territory.
3. Originality Has to Be identifiable
Here’s where many scholars unintentionally undercut themselves: they do original work, but they bury the lede. REF panels are not detectives. They won’t hunt for your originality buried on page 17. Neither will the article reviewer. So:
Don’t be coy about your contribution.
Don’t save the “so what?” for the final paragraph (DISASTER).
Say early, clearly, and confidently: Here’s the original move this paper makes.
It doesn’t have to be arrogant. But it does have to be visible.
4. Originality Looks Different in Different Disciplines
In some fields, originality means a new dataset or analytical technique, but not just the presentation of it. The ‘so what’ still counts. In others, it’s a fresh conceptual lens, or a reframing of long-standing problems so we can solve them differently. The point is: REF does not expect one uniform definition of originality. But it does expect that your work pushes the conversation forward.
So instead of asking “Is this ground-breaking?” Ask: “Who is this useful to, and how does it move their thinking?”
You Are Already Doing Original Work, You’re Just Not Framing It That Way
I see this all the time in my programme, Master Journal Article Writing. Brilliant researchers doing powerful work — but not naming their contribution, not positioning it, not claiming the originality already embedded in their thinking. Being afraid to claim their contribution, own the intellectual space they have created. They will go so far: build a new model, build a new theoretical insight and then - forgive the analogy - present it like my Cat brings a dead mouse to me - as an unsolicited gift, a bit mangled, and not something I can use.
Don’t just present the new thing but tell me what this enables us to do, solve, think differently about and why.
You don’t need better ideas — you need to learn how to write your ideas better.
That means clarity. Structure. Knowing how to frame your work for REF-recognised journals. And yes, that can be learned. I help individuals and universities push staff contributions to the top level, by helping scholars know what it looks like inside their own particular publication. If you’re ready to go from quiet, hidden originality to REF-ready contribution, that’s exactly what we do inside Master Journal Article Writing.
You bring the research. I’ll teach you how to shape it, write it, and publish it at the level your career deserves.
→ Applications are open now.
Let’s make your next article a 4*.