To publish or not to publish There are two parts to this question.


As a student interested in pursuing a doctoral degree; how important is it to publish an article or "something" before one applies? Will it help your chances? I plan on writing a MA thesis but whether it is publishable or not, remains to be seen.
What are the main steps to go about publishing?
It would certainly help your application if you have previous publications. It probably won't tip the scales too much.

On (2), ask your advisor. To show you the ropes on this, a part of what research is all about, is part of their job.