Research Only Matters When People Can Find It.

Universities are producing and generating huge volumes of research every year, globally. Behind each of the many theses, dissertations, journal articles, and research papers, there lie weeks, months and years of hard-work, analysis, experimentation and academic endeavour. However, the vast majority of the academic research generated is invisible to the world. The result is a chasm between the generation of knowledge and its effective application. It means much of what could potentially make the world a better place never finds its way to the people it is intended to serve.

Many of the most insightful and valuable research works will only ever be read by the supervisor, reviewer or an isolated group of academics before disappearing into the depths of institutional archives. Hence, publishing has become one of the key duties of the modern researcher.

The traditional rationale of publishing a paper was purely for academic accreditation and as a means to the acquisition of a qualification (e.g. A thesis). While this reason may persist, the contemporary purpose of the academic publication is to ensure that research is seen, discovered, found and used by the people who are looking for it and will benefit most from it. In the modern era of digital learning and research the visibility of your research will determine its success or failure, how far it spreads, and ultimately its real world applicability.

Nowadays the effectiveness of researchers and the performance of an individual academic institution, and its faculties, are evaluated according to their publication record, citations, visibility of its researchers, their engagement within academia etc.. In this context, every paper, thesis, and review article an academic publishes contributes to the overall academic and professional profile of an individual. It serves to build one's academic reputation, credibility, and intellectual profile.

The presence of strong publication records has always provided academic scholars with opportunities to progress in the world beyond academia, and this continues to hold true today. This can include gaining research grants, opportunities to undertake collaboration work, attend and present papers at relevant conferences or becoming established figures in one's chosen subject area.

However, it must be recognized that publishing alone is not enough. There are numerous common mistakes that researchers often commit.

The first mistake researchers tend to make is to pursue unfocused publication targets. By producing a series of research papers that align closely with specific research areas, researchers become known for their expertise in this area. A researcher who publishes consistently on issues of sustainable business development will inevitably gain authority and renown in the areas of green entrepreneurship, ethical business practices and environmental innovation. The consequent effect will reinforce his/her professional influence.

Quantity is also far less important than quality. One well-cited paper in a high-impact journal carries greater weight than numerous, poorly executed research works. The key to high-quality research writing is indeed original thought, rigorous methodology, relevant work, and a concise and coherent communication. Even if research works are brilliantly conceived, they will fall by the wayside if they are incomprehensible or presented badly.

Another important issue relating to publication is journal selection. Publish in indexable and reputable journals, as these will make the research discoverable, influential and academically credible. The choice of a journal requires care and due diligence; researchers need to ascertain the editorial policies and quality of peer review that the particular journal subscribes to, along with the likely readers of the article, before any submission takes place. In relation to this, predatory journals remain a problem as they jeopardize academic standards and the reputations of individuals.

Effective publishing also involves increasing visibility after publication, in the form of platforms such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, LinkedIn, webinars, podcasts and other institution based and widely distributed mechanisms to increase citations and readership. Often researchers have no concept as to how their work is not reaching the appropriate channels.

Citation rates are still largely seen as an indicator of research impact and a good indicator for grant applications and academic progression within a university and within the research community. As stated in (Research Assessment Framework, UK Government).

Academic dishonesty, plagiarism, fabricated and falsified data and redundant publications can only bring permanent ruin to an academic and professional career.

In essence, researchers of the 21st century must be acutely aware that the act of publishing a research paper is a crucial part of an ongoing process rather than just the conclusion to an academic endeavour. The effectiveness of a researcher is, and will continue to be increasingly, gauged by the ability not only to do the research, but also to communicate it clearly and effectively to a range of audiences, the extent to which it is found by the research community, and importantly the application and citation of one's research within academia and the broader world. With the changes brought about by digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence in publication practices, this has now never been more important.

Research will only ever really achieve any impact when it can be found.

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