Why Books Still Matter in Today's Digital World?
Over the last two decades, the methods people consume information has changed vastly – online libraries, digital journals, databases – have all transformed access to research, in many ways for the better. While advances in technology have changed access, books still play an important role in academic research communication, and for the dissertation or research researcher contemplating whether publishing their thesis in book-form will yield the necessary returns, these benefits continue to reinforce its validity and relevance.
A book offers a far greater and in-depth exploration of an area than most journal articles – in essence enabling a researcher to explore their topic in a manner no other form of written communication enables, making the often exhaustive breadth of thesis material ideally suited to publication in book form. The thesis manuscript lends itself well to this, containing much wider discussion on aspects not traditionally appropriate for limited journal articles.
One benefit of publication is simply, that it significantly widens your audience reach. While institutions may archive your thesis for university repository purposes, a professionally published book with an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), however, gains wider distribution through a host of channels such as libraries, stores, digital platforms, and databases worldwide.
The ISBN for each publication is crucial to this process, as it is a world identifying system which standardises books worldwide in respect of bibliographic catalogue record purposes, ensuring that any particular published work can be identified. With a book that is ISBN-numbered, authors and editors will find purchasing and citation becomes far easier.
A thesis will often need substantial revision and reformatting for the press - chapters will likely need refining so that the reader can benefit from the research more freely, unnecessary jargon should be minimised or clearly explained in a more engaging style where necessary, reference lists will have to be comprehensively and consistently updated and chapters reoganised in more suitable groups or a logical flow. Professional editing and typesettting also significantly impacts the final quality of the book to a reader. Clear, accessible design including the quality of print and clarity of the cover art all serve to impress and lend credibility to the finished book.
Academic book publication will enhance the researcher’s academic CV, build profile, establish them as an authority and can improve opportunities for further grants, posts, promotions and international collaboration – it is often the significant professional and academic achievement of an entire career. The modern academic book is a respected source of evidence-based information and research; it is still read and extensively cited by fellow academics. Universities recommend academic reading to students as course texts.
Libraries still actively purchase the best academic book publications and the most frequently cited sources include widely available academic books.
In the last two decades, new digital technologies have broadened the appeal and reach of the scholarly book, not diminishing their impact.
Researchers today are spoilt for choice. Printed editions can still be purchased for institutions and university libraries, but electronic access opens them up for instant worldwide download. Authors no longer have to compromise and select a single publishing format – a book today can offer readers many options, each serving a different purpose to maximise impact.
The effort invested in preparing your thesis for book publication represents the long-term, future impact of your hard work and years of dedicated research. Instead of sitting lost within institution archives, your research becomes part of the public discourse. If your aim is for your research to be understood, utilized, and referenced for years to come then book publication is certainly something that will ensure this occurs.
Knowledge can never be more powerful than when it is accessed by a global audience. Publish your dissertation in book-form, acquire your unique ISBN and ensure the invaluable knowledge contained within is shared, not shelved, forevermore.
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