Why Research Communication Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage?

 Academia is drowning in more research than it has ever seen. Each year thousands upon thousands of articles, reports and studies are published in a myriad of subjects. As academia grows more competitive, clear and concise communication of one's research is becoming the greatest competitive advantage.

Research communication is the way in which the researcher presents their findings and results to their relevant audience. This includes academic writing, conference presentations, interacting with the media, public engagement and utilizing the web via blogs, forums and other social networking sites.

Enhanced communication skills will allow researchers to raise the profile of their work. Clearly explained research will attract more readers, incite further debate, increase citation count and therefore ensure that valuable research does not become lost within the ocean of academic output.

Communication is vital when dealing with a trans-disciplinary audience; one cannot assume that all of the readers will have extensive knowledge of a particular topic or use of a specialist method. Explaining the methodology and findings clearly will allow researchers to communicate with and contribute to an audience beyond that which they would typically find in the academic literature.

The funder community also recognizes the importance of communication skills. Many grant- awarding bodies require researchers to specify how they will disseminate their findings and ultimately create an impact outside academia. The way in which researchers communicate their findings can significantly enhance grant applications.

Public engagement is another area of increasing importance. Policymakers, teachers, healthcare providers and businesses all rely on relevant research to assist in decision making processes. Researchers who can effectively communicate their work beyond academia, increase the chance of it influencing both policy and practice.

The internet has facilitated further enhancement in the importance of researcher communication. Opportunities such as the use of video, webinars and podcasts are just some of the numerous ways that researchers can now disseminate information; reaching an audience which a traditional research article might fail to achieve.

It should be noted that effective communication does not imply simplification of work; clearly explained research still must meet a rigorous academic standard.

As the world grows ever more competitive, it will become increasingly important to be able to communicate research findings. Scholars who have the ability to marry quality scholarship with high communication levels, will become increasingly influential within their fields.

In the coming years, excellence in research will be measured not just on what is discovered, but on the efficiency with which a finding can be communicated.

Read More: https://www.globalxpublications.com/blog/how-to-increase-research-citations-and-academic-visibility