Successful publication of research brings attention to scholars and their institutions. Scholars in every countries are being pushed to write more. Every university is unique and all have something different to offer their post-graduate and PhD students, but they all have one thing in common– PUBLISH OR PERISH! This phrase initially coined by Coolidge in 1932 is now becoming a harsh reality. Competition for academic positions is fierce, and publishing is used to select those students who stand out and separate them from the rest. Because the publishing process is highly competitive, and to publish in a high quality journal requires you to compete against researchers who are much more experienced than you, being able to publish shows that you actually know what you are doing and that you have the potential of advancing your field. Thus the strongest and best are selected.
What motivates authors to go through the writing process, and then the peer review process, in order to publish their work? According to Chris A. Mack, there are two kinds of motivations, altruism and self-interest, and most authors have some combination of the two.
Altruism
Peer-reviewed science publications are the predominant method today for disseminating and archiving scientific advances (books, conference presentations, and university teaching are other common ways). Science grows and advances through a communal collection of knowledge that is constantly being challenged, revised, and expanded. Most scientists have a strong desire to contribute to the advancement of their field, which is often their primary reason for becoming a scientist. Publication is usually the most straightforward way to make such a contribution, and it is thus highly motivating (and satisfying) to most scientists.
Self-Interest
Self-Interest Publishing can also bring tangible benefits to an author, thus providing a self-interested motivation for writing and publishing a paper. Publishing may be required for career advancement and is frequently accompanied by direct or indirect monetary rewards. The familiar “publish or perish” paradigm in academia adds a proverbial stick to the carrot of career advancement. But even without these obvious professional motivations, almost all human beings crave recognition for their efforts.
After all of the hard work that goes into performing successful research, the final crucial step is choosing the right journal in which to publish. Publication in journals also benefits the careers of those who publish, even technical specialists who publish infrequently. Publication in a peer-reviewed journal is the obvious goal of most research projects. It is through publication that Researchers have an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas with the rest of the scientific community which may prove invaluable in improving the existing and prospective knowledge base in a particular field. Some journals are published weekly, some monthly and some at other regular intervals.
So, Good Luck for your Research!
Source: Chris A. Mack, “How to Write a Good Scientific Paper?” Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), Washington (2018).