Interesting challenge, especially your point, Tracey, that "This poses huge development challenges for academics who may have predominantly engaged in teaching, entered from practitioner roles ...". Personally I think that the more "enlightened" institutions are recognizing the win-win in providing separate but equal career paths for academics: one for those who wish to have a research focus and one for this who wish to focus on learning and teaching. But that does not resolve your current conundrum.

Leaving aside useful suggestions such as collaborating with a more experienced researcher (and one who also publishes), there is an approach which an individual researcher can take. Find a good (but not the "best") journal in their field which publishes the type of research which they are also interested in undertaking.

**Analyze the articles which get published to identify patterns (of success)

**Methodologies used; approach to analysis; extent of the literature review

After you've published for awhile, you realize that many journals tend to publish articles that are similar in their approach / structure. And journals will normally stipulate what they are looking for.

This kind of "homework" on the part of the aspiring academic author gives them something for which to aim.

Hi Tracey! Hope you are fine. When I started my journey on a research project related to cloud computing, I found it very difficult to do something new. Whatever I planned to do, found done already. I thought I should give up. My professor stepped in and asked me to read articles first to find what exists already to do something that does not exist. That was the beginning and his words inspired me a lot.

Thank you Arafat. That is always a great place to start, particularly to identify the gap you wish to fill. Fortunately, the more Open Access our research becomes the easier it is for those not privileged with university subscriptions to begin to spot this gap early.  

What advice would you provide? See my E-book for researchers.

Have you personally overcome hiccups in your research journey that may provide inspiration to others? Yes.

1. The time has to be right. (Seize the opportunity). The proposal is the first key document. (You don't get married without first providing an engagement ring, do you?!). Persist... the first proposal never works.

2. The first data will unusable. The second data will also be usable. The third too... Persist.

3. The thesis-book will attract so much red ink that you will completely rewrite it. Write with the wisdom of retrospection. Persist.

How did you develop confidence to 'press that submit' button?

I was physically posting a paper (old-school) in the red post box. I hesitated. A guy came and queued behind me to post. “Push it in harder!” he encouraged me. Persist.

What support did your institution provide that supported you?

They gave me a carte-blanche to do the research and nothing else. (Thanks, A! Thanks, H!)

What advice would you provide to less practised/confident academics to support them to begin researching and publishing? Start with an interim research question and build your reading list now.

You are always welcome Tracey....

Dear Tracey,

Researching and publishing are two  big things. Researching needs more skills however, publishing  probably  harder that need knowledge and skills together. The first concept is believing that a researcher is doing  something good for people not for promotion only. Researchers that are following promotion will stay inside a closed  box. Ethics, learning, practicing  is something to learn through the journey of scientific research. 

Cheers

Aly

I would recommend the following:

- have the enthusiasm to learn

- being diligent and hard worker

- take research courses, statistics and theory in the field of interest

- work in a team, especially at the early steps,

- follow advisor instructions

- don’t become frustrated if you get heavy comments from the journals, take it as learning comments

- keep modifying until you publish

At the time of initiating me for the first time in research I ask myself:

• Are there dimensions of scientific production in my area of competence in which I discover deficiencies?
• Can I bring knowledge and perspective into the dimensions in those areas?
• Can I link with other researchers with convergent insights and interests about those areas of research?

An affirmative answer to all three questions is not enough. Interest, opportunity, feasibility must be three characteristics of the research project.

One advice I keep on giving is 'Only do research in a subject that really nags you'. If you really want to know, you will persist. If it is just 'nice to know' or 'researching because it is expected' any setback will set you back. If you really want to know, you will overcome setbacks and maybe find power in them to prove it is needed.

I was a practitioner for 30 years before becoming a full time academic. My advice is to write about what you know. You are more familiar with it and have a better mastery of that subject.  You also have something to add to the intellectual conversation that others might not. I also agree with Steven, research and then write about what interests you. You must develop a passion for the subject being researched. Lastly, find someone to write with. In my doctoral program we were taught to write in teams. In real life most research is accomplished in teams. This gives you support and a wider view of the problem at hand. 

Gregg, Thanks for such great advice. 

Simply put, be innovative with research and publish confidently in your area regardless of challenges.

What advice would you provide to less practiced / confident academics to support them to begin researching and publishing?

You can also consider the following RG links:

Interesting challenge, especially your point, Tracey, that "This poses huge development challenges for academics who may have predominantly engaged in teaching, entered from practitioner roles ...". Personally I think that the more "enlightened" institutions are recognizing the win-win in providing separate but equal career paths for academics: one for those who wish to have a research focus and one for this who wish to focus on learning and teaching. But that does not resolve your current conundrum.

Leaving aside useful suggestions such as collaborating with a more experienced researcher (and one who also publishes), there is an approach which an individual researcher can take. Find a good (but not the "best") journal in their field which publishes the type of research which they are also interested in undertaking.

**Analyze the articles which get published to identify patterns (of success)

**Methodologies used; approach to analysis; extent of the literature review

After you've published for awhile, you realize that many journals tend to publish articles that are similar in their approach / structure. And journals will normally stipulate what they are looking for.

This kind of "homework" on the part of the aspiring academic author gives them something for which to aim.

Dear Tracey,

My personal experience shows that success in researching and publishing in the HE sector depends to some extent on the practices in the field or discipline. It would have been helpful to know in which area or discipline you are working, even in this days of INTERDISCIPLINARITY. Knowing this could help one add a few useful tips to what has been said above, especially by Richardson and by Edwards.

Hi, as someone who moved slowly into academia from a paramedic on-road I think that good leadership within the university really helps. Some practical advice would be to instigate a dedicated mentor for new staff (that is not a manager). This is really helpful at the beginning.

Also - realistic expectations and more recognition of smaller bite sized achievements. This builds confidence as well as creates a sense of engagement.

@ Tracey Wond My E-textbook on the subject arose partly out of the need to educate polytechnicons which now needed to do some research.

See

https://www.amazon.com/how-research-todays-tips-tools-ebook/dp/b01i5jjdxc

Better to start research today without thinking more and wasting time.