Many researchers will not publish their findings - especially earlier on in their career. There are multiples reasons and it may just need one or more of them to prevent it happening. The main reasons tend to relate to; time, apathy, 'losing the moment', worn down by the reviewing process, perceiving the 'glass ceiling' affect, lack of confidence, over-critical reviewers and supervisors, 'moving onto the next project' etc. The only way to encourage publication - is to set up systems that 'reverse' all the points mentioned - and that cannot be achieved overnight.

On the contrary, I think these researches exist. You will find them most in stacks at universities in some developing countries. I think what could be done by those universities should be to find ways of publishing these researches online. In the developed world, of course few will not publish it for reasons ranging from the fact that they want to publish the findings with a reputable publisher or never to the fact that the the researcher only did the research as a means to further his/her industrial career.

Many researchers will not publish their findings - especially earlier on in their career. There are multiples reasons and it may just need one or more of them to prevent it happening. The main reasons tend to relate to; time, apathy, 'losing the moment', worn down by the reviewing process, perceiving the 'glass ceiling' affect, lack of confidence, over-critical reviewers and supervisors, 'moving onto the next project' etc. The only way to encourage publication - is to set up systems that 'reverse' all the points mentioned - and that cannot be achieved overnight.

I am in a different view on this question. I have uploaded the full text of my PhD thesis on the ling below in RG to reach maximum ex poser. I am expecting fruitful discussion about this

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255909976_CONJUNCTIVE_USE_OF_SURFACE_AND_GROUNDWATER_TO_IMPROVE_FOOD_PRODUCTIVITY_IN_A_RESTRICTED_AREA_Degree_of_Doctor_of_Philosophy?ev=prf_pub

Thesis CONJUNCTIVE USE OF SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER TO IMPROVE FOOD P...

Sounds like a good strategy Jane - and peer support is always a good motivator. Sera - if data is more than 5-years old, as a reviewer, I am immediately wary. It' not to say that i would reject it on that basis - but I would ask the authors to identify the reason for the time-lapse; which may be valid i.e. follow-up data needed

A good reason that researchers do not publish their work-- at least in the humanities-- is the lack of a series available in university presses to publish their subject matters. I have found that if I publish on a theme in which bibliography abounds, editors will snap it up for publication. If, on the other hand, I choose a theme incompatible with editors' interests, my writings may have to wait unpublished. As an emeritus professor, I enjoy the advantage of publishing without publish-or-perish pressure. But I would advise those who do have that pressure to find out which publishing series are available in leading university presses in their fields. An easy way to get this information is to consult peers at other universities successful in publishing in the particular field. A long distance phone call to a successful peer, whether he is personally known to the caller or not, will flatter him into giving any amount of advice as to how best to break into print.

Another reason that research work goes unpublished is rejection by a journal or by a university press. To those researchers who are younger than I-- and almost everyone is-- I would say, don't be discouraged by a single rejection. My most successful publications have been those revised after having been rejected once and sent elsewhere.

Correct on your last point Nelson. Particularly novice researchers should try to view rejection as 'opportunity' - rather than a negative thing. Feedback should help to motivate and redesign, increasing chances of success the next time. Unless, of course, the feedback is that your submission is so fundamentally flawed that it is unpublishable; in which case, perhaps best to 'take it on the chin' and move onto the next project.

Dean, in graduate school I had a professor who boasted of never having had any submission of his rejected for publication. Only when I reached his level in the profession did I realize that such a boast could have meant excessive conservatism, fear to venture forth in new directions, beyond what most editors considered acceptable.

An interesting viewpoint Nelson - and I fully agree. Especially nowadays, with increased competition etc, I pretty much go in with a 50/50 view - no matter how good I think that my submission is. Your professor, I guess, had a lucky run - but that's not the usual journey. Either he/she was a genius - or they just kept chipping away. I can generally get a publication eventually but, less so than in the past, and certainly less so first time around.

I take your other point as well, to a certain extent. They may have 'nailed it' to the degree that their findings were 'safe and predictable' - and their name was well known to editors etc.

Another reason that researchers do not publish, as simplistic as it sounds, is just plain timidity. They fear making a faux pas, no matter how well grounded their research may be. The Spanish philosopher Ortega y Gasset claimed as much, despite the fact that he headed up some very prestigious journals, (and so did Spain's most famous lyric poet Federico Garc'ia Lorca, who had an irrational fear of his critics).

If we know researchers troubled by such timidity, we should point out to them that even someone as self-proud as Hegel advised showing the daring to make mistakes. Everyone commits them, and no book is absolutely free of misprints.

Yes Nelson - fear of rejection or critical feedback is a substantial barrier for many - and often an irrational 'perceived' fear (or relates to my earlier point about the 'glass ceiling' affect); especially when that fear prevents first-time authors.

Dean, here is something for you to ponder: sometimes dissertation directors have attained such prestige in the doctoral candidate's mind-- justly or unjustly--, that fear paralyzes the candidate's electronic pen. Analogously, some journals have achieved such prestige in the profession, that professionals fear to submit manuscripts to those reviews.

In the case of the cowed student, I gently suggest that he will make more progress writing if I cease to direct his thesis in favor of someone else. In the case of the fearful professional, I ask him what can he lose by submitting a good piece of work to a superior journal.

Yes Nelson - more good advice and pondering. I suppose that supervisors, editors, reviewers etc can only hope to 'demystify' the process and support as constructively as possible. It may not be a level playing-field out there but, at the same time - like the lottery - 'you've got to be in it to win it'. There's no point standing on the side lines just contemplating it.

I´m reminded, dear Dean, of the old Spanish proverb, ¨If you want to catch a trout/ Venture into the river.¨ The sheer deliciousness of seeing one´s name in print in the most respected journals and of savoring one´s own work in a consecrated, printed form can only come after submitting one´s own work without fear. Anticipation of the delight should outweigh any hesitation born of fear. Artists often express the delectation of going back and reading their own works

Larisa, I wish I had known your dad. He not only wrote cogently, but also appreciated the joy of appearing in print. Whenever I publish a new book, I always tell my children that they have a new brother! The metaphor isn´t mine, but Plato´s, who loved the joy of immortalizing himself in writing.

I believe in sharing all my works with others for better criticism and improvement of my research work. You can see almost all my works are uploaded in RG. I have even uploaded my PhD thesis in RG see the link below

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Saravanamuttu_Sivakumar/contributions/?ev=prf_act

Agreed on the recent thread. Realising that the 'glass ceiling' is proverbial and exists only in the mind of the potential author as an unseen barrier, is a large part of over-coming the 'fear factor'. I definitely agree about the pleasure of seeing ones name 'in the spot-light'. It is really quite addictive. If it wasn't so - i doubt very much that I would have written as many articles, book chapters etc that I have. Knowing that your work is read and cited as well is equally addictive.

Knowing your work is read is cited, Dean, is occasionally scary. After giving the inaugural address in philosophy at the beginning of the school year at the University of Granada (Spain) before 250 scholars, I remember during the hour-long (!!!!!) question session, one student queried me, "Now in footnote 57 of page 254 of your recent book, you said...." I could only gulp.

Prof. Sivakumar,

I am embarrassed about sharing one of my works with others. Some researchers have relied on that work (which I produced to correct the mistakes of others), in order to correct a mistake that I made. So I would not wish to republish mistaken information.

Nelson - that does sound scary. Hasn't happened to me - yet!! In my mind 'all publicity is good publicity' - good or bad. That said, I've had very negative citation in my career - but you never know what's around the corner. I've had plenty of citation though where it is plain to see that the authors haven't even read my work - perhaps just the title. That's not so addictive.

Yes, Dean, I´ve have the same situation: they mention me all the time but don´t know what I said. How about this one though? I recently had one of my books reviewed in which the reviewer said nothing about what I said but proceeded to pan me by discussing works never mentioned by me and irrelevant, as well as published after my own publication. It makes you wish you didn´t publish at all. Whoops... I guess we´re getting away from Najim´s original question. But I had to tell the truth.

Oh yes Nelson - everyone's a critic - and talk is cheap!!

Najim might not mind too much - his questions is getting quite a long thread.

Hi Prof Dean Whitehead, Prof. Nelson Orringer

I am really enjoying your answers, experiences etc.. 131 have viewed the question and the answers up to now. It seems there are many who are following your experiences and points you raise. It is an encouragement to all of us too.

Cheers

Thanks Najim - it was a good question to ask in the first place. We are merely 'players'.

Lack of confidence and worry from the reviewing process