It is clearly more advantageous to write research papers because they are closely tied to merit pay increases and promotions. Nevertheless, writing a book is more time consuming and fulfilling. Therefore, early in a person's career, they should write research papers. Later in a career it is better to write at least one book.

It is clearly more advantageous to write research papers because they are closely tied to merit pay increases and promotions. Nevertheless, writing a book is more time consuming and fulfilling. Therefore, early in a person's career, they should write research papers. Later in a career it is better to write at least one book.

Conducting research would be a much more inviting proposition for me. But this is just a personal preference. Writing a textbook has its own benefits but the process of coming up with a good textbook would entail a fair bit of research too. If we can't engage in some amount of substantial research for the curriculum materials we propose to design and develop, then it's hard to do it from the heart.

Writing book is not an easy task. It requires a lot of planning, and extended amounts of time to get your thoughts in the correct diction so as to be simple, lucid presentation of the knowledge for the benefit of the reader. As dear Reginald says it is good to concentrate on journal paper writing in the early career and then get to book writing in later years when you have obtained sufficient experience in writing and presenting information. Book writing may be more economically beneficial if it is an accepted textbook.

In my case I started writing books after completing about 15 years of research and teaching.

In general, I believe that for purposes of promotion, a researcher would prefer to conduct a research. 

In my opinion, it depends of the type of book that you have the intention to write or the type of research you have the intention to carry out.

If you have the possibility to carry out a research in one of your preferible scientific field, with the necessary funding, and with a potential outcome that could have an important impact in science and in the society, then I will prefer to conduct a research than to write a book. In this specific case, it is also important to highlight that at the end of the research activity a book can be written describing the develop and the main outcomes of the research.

However, if the research has been selected by others and you have been asked to be the team leader in a field not within your priority as a researcher, then perhaps in this case could be better to write a book in a field within your priority as researcher.

In our U.S. University of Connecticut, textbook-writing is disdained as less important than new research:  textbooks solidify and teach established knowledge, while research reveals new knowledge. On the other hand, textbooks can reward their author with many royalties and honoraria. Research, especially in the Humanities which I teach, offers no opportunities for economic enrichment-- not that this matters much anyhow.

for me both are tempting, writing a book needs very long time (months) while conducting a research needs weeks.

if there is a need for writing a new book that's unique of its kind, covers a new area of research, then writing it is preferable. however, if we look at book titles we find a large number of books written about the same subject, this is redundant and serves only the publishers.for example if we search for "algorithms" in Amazon we find 44,941 results for Books : "algorithm". this is too much. in this competitive world you need to be lucky to publish a successful book. 

In the other hand, research papers are not redundant, or at least they are not allowed to be redundant. and writing new ideas is a joy by itself.

In my field, there are already 2 very good international textbooks; each was written by 3 to 6 authors.  Actually right now, I prefer to do research and report on this, rather than write a textbook.  Besides, Book Publishers are looking for innovative ideas, not for the same idea reworked or repackaged in a different form; as this link says.

http://www.mountainplains.org/articles/2000/opinion/writing_a_textbook.html

I like doing research rather than writing a textbook; I just feel more comfortable with doing research.

I agree with Nageswara and Reginald in writing articles  early in the career and writing books later in a career.   I am concentrating on writing articles for now. 

Actually text book is alot challenging. Some university iffen ask lecturer to write on text book as resource material for student in some subjects such as data mining and datawarehouse

After all i agree with all prof state it take longer time to write text book than research paper.

For first researcher it would be good to write research paper that they can plan to be a textbook later on. As if a chapter of book is ellaboration of a research paper that you write before.

I have never written a textbook so far. I have 7 research or edited books to my credit.  If have time, I prefer to devote it to research. However, as I am close to the end of my employment, I am thinking of writing at least 2 or 3 textbooks because  I am not satisfied with the present textbooks in the areas of my specialization.

i feel conducting research

writing a review

writing a research paper

writing a book chapter

writing a book specific domain

this is the sequence which i preffer

Both are unique, but conducting a research is dynamic than compared to writing a text book....

Research output is an "as-is" of Observed and studied....

Text book is 'comprehension of  researches' in the similar field ...

I had both running parallel for me ....Academic- Consulting (Research)..

In Academics i need to prepare the content so went in search of 'published and proven materials'.... which resulted in 2 textbooks;

In Consulting various verticals, each organization was unique and so started learning - Unlearning - Relearning...

I remember I have started my academic career with writing two textbooks, then I started to conduct researches.

Dear Mahfuz, thanks for the encouraging question. I believed that writing a textbook is not an easy job when compared to conducting a research work. This question has motivated me to attempt writing a textbook apart from lots of research works...

Dear Mahfuz,

Very interesting questions. I'm a researcher, performing with passion both activities: field, cultural researches and writing books. I enjoy both activities which are conjugated to each other and constantly present in professional life.

of-course, to conduct a research is much better. although I have written book and it took me more than 2 years, people don't own books any more these days. net is more easy to access articles. you may argue to place the book in the net but publishers don't get the profits.   

Some writers face problems with books publishers. What kind of prblems you may face with books publishers?

Personally I prefer to write articles. I have not yet thought about writing a book.

Dear Mahfuz,

I had a problem with book publisher. They become rich from your brain effort. Very little money you get back.

Research is more favored but writing a textbook or a manual is a demanding work which ought to be valued if the product gives a sign of success such as when students or scholars wait for the 2nd or 3rd edition ...etc. In the world of today , more concise books or manuals are desired.

As a scientist you need to be well known in your field. The more you are popular figure, the more you receive invitations to contribute in a book or a book chapter. Yes it is time consuming and with no money rewards. yet it is another experince you add to your personality as a scientist. 

Dear Eman, I agree with you that writing a textbook or a chapter is another experience you add to your personality as a scientist. 

I prefer conducting research more than writing textbook.

Regards, 

Nitish

Dear Nitish,

It is a matter of personal choice and need. Some academic promotion systems put a limited number for textbooks for promotion.

The two are not mutually exclusive nor in competition!

Period!

To do something one should have motivation or motivate himself. So everything depends on circumstances. The main point is personal satisfaction doing a good job.

I agree with you Kazaros, "To do something one should have motivation or motivate himself. So everything depends on circumstances".

The two. writing a textbook needs many data and many knowledge compilation and processing, conducting research is part of our daily profession

Dear Roland, I completely agree with you that conducting research is about analytic spirit, while writing the textbook is about my capacity of synthesis.

I do agree with Roland too, I would prefer writing a textbook that integrates in a personal vision the results of the researches conducted previously. But I wont go away from conducting a research that may help me as a textbook writer  to keep up-to-date with the research in a particular subject area, and presented with the most valuable information in that subject field.

Conducting  research is an essential tool. Formulating theories, developing methods, planning experiments to test a theory can be very engaging. Working on a project with potential for improving a certain field  can be rewarding.

Writing a text book is not much compelling to me compared to conducting research and publish findings in a research journal. To me writing a text book has it's impact if viewed from the perspective of social responsibilities to educate a group of researchers or research minded people to help establishing a strong platform from where they can begin their journey.

I completely agree with Reginald and Monica's view and what Reginald mentioned that writing research article could be important for early level career and writing text books could be important for a late level career.

Performing active research in a competitive environment and to publish the finding is very much attractive to me to run well ahead with new advancement and knowledge. Writing a text book seems to me some sort of reminiscence for the past golden era. But obviously good text book writers definitely have a better developed research eye and great vision to wrap the knowledge into a book format that can be sold faster. Authorship of a text book also can help someone to achieve a financial stability if it exceeds the expectation and well accepted by the target readers.

I consider a PhD thesis to be a the first book to be written by a researcher, albeit a highly specialized book. This is a classic example of a book written by conducting research!

Yes my dear Issam. I do completely agree with you. We can consider the PhD thesis to be the first book written by a researcher.

Yes my dear Kamal. The choice depends on the experience and time available to you.

Did it happen that any of us worked on both, a textbook and a research, at the same time.

Dear Mahfuz. The answer to your question is yes, a researcher could lead or participate in a research and at the same write a book on the development of this activity.

Thank you dear Jorge for your answer. I believe that a researcher works better under all kinds of pressure.

Dear Mahfuz, I think that this depends on the personality of a particular researcher. Perhaps some researchers work better under pressure, but perhaps others do not. I know both kind of researchers. 

Certainly my dear Jorge. This depends on the personality of a particular researcher.

I believe writing a chapter in a book is much desirable, and it also takes less time and less effort.

Certainly, Dear Kamal. That`s what happen.

Which takes longer time, writing a book or conducting a scientific research? What do you think?

Conducting research and then writing the report, is better but then in reality, we are doing both, doi g research work and writing it too :))

They are two sides of the same coin. Looking and searching for the truth.

True Jeanan, two sides of the same coin, unless we have the skill of writing and editing, we can't publish :))

Dear Professor Shafig.

I guess most of us in the past, worked on both, a textbook and a research, at the same time.

Writing papers it is sure that will be promoted. Writing a good book you may be well known. Papers are best for the beginning and before being old. Books are best at the late stages!  

Dear Kamal,

Yes, I agree with you. Publishing research results is the responsibility of every researcher.

Papers every researchers write as well also research is being conducted, these both are essential elements to be paced with. Books must also be written in a team work and to the best. But becoz book may take 1-2 years time hence preferred by few only, nowadays edited book can also have good scope and can be compiled will lesser time by inviting good researchers. Apart from this good reviews can also be attempted by all - which will be lesser time consuming than books and be receiving IF also. Slowly and slowly and in a planned way book need to be written on important topics and area of expertise may be with multi-disciplinary / related disciplines approaches. Now RG is a good forum and a team can be formulated of related and willing authors/researchers to invite and initiate a book to be compiled. Writing book and when published can give a feeling of some change and good accomplishment - which will boost anybody's performance also. 

When I retired, writing books is what I plan to do it. All my research finding, experience and maturity thought will be blended in to books. 

Dear Ruchi - try o write a book for known publisher say springer / elsevier -- and hope you will be more satisfied if it is appreciated by other, take your own time comfortably. Satisfaction in research depends on many variable factors that everybody know.

In my opinion high achievements and accomplishments need much time and hard works, best wishes Ruchi. A 10-5 office hr job or in lab will not make out all high achievements to be touched and so extra hours like in RG need to be devoted for writing and compiling / publishing a book.

Writing a book requires not only sharp clarity about your idea, but also how that idea, in book form, is unique in the market. Some writers have a deep knowledge of the community surrounding their topic, and understand the needs of their audience. Others do not have such knowledge.

There is no great mystery involved in producing a successful paper. It is basically a question of learning to organize your time and materials effectively. Therefore, time management is the key to success.

Writing a Text book is a compilation of Concepts and Proven content. It is an activity  while that of Research is a creative application of innovative tools towards a solution. It has a lot of iterations and on-the-way course corrections. Most of the researches are carried out based on the chronological requirement. The demand has an urgency and Importance attached to its expected outcome.  The ownership in a research is higher than that while writing a text book.

It depends on whether you are interested in teaching or research.

Both disseminate knowledge, but research is more concerned with novel ideas.