Great Research, Great Publications – Why & How

Graham H. PykeSchool of the Environment

University of Technology Sydney

Content• Research & Being a researcher… What’s it all about?• Great Research … How to recognise?• Great Research … How to do?

Approach/ MindsetTools

• Great Research … What’s the point?• Research quality … How assessed?

Research is about …• Observations & QuestionsÞWhy is it so?ÞWhat are the consequences?

• Explanation & PredictionÞIf A then B … Yes/ No?

• Iterative processÞUnderstanding increases

Being a Researcher is about …

… discovering/ understanding

& ??

Being a Researcher is about …

… discovering/ understanding

& telling the world

& ??

Being a Researcher is about …

… discovering/ understanding

& telling the world

& having fun

Research has …

Context

Great research requires …

Approach/ Mindset:

“SIP”

• Significance

• Influence

• Presentation

Tools required: Significance

• Identify questions &/or issues

• Hierarchy

• Evaluate Fundamental significance Relevance

Example: Significance

Fundamental Question:

Why do animals (& other organisms) forage the way they do?

Þ Hierarchy of questions

Tools required: Influence

• Audience size

• Influence level

(Context)

Example: Influence

• Audience

Everyone interested in Biology

• Influence sought:

Adopt advocated approach

Tools required: Presentation

• Standard approach …KISSConciseLogicalClear

• Pursuing Excellence …CaptivatingCompellingMemorable

Writing: My Approach

• Logical order of simple points• These are lead sentences of separate

paragraphs• One point per paragraphÞApplies to articles, reviews, grant

proposals, reports etcÞTest & Outcomes

Writing: Test

Combine lead sentences of each paragraph into single body of text.

Convey ‘story’ simply & completely

Understandable to almost anyone

=> Feedback

Writing: Outcomes

Basis for abstract or summary

Basis for being captivating, compelling & memorable

Research excellence: How?

• SIP Approach …Significance maxInfluence max Presentation is captivating, compelling &

memorable

• Tools

• Feedback

Great Research: Your career

• Opportunity

• Grants

• Students

• Institution

ÞYou

Research Excellence: Metrics

• QuantityÞ ‘Publish … Or perish’

• Qualitye.g., # publs weighted by venue ‘quality’

# citations

Þ Now: ‘Publish in high quality venues and be well cited …. Or perish”

Þ Future: ‘Publish & be well cited … Or perish’

Great Research? Great publications?Goals

Research of (relatively) high significance & influence

Publication (or other presentation) that is captivating, compelling and memorable, while being simple, concise, logical and clear.

Great Research? Great publications?How

• SIP approachÞResearch & presentation excellenceÞCitations & other performance measuresÞAll-round benefits

• Tools essential

• Focus & Determination

Why do you do research?

Why do you do research?

‘Because I love it’

Why do you do research?

‘Because I love it and seek to make a significant and positive difference’

Further Reading

• Pyke, G.H. (2000) A strategy for reviewing the biology of animals. Australian Zoologist 31: 482-491

• Pyke, G.H. (2013) Struggling scientists. Please cite our papers! Current Science 105 (8): 1061-1066

• Pyke, G.H. (2014) Achieving research excellence and citation success: What’s the point and how do you do it? BioScience Advance Access 15 Jan 2014

Questions?