doing successful publishable research

7/30/2019 Doing Successful Publishable Research

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Raj Aggarwal 1

Doing Successful PublishableResearch: Some Guidelines

Raj Aggarwal [email protected] Frank C. Sullivan Professor of International Business and Finance

University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325

April 12, 2007; Youngstown State University


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Raj Aggarwal 2

Introduction

Thank you for inviting me I am honored Three part presentation

Why do Publishable Scholarly Research?

How to do Scholarly Research?

How to Make it Publishable?

Q and A


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Why do Research-Societal?

Professors are supposed to add to knowledge notjust distribute it; We are trained to create new

knowledge

AACSB requires it schools need mission drivendefinition of AQ; 50/65/80% AQ requirement

Faculty research is important for society for the

efficient functioning of social institutions, as theknowledge capital of a society (basis for wealth

creation), and for the progress of humankind


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Why do Research-Personal?

As professors, we are expected to do so our

teaching loads are not those of high schools orcommunity colleges; we owe it to the taxpayers

Keeps us engaged in our fields avoids boredom

over a long professional life Keeps us demonstrably current in our fields

Unfair to our colleagues who do what we do and

also do research; Personal Pride Social Responsibility, AACSB/Job Requirement,

Professionalism, Fairness, and Pride


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Types of Acceptable Research

Scholarship ofDiscovery Scholarship ofApplication

Scholarship ofTeaching

However, all scholarly output must have the same

distinct characteristics; it must be

A unique contribution

Blind Peer Reviewed and is

Published after an Editorial Process


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Why the Publication Process?

Like any well-read person, faculty can just read in

their fields and keep up. But, the publication process:.. Reflects a higher/deeper level understanding and

knowledge than just reading

Is based on judging by peer experts and is independentof possible biases by local evaluators

Is similar to teaching (you are just teaching peers) and

can improve teaching skills

Ensures uniqueness of contribution

Is verifiable and auditable


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Changes over Professional Life Cycles Should all faculty members have to have the samepublication requirements? In a word, NO.

Changes in the mix of the three types of scholarshipover a professional life-cycle are very appropriate notgood to straightjacket professors at different life-cyclestages with the same set of requirements.

E.g., an Assistant Prof can have an 80/20% mix ofdiscovery/application scholarship, a full professor mayhave a 10/40/40% mix of discovery/application/teaching

scholarship However, it is reasonable to expect a minimum level of

discipline-based discovery/application scholarly outputfor each faculty regardless of other responsibilities


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Goal Setting for Scholarly Work

It is important to set your professional goalsfor achievements in scholarly output

consistent with your life cycle stage and

other responsibilities and in consultationwith your department chair and the dean

It is best if these goals are also sharedpublicly with colleagues


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Commitment to Deliver

So far we have discussed why do publishableresearch and what type of research is best for each

professor

We have also seen why we must share our goalswith our chair and dean and perhaps even with our

colleagues so we are committed!

How do we go about it, i.e., how best do wedeliver on our commitment to publish?


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Doing Scholarly Research My Comments Focus on Non-Fiction/Scientific

Research, Writing, and Publishing Strategies

Perspective of a Scholar, Writer, and Journal Editor:Ex-Finance Editor,Journal of InternationalBusiness Studies; Ex-Editor, Financial Practice &Education and Corporate Finance Review;

Associate Editor, Financial Review, EuropeanJournal of Finance, International Business Review,Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, andother journals

Focus here is on How toDo Good Research and theSuccessful Publication of such Research


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Defining the Topic/Problem

Starts with a critical Reading and Understanding of theTopic area; Identify and assess gaps in the literature

Select an Important gap that you can fill This isCritical and can be very difficult but is an ExtremelyImportant step

Collect the necessary data, analyze it, and assess and

describe the results Assess the extent to which you have filled an important

gap in the literature;

Repeat this process as necessary, i.e., do some more re-search until you clearly fill an important and interestinggap


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The Plan/Goals for the Paper

Focus on a Research Idea that is ofInterest toboth you and the Profession

This Research Idea Should Focus on an important

Gap in the Literature that You Can Fill Your Lit Review Should Identify this Gap Clearly

The Rest of the Paper Should Show How this Gap

Has Been Filled (i.e., the Contribution)


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Writing the Paper

Write a readable paper that presents the results ofyour efforts Title, Abstract, Introduction,

Literature Review, Data and Research Design,

Findings, Conclusions, References, Tables/Figures Start writing the easiest part first; perhaps starting

from the middle and expanding in both directions

to get a finished paper The abstract, the introduction, and the conclusion

are the most important and should be finalized last


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Effective Writing

Do Not Obscure Good Research with PoorWriting - Only Good Writing is Published

Follow an Outline and Write Clearly and

Precisely Using Short Sentences

Tables, Figures, Exhibits are all Very Useful

Make a point, the main point, clearly;eliminate even pet ideas that are distracting


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Revising and Seasoning a Paper

Revise sections as necessary and as you completeeach section; revise the completed first draft.

Leave the completed draft alone for a while and

then go back and revise it again. Prepare a presentation based on the paper and

revise the paper after you finish the presentation

presentations give YOU a chance to think clearlyabout your paper; in addition to other comments


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Polishing the Paper

Present the Completed Paper to an InterestedAudience; Edit, Revise, Rewrite and Season;Repeat this Cycle a Few Times as Necessary BeforeSending the Paper for Publication

Select the Appropriate Journal; Modify the Paperto Fit Its Content and Style as Necessary

Start with the best journal for your paper (not toohigh or low); Academic/Research Journals are

Generally Ranked Based on Citations Quality requirements are generally lower for first

movers and higher for replications and extensions


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Executing the Publication Plan

Need to React Constructively to Reviewer Comments,i.e., Overcome Initial Emotions; Filter and balancecomments with your assessments; Must preparewritten responses addressing ALL reviewer comments

At some point it may be wise to move on to a differentjournal not re-submit a revision to a given journal

Do Work on Multiple Projects Over the Course of aYear BUT Work on each Project Long Enough and

Document its Progress Before Moving On to the Next Stay Positive It Really Helps!


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Organizing to Do Research is Important

Unlike Teaching and Service, Research is UsuallyNot in a Routine; Set Definitive Times andSpecific Goals for Research Each Week

Read the Literature for ideas and take notesVolunteer to Referee, Do Book Reviews, or OtherWork for Journals/Associations; learn how thesystem works from the other side

Discuss your Research Ideas with Your ownCommunity of Scholars, Many of Whom may beOutside Your Home Institution


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Ensuring Continuing Success

Now that we know what to do and how todo it, what will it take to actually do it?

Disciplined time commitment; e.g., one

hour every day, and/or two 3-hour sessionseach week (say M&W afternoons), etc.

Periodic reporting requirements; e.g.,

reporting to your friends, spouse, chair,commitment to present at a conference, etc.


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Ingredients for Continuing Success

You need a disciplined weekly commitment of

time for scholarly work You need a thick skin and an ability to takecritical reactions and convert them to somethinguseful to you peer reviews need not be but can

be brutal You need persistence very few if any papers get

accepted the first place they are submitted

You will get better with each round of thepublication cycle (btw, how did you do the firsttime you taught?)


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Conclusions

Scholarly output is a requirement for allfaculty members

Decide on the right mix of scholarship in

discovery, application, and teaching It will take disciplined commitment and a

thick skin to actually produce scholarly

output Good Luck and Best wishes!


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Conclusions 2

Thank you for your time and attention I hope at least some of what I said was

useful to you

Glad to answer any questions you may have

doing successful publishable research

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