Improving Research
Publication Quality
at GCU
Professor John Marshall
Director
Academic Research Development
page 1
What is 1* to 4* publication quality in REF?
4* world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour
3* internationally excellent
2* internationally recognised
1* national level of excellence
u/c unclassified
page 2
Where should I publish?
Academic journals
Books and book chapters
Monographs
Conferences
Open source repositories/GCU repositories
On line or in print
Professional journals
Trade journals
Newspapers, magazines, blogs
Research Reviews
Education, teaching and scholarship
page 3
What makes a good REF publication?
High journal impact factor
Citation evidence of impact
Publication reputation is important
Specialist versus general audience
Leads in originality significance and rigour !
Impact beyond academia !
page 4
What makes a poor REF publication?
Work lacking in originality significance or rigour
Following others in terms or theory or practice
Failure to cite relevant state of the art academic literature
Publishing in low circulation or poor impact journals
Low levels of citation by other workers
Not supported by other indicators (e.g. esteem)
page 5
How do I improve my publication quality?
Read and cite the relevant literature, putting the state of the art
in perspective and relate your work to it
Clarify the aims and objectives and provide references
to relevant literature emphasising only what is original
or significant in your own work
Only include material that advances understanding
Draw conclusions justified by the evidence
Look outside your field for ideas of how to describe the
impact of your work
Get a peer to read your paper before you submit it
page 6
Other tips on publishing
Use keywords that attract readers (e-searches)
Use the abstract as a window on your work to attract interest
Publish collaboratively
Publish where the best in the field publish or in another field
where your work may have relevance
Never be discourteous to the work of others in print
Acknowledge the contributions of others, including
funders and sponsors
page 7
Dealing with referees comments on your publication
Do:
Read the referee’s comments properly
Make arguments logically with reference to evidence
where possible rather than opinion
Argue positively and assertively rather than negatively
Seek to address those points which are critical to
preventing publication
Ask for a second opinion from a colleague at GCU
Be unbelievably reasonable
page 8
Dealing with referees comments
on your publication
Don’t:
Get personal
Argue negatively about opinions
Miss the main argument or focus on minor issues
Don’t try to win every point – concede generously
page 9
Joining up Research Activity with Impact
Does my published output relate to my grants ?
Does the impact of my research go beyond academe?
How do I disseminate the results of my research?
Are beneficiaries aware of my research?
Do I publish in non-academic outlets also?
page 10
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE
page 11