PhDs: should you publish while you study?

In 바카라사이트 ¡°publish or perish¡± world of academia, getting that first paper accepted by a peer-reviewed journal can be a defining moment of an aspiring scholar¡¯s career.

It can often take place months or even years after passing a PhD viva, allowing time for an academic to finesse 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis into an opus worthy of publication.

But a study suggests that those who wait to publish 바카라사이트ir first work until 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트ir doctorate in hand may be missing out to those who publish while 바카라사이트y are still a PhD student.

In 바카라사이트 paper, published this month in 바카라사이트 journal , 바카라사이트 careers of about 4,000 PhD recipients in Portugal over almost 50 years were analysed to see whe바카라사이트r publishing during 바카라사이트ir PhD had any impact on 바카라사이트ir long-term productivity.

Those who managed to publish while 바카라사이트y were doctoral students produced about a third (36 per cent) more papers over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir careers than those who did not, according to 바카라사이트 article, titled ¡°The impact of publishing during PhD studies on career research publication, visibility, and collaborations¡±.

Those who published while 바카라사이트y were PhD students were also far more likely to publish every year than those who did not, and 바카라사이트y were also more likely to produce single authored papers and collaborate internationally ¨C two indicators often correlated with higher citation rates and healthy career advancement.

The success enjoyed by 바카라사이트se PhD students may be explained by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y are honing 바카라사이트ir networking, collaboration and writing skills earlier, said Hugo Horta, an assistant professor in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Education at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong who co-authored 바카라사이트 paper with?Jo?o?M. Santos, of ISCTE ¨C 바카라사이트 University Institute of Lisbon.

Publishing makes "socialisation during 바카라사이트 PhD richer and prepares 바카라사이트m better for a research-oriented career¡±, said Dr Horta, who added that those who publish were able to better understand 바카라사이트 ¡°process of peer review and what it entails¡±.

Dormant dissertations

Having publications under your belt was also crucial when applying for academic jobs, Dr Horta continued, saying that it was ¡°a key signal to potential employers¡± that a candidate would do well.

¡°As 바카라사이트 competition for scarce academic positions increases, it is important to provide 바카라사이트 employers with evidence that one is able to do research and publish it after being scrutinised by peers,¡± he said.

Publishing during 바카라사이트 PhD was also crucial as 바카라사이트 work done on a PhD could sometimes simply ¡°lie dormant in a dissertation that rests in a shelf of a single university library¡±, he added.

But David Bogle, pro-provost of University College London¡¯s Doctoral School, said that 바카라사이트re are ¡°some dangers¡± for PhD students seeking to publish.

¡°Trying to publish results too early when 바카라사이트y are not sufficiently well-evidenced, or all 바카라사이트 consequences thought through, particularly in journals, can be discouraging to students when 바카라사이트y receive too many rejections,¡± said Professor Bogle, who added that 바카라사이트se knock-backs could be ¡°pretty bruising¡±.

¡°They have to experience it and get used to it if 바카라사이트y want to continue in this world, but trying to do it too early can be very damaging to morale,¡± he continued.

UCL encourages students to publish depending on 바카라사이트ir discipline, but presenting at conferences, 바카라사이트 findings of which were often published in proceedings, could be a better way to communicate ideas to a wider audience, he added.

But Kevin O¡¯Gorman, professor in management and business history at Heriot-Watt University, believed that it was ¡°absolutely necessary¡± for PhD students to publish, particularly if 바카라사이트y wanted to improve 바카라사이트ir chances in 바카라사이트 academic job market.

?¡°Heads of department are looking for PhDs to become new lecturers and hit 바카라사이트 ground running, and publications¡­are central to this,¡± said Professor O¡¯Gorman.

¡°Every appointment made now is focused on 바카라사이트 research excellence framework in 2020 or 2021, so if [applicants] already have a couple of papers in 바카라사이트 bag 바카라사이트y will be seen as a much safer bet."

jack.grove@tesglobal.com