Publishing a scientific paper is exciting. But let’s be honest about this—what is the use of publishing a paper if nobody reads it, nobody finds it relevant, and finally, it does not contribute anything worth mentioning to that field?
Nowadays, so many scientists, especially in academia, seem to have forgotten what they’re doing the research for.
The focus, very often, is on the quantity of the publications rather than the quality. They rush to publish papers and believe that the more publications they have, the better scientists they are. But in fact, they forget one crucial point: research is not about adding one more article to an already overstuffed library; it’s about seeking knowledge, solving complex problems, and making a contribution toward the advancement of humanity.
Sad truth
The sad truth is that scientific productivity has begun to be equated, even by researchers themselves, with publication metrics. The result is that young researchers are misguided into believing that publishing a paper alone, regardless of its actual impact on the world of science and society, is all there is. Consequently, they miss the integral elements of research, such as building a robust, testable hypothesis, critical data analysis, or new methodology. And for what reason does this occur? Much of the blame, if you ask me, actually lies with our seniors in science and professors. Some of them have turned the scientific journey into a numbers game. They believe that the endgame should be big citations, big impact factors, and big h-index scores. Students and young researchers imitate the behavior of their supervisor without quizzing themselves as to whether they are on the right track.
Me too
I too have been a part of this flawed system. But now just increasing the number of my publications does not make me happy anymore. The quality of the research makes me more happy now and it does not matter if it takes years of work to publish a single paper. If I want to call myself a scientist, quality is the way that I shall follow (and of course, all scientists should do the same).
Real satisfaction
It is tough when institutes and organizations evaluate your worth based on metrics. But believe me, when one pursues research based on curiosity and solving a real problem, it gives a satisfaction that no amount of publication can give. It’s a slow process, but it’s far more rewarding in the long run.
As a young science enthusiast, it makes me sad that we are trapped in the game of metrics instead of doing real research and this short article is just about guiding a younger generation than me. There is lots of potential in young researchers and if they do stay on the right path of research, a better future is waiting for us all.
