Publish or Perish: Impediments to Research Output and Publication

Abstract

Research plays a crucial role in the development and dissemination of knowledge. Scholars as academics should conduct research, publish, and then convey their knowledge to students or apply what they have learned. Research Informed Teaching is not just about pedagogic research or research into higher education; it is about the complex interplay of the core activities of higher education linked by their mutual relationship to learning. There is, therefore, need to reforge the link between teaching-research. The aim of this study was to investigate factors that militate against research output and publication in institutions of higher learning in South Africa as well as suggest solutions with specific reference to one university. Using a desktop and content analysis approaches, the study established that lack of funding, lack of interest, poor research skills and lack of time due to high teacher-student ratios as well as heavy lecturing obligations were some of the impediments to research output and publication. The study, therefore, recommended that academics be given one day out for research per week, writing retreats to be conducted, mentoring of novice researchers, collaborative research, recognising excellence in teaching through research led initiatives and establishment of in- house journals.