Publish or perish? Using iterative research techniques to trouble the research development narrative.

This collaborative paper presents a novel form of iterative journal writing to challenge dominant narratives around successful research development. Drawing on aspects of complexity theory (notably iteration) we show how narrative form can simultaneously critique, inform and support the development of academic writers on a personal level.

After introducing ourselves and our rationale for undertaking this research, we present our iterative writing methodology. We show how a cyclical process of writing and response, with a focus on emotional responses to the demands and affordances of the pressure to publish, can inform and inspire critical self-reflexion as an indispensable part of our academic role as researchers and writers. This approach troubles a narrative in researcher development which sees the latter as a counterproductive exercise in human capital development, highlighting the extent to which the latter is gendered, individualistic and confrontational.

Initial findings include the need to express and develop emotional engagement with writing for publication in pedagogical settings. As a precursor to writing; as a foundation for selfhood; and as a fertile area for research itself, this neglected aspect of learning is, we argue, crucial to successful engagement with the increasingly significant publication narrative.

A paper proposal submitted for ESREA 2020.