Publish or perish must perish
Today’s research environment puts pressure on researchers to publish as many scientific papers as they can. There are many downsides: It pushes them to cut corners to boost their output. It fuels a whole industry in publishing low-quality and even fraudulent science. And it generates an ocean of scientific papers that nobody can reasonably navigate.
It also leads to anxiety, stress, and burnout among researchers.
Research institutions should foster environments where researchers can thrive, not just survive. Here are simple things institutions can do:
Publish less: Find ways to dial back the pressure they put on researchers to publish journal articles.
Communicate more: Give researchers better support for engaging others about their work. Engagement is like fuel. It keeps researchers connected to their purpose and leads to bigger impact.
As funders increasingly want to see broader impacts from their research dollars, institutions that do this will be better positioned for success into the future.
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Paul Martin Jensen is founder and CEO of Etalia, a health research communications and training firm.