Publish or Perish: Barriers faced by Early Career Academics trying to find an outlet for their voice

Abstract

Within academia a culture of ‘publish or perish’ can place pressure on lecturers, often resulting in poor research practices, as an emphasis of ‘quantity over quality’ presides (Richards et al., 2021, p.8). As Kelly (2022) argues, this has resulted in a surge in competition, exacerbated by the increasing number of early career academics (ECAs) and early career researchers (ECRs) entering Higher Education (HE). As the arena to disseminate research widens, the opportunities for ECAs to share their ideas should become more accessible. However, this is not always the case.

This short piece explores why disseminating research is so important in the context of HE, as well as identifying some of the barriers faced, with a particular focus on those working as ECAs in post-92 universities. The aim in this piece is to empower new academics to contribute to this ever-growing wealth of knowledge, with some practical guidance and words of support.