PhD Tips: Getting Your Work Out There – Papers Are Not the Be-all-and-end-all

When we embark on our PhD journeys, we are all sold the same tune: the only way to make your mark is to publish papers – as many as possible and preferably in the highest ranking journals. So we put ourselves under enormous pressure to produce significant data and somehow work it into a story that is both compliant with rigorous scientific standards and interesting enough to grab the editor’s attention.

But what if your ‘landmark discovery’ never happens? What if your paper only makes it into The Journal of an Incredibly Obscure Area of Science instead of Nature?  In this situation, it can be easy to blame yourself as a ‘poor scientist’ who ‘didn’t work hard enough’. We forget that luck plays a major role in any discovery, and that journals are besieged with floods of worthy manuscripts every day. Yet the insightful scientist realises that there are other ways to get their research onto the public stage, whether it brings a new insight or not. At the end of the day, apart from your thesis, do you want the only legacy from your gruelling labours to be one or two dry reports in little-known publications that only a small percentage of the population can even access? Would you rather be remembered as a citation or as a real, living scientist – the kind kids dream of becoming?

It is possible! You CAN become famous and do good in the world without writing a single paper. And here are some ideas to get you started:

Inspire the next generation

Exam boards are being increasingly prompted to link their curriculum to the latest research, hence many textbook publishers welcome input from real scientists. Given the scope of the curriculum, you are sure to find a niche for your work that supports key learning objectives. I was once contacted out of the blue by an editor who had spotted an article I wrote on transgenic plants that were being developed to detoxify chemicals from explosives. This led to the article being featured in one of the latest Edexcel A Level Biology textbooks. It’s thrilling to think that, right now, inquisitive students might be reading my very words and considering a career in science. Besides textbooks, other educational resources include the Biological Sciences/Chemistry /Physics Review magazines, which aim to introduce students to areas of science beyond the curriculum. Don’t be afraid to pitch article suggestions to the editors – often, they are only too delighted and the worst they can do is say no!

Go Mainstream!

Even the big, mainstream news outlets – such as the BBC and broadsheet newspapers – feature science stories these days. And why shouldn’t your research be there? If your work is relevant to a topical issue, e.g. food security, health or climate change, then the public will be interested. But your research won’t leave the lab unless you give it a hand! All it takes is a well-written press release where the media can find it. Your institute almost certainly has a press office whose staff can help you to craft your words into a succinct message that catches the attention of journalists. Believe me, this does work: press releases which I have written have ended up in the Daily Telegraph, the Metro and the Today Programme: just think how many people you can reach! You’ll soon find that a successful press release quickly generates a momentum of its own as once one person has reported on it, others will quickly want to take up the story. This can be a brilliant way to raise your personal profile and boost future funding bids for your lab.

Influencing policy

There may be only a few science degrees in the House of Commons, but our Government is keen to ensure that all its policies are based on the best evidence available. Hence, Select Committees play a key role in conducting inquiries into issues requiring government attention. Anyone can submit evidence for an inquiry and, if your input is deemed relevant enough, you could be invited to sit before the committee as an expert in the field. This is the way to make sure that key decision makers are aware of your work and you could ultimately influence future legislation. Keep your eye on the webpage for the Science and Technology Committee to see what inquiries are accepting evidence. Current topics include artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, satellites and digital skills, to name but a few. You can find more information about submitting evidence on the parliament website.

Make a book of it

If you have a creative streak that’s desperate for an outlet, or if you are simply fed up with the fiction offerings in your library, why not have a go at writing a novel that features your research? It’s not as outlandish as it might sound – think of the success Ian McEwan had with Solar. And these days, you don’t even have to wait for a publisher to come calling, as you can self-publish online, for instance using Amazon. By embedding your work around your characters, you can help the public to relate to the world of research which may otherwise seem distant and inaccessible for them. Use your lab group, friends and family as sounding boards for your ideas and just dive in!

With the intimate knowledge you have about your research, you deserve the chance to let it shine without the pressure of worrying about your academic metrics. And in the years to come, you may find that you are more proud of the ‘alternative’ ways you became published, rather than your research papers…

Caroline Wood is midway through a PhD studying parasitic weeds at the University of Sheffield. When she’s not agonising over her experiments, she loves to write and will cover most scientific topics if they stay still long enough. In her spare time, she enjoys helping at public outreach events, hill walking and escapism at the cinema. She blogs at http://scienceasadestiny.blogspot.co.uk/