Publication, Politics of

The pursuit of knowledge is a fundamental activity among scholars. It is why they conduct research. Yet discovery is rarely the end state for research. Researchers want the fruits of their labor to be disseminated to other researchers, policy makers, and practitioners.[Page 1361] In that way, it can have impact. To aid in information dissemination, mechanisms have emerged to evaluate the quality of research, package it in a useful form, and make it available to audiences. Although some scholars choose to self-publish by making their work directly available to audiences (e.g., by posting it online), most attempt to publish books, chapters, and journal articles that are sponsored by learned societies and/or offered by publishing houses. These organizations have resources and expertise that transcend those of ...