Guest Column: Supporting Faculty Productivity at the University

Guest Column: Supporting Faculty Productivity at the University

By Laura HunterOffice of the Provost
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Laura Hunter, program and research manager in the Office of the Provost
Laura Hunter, program and research manager in the Office of the Provost

The adage of "publish or perish" continues to be relevant today. Scholarly productivity is one the main criteria assessed for tenure or promotion. Yet, faculty – especially new faculty – often struggle to produce the journal articles, books and other creative endeavors necessary for receiving tenure or advancing ranks. While the research process is often considered enjoyable, writing about the research can be frustrating and complicated. 

What research says about academic writing

Studies have found that some academics take a binging approach to writing: They write in long, intense periods in one day, but then do not return to writing for a length of time, such as a week. Binge writers may feel the need to wait until they have a long uninterrupted period to write, or they may wait until creativity or the mood to write strikes. Regular writers, on the other hand, write nearly every day, but for short periods of time, such as 90 minutes.

For productivity and creativity, regular writing has been shown to be vastly superior to binge writing, according to scholar Robert Boice. Tracking the progress of faculty, Boice, in his 1997 article "Which is more productive, writing in binge patterns of creative illness or in moderation?" in the journal Written Communication, found that compared to regular writers, binge writers:

  • Accomplished far less writing overall and produced less than their projections for the amount needed to gain tenure
  • Got fewer manuscript and editorial acceptances for their writing
  • Had fewer creative ideas during writing
  • Reported far more time wasted in warming up and reacquainting themselves with where they left off 
  • Suffered from fatigue and described writing as grueling rather than enjoyable
  • Scored higher for depression

How the UA is helping faculty become regular writers

Research shows that faculty can change from binge writers to regular writers, and the UA's Campus Connections Program through the Office of the Provost provides resources to help faculty members become regular writers so they get more writing done and can enjoy consistent progress that decreases the stress and anxiety that come from putting off writing.    

The workshop Publish, Not Perish, to be held on Sept. 3 from 3:30-5 p.m., will provide research-based tips and strategies that can make academic writing both more productive and more enjoyable.

Common barriers to writing, according to Boice, include an inability to find time, too much time spent on class preparation, deadlines that are less clear and strict than teaching deadlines, and a lack of motivation. In the workshop, presenters will outline strategies and tips to address these barriers, as well as others. 

Turnout to this annual event tends to be large, and 95 percent of respondents to the evaluations since the workshop's inception said that they benefited from attending, while 93 percent agreed that the tips were useful. This is impressive given that faculty tend to have high expectations. 

The workshop is also open to graduate students and postdocs, so it also offers mentoring opportunities for faculty to invite their mentees and collaborators so everyone learns more effective writing strategies.

In addition, a Faculty Writing Group Launch will be held on Sept. 11, from 12-1:30 p.m. Faculty writing groups are considered a very effective way to improve faculty productivity. When pre- and post-data were available from faculty writing group interventions, publication rates improved at least twofold, according to research by Matthew McGrail, Claire Rickard and Rebecca Jones published in Higher Education Research & Development.

Last spring, I launched the first faculty writing accountability groups at the University, and the anonymous evaluations indicated that most faculty found the groups very helpful. For example, one faculty member wrote that after starting the writing accountability group, the individual “made more progress this past semester than the previous three semesters combined.” 

The anonymous feedback – including the negative experiences – has led to several improvements being implemented for the launch this fall. Look for more information on writing groups in the next edition of Lo Que Pasa. 

We’ve also organized A Place for Writing as a space for faculty to come together to write on site. In these write-on-site groups, faculty members are not expected to read or provide feedback on each other’s work. Rather, these groups are simply about faculty coming together to write in the same space to carve out time to write, reduce isolation and feel energized by being around other writers.

All faculty are welcome to attend these groups. Bring your laptop or other writing materials and drop in any time during the open hours, which are Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m.-noon from Sept. 4–Dec. 4 in the Scholars’ Corner of the Main Library. No RSVP is needed. 

You can see the entire range of programming offered to support faculty productivity here

As a final note, these events are also great opportunities for faculty to connect with colleagues across campus and feel like part of a community of scholars at the UA. I hope you use these events as a way to build that community.

Please contact me via email at lahunter@email.arizona.edu if you have any questions.

Laura Hunter is the program and research manager in the Office of the Provost.

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