The reality is most universities abroad and the scholarships that are vital for your education all emphasise on the quality of your research work, and without proper guidelines, most Bangladeshi students lag behind in conducting research and writing a publish-worthy research articles.

In order to provide a clear guideline to the students aiming to write a quality paper, we have interviewed Sifat Sarwa Siddique, a microbiologist working in the Infectious Diseases Division at icddr,b, and Raihan Ahmed Joy, assistant professor and head, Department of Industrial and Production Engineering at the National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research.

Challenges

The first thought any casual observer might have is the lack of original research conducted in our universities today. Seldom do we see groundbreaking news where a new dimension is added in the realm of science or technology from our undergraduate education system.

This is not an isolated incident, as matters of access to quality journals, funds, and even gross negligence are the causes for not producing quality research papers. These structural gaps become clearer when researchers attempt to publish their work for the first time.

“As Bangladesh has not progressed enough in the publication field, a knowledge gap regarding journal choosing, APC waivers, and a lack of proper guidance were hurdles to publishing my first research paper,” shared Sifat.

The absence of guidance is further highlighted by Raihan Ahmed Joy, who himself functions as a supervisor for undergraduates in his institution.

“The common mistake is that the students are instructed only to read the journal papers by their mentors, not properly instructed on how to read the papers to get attention or interest,” said Raihan Ahmed.

There is also a significant factor of the academic pressures already existing for undergraduates. As a teacher himself, Raihan Ahmed acknowledged this issue, since the final semester is the time when students are forced to think about their thesis, and this might be the only time they get to convert their initial thesis into a publishable paper.

“Heavy academic workload leaves little time for research activities. Also, delays in administrative approvals and limited institutional support for publication fees further reduce students’ chances of producing and submitting papers,” he added.

Yet, these barriers do not make publication impossible.

Despite these hurdles, both our interviewees were able to stay on course and publish multiple papers in reputable journals. For Sifat, it was more than just an academic obligation, “it was my dream to publish my first research work in a well-recognised journal. Though the process was not smooth, I learned a lot during the process. From drafting the manuscript to organising it according to the journal’s instructions, it was a year-long process.”

That is why rushing towards publication with a certain timeframe in mind is not a wise decision, because good quality work requires time and effort.

Finding the right topic

Once students overcome the initial structural and academic barriers, the next challenge lies in choosing the right research direction.

Opening up a paper for the first time may seem daunting. Most quality work contains several pages of dense paragraphs with jargon that could be unfamiliar even to practising academics.

Therefore, reading more and more papers in your respective field is something that you cannot skip. The more you comprehend the current and relevant work that is available in your subject, the better understanding you will have about the topics you might wish to focus on for a good research objective.

However, it is not important that you spend time reading the whole paper. “Four major findings; objectives, methodology, results, limitations, if any, are the required sections a student must first read in order to properly understand the paper,” shared Raihan.

The canary in the coal mine is the part about limitations. Sifat termed the fault of not reading the limitations section as a “grave mistake”.

After identifying a suitable topic and understanding existing literature, the focus naturally shifts to how the research is communicated.

Writing your work: less is more

“Always write for the busiest, most tired reader that you can imagine,” shared Sifat.

The main results should be presented upfront in the Abstract and the first paragraph of the Discussion.

It is important to remember that you are not writing a literature piece. It is a paper that explains your work and its relevance in the respective field. Use the simplest way of linking the subject to the verb.

“Clarity should be your priority over complexity. Avoid using ornate or what appears to be a prestigious language. Use short sentences, active verbs, and technical terms. A paper that can be easily understood has a higher probability of citations and acceptance,” Sifat said.

Sifat shared the need to maintain a technical tone in your writing. Our education system is also somewhat to blame.

According to Sifat, the system is not able to instil the skills of writing non-fiction and technically argumentative pieces.

She explained, “a large percentage of Bangladeshi writers feel forced to use ‘high-sounding’ English as a means of justifying the excellence of their research. This often results in negative effects, appearing in several ‘inexperience signals’ that reviewers easily pick up on.”

Beyond writing clearly, authors must also understand how reviewers evaluate a manuscript.

Getting the reviewers’ approval

The first lesson here, which both Sifat and Raihan Ahmed pointed out, is that most of the first time publishers are bound to be rejected in the initial phases.

Adapting to rejections and growing a thick skin are the features all good researchers must possess.

“Rejection is a natural part of the academic process, with the most successful authors receiving it regularly,” Sifat added.

On a different note, Raihan Ahmed focused on the need for using updated references. “Outdated sources suggest the author is not aware of recent developments. Old works or references reduce the credibility of research, leading reviewers to question the study’s relevance and overall contribution to the existing world,” he shared. Sifat shared similar concerns.

In addition to technical accuracy, reviewers also assess the broader relevance of a study.

As a part of a globally connected research organisation, Sifat also pointed out the need for global relevance. Highly localised data or specified cases are not something editors value, and if one fails to connect the dots between local findings and global implications, there is a high probability that the paper will be rejected.

“A familiar criticism of Bangladeshi writers is that the research undertaken is far too local, and it does not have any obvious global relevance or importance,” she said.

Sifat focused on the need to “explain the relevance” of the study conducted in Bangladesh from an international perspective.

One should frame the study as an example of the issues faced by the Global South or illustrate how the study resolves universal theoretical questions.

The efficacy of the data collected and used is also a matter of concern.

Contrary to popular belief, creating a Google Form and collecting data by asking questions are not sound methodologies at all.

Rather, adapting global trends and exercising strict practices in maintaining that standard is something that will provide your research a good foundation to stand on.

Also, beyond methodology, writing, and relevance, ethical integrity remains non-negotiable in academic research.

Lastly, honesty is something not to be overlooked. You may get away with doing something unethical in the short run, but this will haunt you in your future career. Recent reports of plagiarism by our respective academics not only damage their reputation but tarnish the opportunities for the next generation after them as well.