doi: 10.62486/agodonto2024127

 

BRIEF COMMUNICATION

 

Workshops to convert the thesis into an academic article: an incentive to increase scientific production in universities

 

Talleres para convertir la tesis en artículo académico: insumo para aumentar la producción científica en las universidades

 

William Castillo-González1,2  *, Javier González-Argote2,3  *

 

1Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2A&G Editor. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

3Universidad Abierta Interamericana. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

 

Cite as: Castillo-González W, González-Argote J. Workshops to convert the thesis into an academic article: an incentive to increase scientific production in universities. Odontologia (Montevideo). 2024; 2:127. https://doi.org/10.62486/agodonto2024127

 

Submitted: 06-02-2024                   Revised: 18-05-2024                   Accepted: 28-08-2024                 Published: 29-08-2024

 

Editor: Nairobi Hernández Bridón

 

Corresponding author: William Castillo-González *

 

ABSTRACT

 

In the current academic context, scientific production is key to the prestige and relevance of universities. The conversion of theses into academic articles represents a fundamental strategy to increase institutional visibility and contribute to the advancement of knowledge. However, many thesis works, despite their value, remain unpublished due to lack of experience in publication, lack of knowledge of the editorial process and limitations of time and resources. This article addresses the importance of thesis-to-article conversion workshops as an effective means to overcome these barriers, proposing the implementation of institutional programs that offer support in scientific writing, mentoring and resources, encouraging publication as a natural step in research. It is concluded that the adoption of these practices not only increases academic production, but also fosters a culture of excellence and continuity in university research.

 

Keywords: Academic Communication; Academic Thesis; Scientific and Technical Publications.

 

RESUMEN

 

En el contexto académico actual, la producción científica es clave para el prestigio y la relevancia de las universidades. La conversión de tesis en artículos académicos representa una estrategia fundamental para incrementar la visibilidad institucional y contribuir al avance del conocimiento. Sin embargo, muchos trabajos de tesis, a pesar de su valor, permanecen inéditos debido a la falta de experiencia en publicación, desconocimiento del proceso editorial y limitaciones de tiempo y recursos. Este artículo aborda la importancia de los talleres de conversión de tesis a artículo como un medio eficaz para superar estas barreras, proponiendo la implementación de programas institucionales que ofrezcan apoyo en redacción científica, mentoría y recursos, incentivando la publicación como un paso natural en la investigación. Se concluye que la adopción de estas prácticas no solo aumenta la producción académica, sino que también fomenta una cultura de excelencia y continuidad en la investigación universitaria.

 

Palabras clave: Comunicación Académica; Tesis Académica; Publicaciones Científicas y Técnicas.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

In the current academic context, scientific production is a key indicator of a university’s prestige and relevance. Publications in indexed journals are essential not only for institutional visibility but also for their impact on advancing knowledge and solving real problems. However, a vast amount of valuable student research remains confined to libraries in the form of theses that are rarely read outside the immediate campus environment.(1)

Suppose the last step of research is the communication of results, and science communicates them through scholarly articles. In that case, converting theses into scientific articles is a strategic necessity for any university that aspires to increase its scientific output. These theses, the product of years of rigorous work, contain findings that should be shared with the academic community. However, the reality is that much of this knowledge remains unpublished, untapped, and with limited impact. Transforming these theses into publishable articles not only allows the university to increase its scientific production but also ensures that the efforts of its students and academics contribute effectively to the advancement of knowledge in their respective fields.(2)

If converting graduate theses into scholarly articles is all about benefits, what prevents this step from being taken?

 

DEVELOPMENT

Scientific writing represents the culmination of the research process, where the results obtained are transformed into knowledge accessible to the academic and scientific community. With this crucial step, the discoveries and advances generated during research gain their ability to contribute to advancing knowledge. It is through the writing and publication of scientific articles that a study’s ideas, data, and conclusions are validated, shared, and subjected to the scrutiny and replication of other researchers, which strengthens the scientific basis on which progress is built. Therefore, universities must establish support mechanisms to facilitate this conversion, which is doubly beneficial since scientific research and production are key to the accreditation and valuation of these institutions.

Despite all this, they are often not published in scientific articles due to several factors hindering their conversion and dissemination. One of the main reasons is the lack of publication experience on the part of students and recent graduates. Many need to familiarize themselves with the specific requirements of academic journals, such as proper article structure, identifying appropriate journals for their research, scientific writing standards, and the complex peer review process. This can make turning a thesis into an article intimidating or overly complicated.(3) This lack of knowledge can lead to students feeling unmotivated or unsure about how to proceed, often resulting in thesis work not being published.(4,5)

In addition, there is a perception that the thesis is a finished work once defended and that publication is not a necessary or natural step in the research process. For many, the defense of the thesis marks the end of a considerable effort, and the idea of continuing to work on it for publication is not always a priority, especially if there is no strong institutional or personal incentive. Another minor point is the tutors’ lack of knowledge of the editorial processes, even when they do not publish frequently.(3)

Limited time and resources also play a crucial role. Turning a thesis into a scientific article requires significant additional effort, and many students, especially those who have already started work or are involved in other academic projects, do not have the time or energy to devote to this process. Without adequate support, turning a thesis into an article may seem unattainable. There needs to be more institutional support. Some institutions have no clear programs to guide students in publishing their theses. With the necessary guidance, many students know how to proceed, which increases the likelihood that their research will remain unpublished.(6)

These reasons contribute to the fact that despite their potential value, many theses still need to make it to publication. As a result, the impact of their findings and the contribution they could make to the advancement of knowledge in their respective fields is limited. Universities and graduate programs must address these barriers to maximize the potential of the research produced by their students.

The publication of thesis-derived articles brings multiple benefits. First, it increases the visibility and reputation of the university by increasing the number of publications in impact journals. Secondly, it helps students take their first steps in their research career, providing them with the experience and recognition essential in the academic environment. In addition, this practice fosters a culture of excellence and continuity in research, where work does not end with the thesis defense but is projected beyond, reaching a global audience.(7)

To facilitate this process, universities must establish clear programs and policies that encourage and support the conversion of theses into articles. This includes offering scientific writing workshops, mentoring in selecting appropriate journals, and advice on the review and publication process. In addition, students and faculty should be encouraged to see publication as the natural and culminating step in any research work.(8)

 

Decalogue for a thesis-to-article conversion policy

1. Recognize the importance: Publishing articles derived from theses is essential for the academic career and visibility of the university.

2. Scientific writing workshops: Provide training in the structure and standards of articles and the review process.

3. One-on-one mentoring: Assign experienced mentors to guide students in conversion and publication.

4. Promote publication: Encourage publication as the natural step after the thesis defense.

5. Access to resources: Provide tools and resources to facilitate the conversion of theses into articles.

6. Incentivize publication: Establish incentives for students and tutors who manage to publish articles.

7. Simplify the editorial process: Educate about the submission, review, and publication stages to reduce uncertainty.

8. Continuity in research: Encourage the creation of articles that expand on thesis findings.

9. Ongoing institutional support: To convert these into articles, create ongoing support programs.

10. Continuous evaluation: Tailor workshops and programs as needed to maximize their effectiveness

 

CONCLUSIONS

The conversion of theses into scientific articles is an option and a strategic imperative for universities seeking to stand out in the competitive academic world. By channeling the knowledge generated by its students into scientific publications, the university not only increases its academic production but also fulfills its fundamental mission of contributing to advancing knowledge and training competent and recognized researchers. It is time for these to come off the shelves and find their place in the world, where they can make a difference.

 

REFERENCES

1. Sandoval-Gutiérrez JL. Comentario al artículo “La tesis como producto final de los cursos de especialización en medicina”. Rev Médica Inst Mex Seguro Soc 2020;57:130.

 

2. Nassi-Calo L. Tesis y Disertaciones: pros y contras de los formatos tradicionales y alternativos. SciELO En Perspect 2016. https://blog.scielo.org/es/2016/08/24/tesis-y-disertaciones-pros-y-contras-de-los-formatos-tradicionales-y-alternativos/#.YEFzD2hKjIU.

 

3. Fernandez-Guzman D, Caira Chuquineyra BS, Olortegui-Rodriguez J, Condori-Meza B, Taype-Rondan A. Barreras y limitaciones para publicar tesis de pregrado y factores asociados a la intención de publicarlas en un grupo de médicos recién egresados de universidades peruanas. Rev Fac Med 2023;71:e103182. https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v71n3.103182.

 

4. García Guiliany JE, Marcano AP, Acevedo Duque ÁE. Escritura académica como proceso de construcción del conocimiento científico a través del uso de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación. Rev Filos 2022;39:504-17.

 

5. Alarcon-Ruiz CA, Quezada MA. Publicación de artículos científicos por asesores de tesis de una Facultad de Medicina. Rev Medica Hered 2018;29:152-7. https://doi.org/10.20453/rmh.v29i3.3403.

 

6. Rey-Castillo M, Gómez-Zermeño MG, Rey-Castillo M, Gómez-Zermeño MG. Dificultades en la escritura académica de estudiantes de maestría. Rev Electrónica Educ 2021;25:71-89. https://doi.org/10.15359/ree.25-2.4.

 

7. Pampa-Quispe NB. Tesis en formato artículo científico por tesis tradicional para incrementar y generar la producción científica. Rev Investig Altoandinas 2021;23:115-6. https://doi.org/10.18271/ria.2021.261.

 

8. Arias Chávez D, Ramos Quispe T. Cómo convertir tu tesis en un artículo de investigación. 1.a ed. Universidad Continental; 2021. https://doi.org/10.18259/978-612-4443-30-5.

 

FINANCING

The authors did not receive funding for the development of this research.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

 

AUTHORSHIP CONTRIBUTION

Conceptualization: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Data curation: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Formal analysis: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Research: William Castillo-Gonzalez, Javier Gonzalez-Argote.

Methodology: William Castillo-Gonzalez, Javier Gonzalez-Argote.

Project administration: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Resources: William Castillo-Gonzalez, Javier Gonzalez-Argote.

Software: William Castillo-Gonzalez, Javier Gonzalez-Argote.

Supervision: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Validation: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Visualization: William Castillo-Gonzalez, Javier Gonzalez-Argote.

Drafting - original draft: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.

Writing - proofreading and editing: William Castillo-González, Javier González-Argote.