Research to Publication: A First-Time Researcher’s Narrative

Abstract

This is the story of a non-traditional, first-time researcher’s journey into academic research resulting ultimately in publication. His efforts were inspired by a Community of Scholars created at a local campus of a major university to encourage and mentor research and scholarship among its faculty. He collaborated with an experienced research partner who accompanied him during all aspects of the journey. This narrative inquiry is presented from three perspectives: those of the researcher, his research partner, and the campus leaders in charge of the Community of Scholars. The path from research to publication for this first-time researcher and his partner is shown to be perplexing and challenging. Their time was filled with collaboration, discovery, high and low moments, misstarts, and restarts. Lessons learned from this experience are summarized for future first-time researchers and those working with or assisting them.