ABSTRACT
Research needs to be disseminated, and the main avenue for this is through publication. There is increased pressure on academics to publish these days because of the 'Research Assessment Exercise' (RAE) which determines research funding for institutions, and therefore jobs, status and research careers. There are fears that while this might increase the quantity of published work, it might decrease the quality. It is too early as yet to say what the results of the exercise are in this respect. But we do need to be aware of the dangers. Research - and that invariably means publishing - is part of an academic's job, and, if done well, one of the most rewarding, since it means that your work is esteemed and that it will reach a wider audience. If done badly, however, it can be savaged by your peers in reviews, and/or moulder on library bookshelves for evermore. The two main routes for publication of research are through academic journals or via books. This chapter considers some of the issues involved in each of these.
