STU holds public lecture on research publication

The Directorate of Grants, Research and Development (DGRD) of the Sunyani Technical University (STU) has organised a public lecture to equip researchers and students with practical strategies for producing quality academic papers.

The lecture, on the theme “The Anatomy of a Strong Academic Paper in Management Studies,” was delivered by Professor Samuel Adomako, a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Delivering his keynote address, Professor Adomako stressed the importance of precision, relevance and originality in academic writing, urging researchers to ensure that their work makes a meaningful contribution to knowledge.

Research gaps
He advised researchers to write abstracts after completing their studies, noting that an abstract should concisely capture the research gap, objectives, methodology, findings and theoretical contribution.

On writing introductions, Prof. Adomako said the opening paragraph should immediately engage readers and establish the significance of the study. He encouraged researchers to identify clear research gaps and frame their studies around compelling research puzzles.

He also cautioned against vague problem statements and urged researchers to engage with recent literature to ensure that their studies addressed contemporary academic issues. He stressed the importance of selecting appropriate theories to guide research hypotheses, describing the hypothesis as a bridge between theory and research.

Methodology
On methodology, Prof. Adomako advised researchers to clearly explain their data, samples, variables, and measurement techniques while acknowledging and addressing potential biases.

He further advised that the results section should present findings clearly without unnecessarily linking them to existing literature, adding that raw statistical outputs should not be copied directly into academic papers.

For the discussion section, he recommended that researchers restate the study's purpose, interpret the findings, and clearly articulate their theoretical contribution.

Prof. Adomako also urged researchers to examine the limitations and suggested future directions of previous studies to identify opportunities for further research.

Impactful research
The Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor of STU, Prof. Evans Zoya Kpamma, supported the call for impactful research, stressing that academics should not publish merely for promotion but should seek to make meaningful contributions to knowledge.

“We should not just be publishing for promotion’s sake, but by contributing to knowledge,” he said.

Earlier, the Director of Grants, Research and Development, Prof. Edward Owusu, said the lecture formed part of the university’s efforts to strengthen research capacity, promote intellectual discourse and advance academic excellence.

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