Average Number of Pubs

Average Number of Pubs

flanon (guest) 08 Feb 2010 04:24

What is the average number of publications people are finding they need to be successful in the current job market? I have heard figures of 10+ on average, but that there is some wiggle room in terms of the quality of the outlets your publishing in.

Thanks.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon (guest) 08 Feb 2010 07:36

Hi….I just got a job (in social) at a teaching oriented state school. I have 11 pubs, 4 are empirical papers, 6 are first author.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon (guest) 08 Feb 2010 15:22

I got an offer from a research oriented state school in cognitive with 11 pubs, 6 first authored, 2 book chapters and most of the rest in top tier area specific journals.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anonymous (guest) 08 Feb 2010 15:51

Hi, I got a job in social at a private R1 institution, and I have 10 published articles (6 first-authored) plus a few chapters. But keep in mind that numbers aren't everything… I know of people who have more pubs than I do but didn't get any interviews, and likewise I know of others who got multiple interviews with fewer pubs.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon (guest) 08 Feb 2010 22:34

I'm in developmental and didn't get any offers (or even an interview). I had 12 empirical papers (4 first author; more than half in top-tier journals) and 4 book chapters. I agree with anonymous that number of pubs isn't everything. Fit with the department is a pretty big factor, too.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon8585 (guest) 09 Feb 2010 15:59

It's not just about number of pubs. It's also about grant applications/grant $$. One's marketability increases exponentially if the possibility external funding is on the horizon.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon99 (guest) 09 Feb 2010 19:23

Once you hit about 10 pubs (with 4-5 first authors) then grants are crucial. I've got 15 pubs (7 first author, 2 comments, 1 chapter) mostly in top specialty cog journals, plus three years post-doc experience. I've also got 2 grants (about 150K total), which seemed to open LOTS of doors. I received 2 TT offers for R1 universities.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon101 (guest) 09 Feb 2010 19:57

Anon99: What kinds of grants have you been able to get? I've looked into grants myself, but it seems as though you need to be an independent investigator (i.e., have your own lab) to get them. What grants can a postdoc apply for — especially one who is not a U.S. citizen?

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon8585 (guest) 10 Feb 2010 04:28

I believe you are still eligible for NIH grants even if you are not US citizen. You must have the appropriate working/student visa. As for the type of grants, from NIH's perspective it does not matter that you are a post-doc, as long as it appears feasible for you to accomplish what you set out to do. K-awards, R03, R21 are good starting mechanisms at the federal level. There are also foundations around with money. In my area there are several trade organizations that fund research and a couple of local foundations are willing provide pilot money grants. Also some institutions have internal pilot grants. That's all it takes to get started, as money begets mo' money.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

Anony Mouse (guest) 10 Feb 2010 13:08

Though I don't think internal grants help you out from a job market perspective. I don't expect I'll be competitive to leave my current position unless I have a NIH or NSF grant.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

Anony Mouse (guest) 10 Feb 2010 03:52

I am pretty convinced that unless you are coming straight out of grad school, you really need a grant to be successful. I am currently in a TT job and was looking for a better fit. I have 11 journal articles (6 first authored) and 6 book chapters (3 first authored) but no grant. I applied to about 15 jobs and didn't even get an interview. I feel pretty confident that not having a grant is a major strike against me, especially 2+ years post degree. The tough thing is that grant getting is pretty difficult. I'm preparing to submit my 6th and 7th applications! All I can say is that despite the fact I think there may be a better fit for me out there, I'm pretty happy I got a TT job out of grad school and didn't do a post doc, or I'd be feeling pretty discouraged with life right now.

(I should also add that I do agree that fit is a big part as well - having served on a couple search committees both in my current job and in grad school - there have been some pretty qualified folks that weren't considered outright because they weren't in the specific area we wanted. But I do think if you have grant money "fit" gets expanded some….)

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon (guest) 09 Feb 2010 22:53

Hi everyone - I just got a job at a public R1, and I have 7 pubs, 6 first authored, and a grant.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anontoo (guest) 10 Feb 2010 00:20

Did you post-doc?

Re: Average Number of Pubs

anon (guest) 11 Feb 2010 19:18

In terms of grants what are people's feelings about grants where you are specified as an investigator but not the PI or co-PI? Should these be listed if you were involved in writing/submitting the grant?

Are extramural grants obtained during graduate school viewed favorably (F31, private foundations) when coming out of school—even though these are usually for small amounts of money?

Re: Average Number of Pubs

dev08 (guest) 11 Feb 2010 21:59

I would think that F31s or other predoctoral grants would strengthen your application and show that you're on the right path toward getting funding for your research (although I had one in grad school and haven't had any luck on the job market…and I have a decent # of pubs, so I'm guessing it may have come down to fit). That being said, I think the further out from grad school you are, the more committees may expect that you've secured other external funding.

I would lean toward only listing grants that you are a PI or Co-PI, but if you decide to list grants you were involved in writing/submitting, then I would put those under a different heading(maybe "Grant Writing Experience"?) to make it clear, just so it doesn't look like you're trying to pad your vita.

Re: Average Number of Pubs

Anony Mouse (guest) 11 Feb 2010 23:29

I think if you were actually a co-investigator on the grant (not co-PI) or a consultant it is okay to list. For example, say your post-doc advisor wrote you into a grant and you were a co-investigator on that project (though not PI) that is fine to list. I think if you helped with putting the grant together, and you were paid off of that grant for any time, it would be reasonable to list yourself as a co-investigator. For each grant you should list the role, whether it is PI, co-PI, co-Investigator, or consultant.