If you could only write one more research paper…
Many years ago, I read the following piece of wisdom:
- If you had only one year left to live, what would you do differently?
- What are you waiting for to make these changes, now?
Let me propose a variant for researchers:
- If you could only write one more research paper, what would you write?
- Why aren’t you writing it?
Montreal, Canada 
Follow on
Because I am far away from tenure
And I need less risk and more output. This implies that the paper I would like to do is more uncertain regarding output.
Comment by Anonymous — 23/2/2009 @ 14:26
If I knew what I would write in my one-last-research-paper I would have written it (long ago).
Comment by Delip Rao — 23/2/2009 @ 14:35
> If you could only write one more research paper…
I’d write a very long one. A very very long one. Which I have, btw, started.
Comment by Stephen Downes — 23/2/2009 @ 17:25
If I had one year to live, I’d spend less time studying deep stuff that I don’t expect to usefully understand for some time to come, and as a result if I nonetheless live longer I’ll understand less and won’t be able to make contributions that I could make otherwise.
Comment by Vladimir Nesov — 23/2/2009 @ 17:25
I agree with your challenge, and I learned to be an researcher at 65 and Im preparing a paper about the “Impact of Business Intelligence in decision making processes”.
If this subject interest you, please, let me know and I will send you a copy to publish it or spred my point of view.
Comment by Alberto Rozenfarb — 24/2/2009 @ 9:09
Because I’m reading your blog!
Comment by Tim — 24/2/2009 @ 12:53
I think this is a very, very good suggestion. Especially since one year is neither too short, nor too long, so it allows a carefull selection of topic.
Comment by Francois Rivest — 5/3/2009 @ 20:19