{"id":1092,"date":"2025-02-12T07:52:39","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T07:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/?p=1092"},"modified":"2026-02-08T09:29:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T09:29:55","slug":"eco-outwards-researcher-making-intellectual-production-visible-from-design-to-publication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/2025\/02\/12\/eco-outwards-researcher-making-intellectual-production-visible-from-design-to-publication\/","title":{"rendered":"Eco-Outwards Researcher: Making Intellectual Production Visible from Design to Publication"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"366\" data-end=\"388\"><strong data-start=\"366\" data-end=\"388\">By Alexandra Okada<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"390\" data-end=\"723\">Knowledge is moving faster than ever. Ideas travel quickly, collaborations span continents, and research outputs increasingly evolve across multiple formats, platforms, and timelines. In this context, making intellectual production visible is no longer optional \u2014 it is an important scholarly, ethical, and professional practice.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"725\" data-end=\"930\">For the eco-outwards researcher, visibility is not about self-promotion. It is about <strong>CARE-KNOW-DO<\/strong>: care for ideas and (co)authorship; knowledge through recognition and transparency; and doing through interaction that advances institutions and the wider field.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"725\" data-end=\"930\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-08-at-08.10.52.png\" width=\"736\" height=\"510\" \/><\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"932\" data-end=\"935\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"937\" data-end=\"987\">Why visibility matters in eco-outwards research<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"989\" data-end=\"1018\">Eco-outwards research values:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1022\" data-end=\"1044\">relational knowledge<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1047\" data-end=\"1073\">collaborative authorship<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1076\" data-end=\"1119\">long-term social and environmental impact<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1122\" data-end=\"1166\">transparency in process, not only outcomes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1168\" data-end=\"1364\">Yet traditional academic cultures still privilege the <em data-start=\"1222\" data-end=\"1241\">final publication<\/em> over the thinking, designing, and planning that make research possible. When early intellectual work is invisible, so are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1368\" data-end=\"1394\">intellectual production,<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1397\" data-end=\"1423\">authorship trajectories,<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1426\" data-end=\"1456\">collaborative contributions,<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1459\" data-end=\"1499\">and the ethical foundations of research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1501\" data-end=\"1692\"><strong data-start=\"1501\" data-end=\"1586\">Registering intellectual production from design to planning is a precious action.<\/strong><br data-start=\"1586\" data-end=\"1589\" \/>It makes <em data-start=\"1598\" data-end=\"1611\">stone steps<\/em> visible \u2014 the steps that allow knowledge to advance responsibly and sustainably.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"1694\" data-end=\"1697\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"1699\" data-end=\"1746\">From private drafts to shared accountability<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1748\" data-end=\"1903\">Whether working collaboratively or individually, <strong data-start=\"1797\" data-end=\"1822\">accountability is key<\/strong> in eco-research and in any field. Making your authoring process explicit allows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"1947\">peers to understand your contribution,<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1950\" data-end=\"2003\">organisations to recognise workload and leadership,<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2006\" data-end=\"2047\">the field to trace how knowledge evolves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2049\" data-end=\"2209\">This is especially important in interdisciplinary, participatory, and sustainability-focused research, where contributions are often distributed and non-linear.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2211\" data-end=\"2214\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"2216\" data-end=\"2266\">A clear language for research production stages<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2268\" data-end=\"2531\">Using shared, transparent labels helps normalise early-stage scholarship while maintaining academic rigour. The following categories can be used consistently across <strong data-start=\"2433\" data-end=\"2530\">research plans (RSDP), professional development records (CDSA), CVs, and dissemination spaces<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"2535\" data-end=\"2586\"><strong data-start=\"2535\" data-end=\"2556\">Under development<\/strong> \u2013 manuscript in preparation<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2589\" data-end=\"2669\"><strong data-start=\"2589\" data-end=\"2615\">Submitted to a journal<\/strong> \u2013 submission completed, awaiting editorial decision<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2672\" data-end=\"2744\"><strong data-start=\"2672\" data-end=\"2688\">Under review<\/strong> \u2013 accepted by the editor and currently in peer review<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2747\" data-end=\"2814\"><strong data-start=\"2747\" data-end=\"2774\">Accepted with revisions<\/strong> \u2013 revisions requested and in progress<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2817\" data-end=\"2897\"><strong data-start=\"2817\" data-end=\"2845\">Accepted (in production)<\/strong> \u2013 accepted, in typesetting, ready to be published<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr data-start=\"2899\" data-end=\"2902\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"2904\" data-end=\"2931\">Where each stage belongs<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2933\" data-end=\"2967\">To maintain clarity and integrity:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2969\" data-end=\"3084\"><strong data-start=\"2969\" data-end=\"2982\">Items 1\u20133<\/strong><br data-start=\"2982\" data-end=\"2985\" \/>(<em data-start=\"2986\" data-end=\"3030\">Under development, Submitted, Under review<\/em>)<br data-start=\"3031\" data-end=\"3034\" \/>\u2192 should be listed in <strong data-start=\"3056\" data-end=\"3074\">personal plans<\/strong>, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"3087\" data-end=\"3135\">Research &amp; Scholarship Development Plan (RSDP)<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3138\" data-end=\"3180\">Professional Development or CDSA records<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3182\" data-end=\"3284\"><strong data-start=\"3182\" data-end=\"3195\">Items 4\u20135<\/strong><br data-start=\"3195\" data-end=\"3198\" \/>(<em data-start=\"3199\" data-end=\"3248\">Accepted with revisions, Accepted in production<\/em>)<br data-start=\"3249\" data-end=\"3252\" \/>\u2192 can be included in your <strong data-start=\"3278\" data-end=\"3284\">CV<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3286\" data-end=\"3435\"><strong data-start=\"3286\" data-end=\"3296\">Item 5<\/strong><br data-start=\"3296\" data-end=\"3299\" \/>(<em data-start=\"3300\" data-end=\"3326\">Accepted \u2013 in production<\/em>)<br data-start=\"3327\" data-end=\"3330\" \/>\u2192 is appropriate for <strong data-start=\"3351\" data-end=\"3395\">Organisational Online Repositories (ORO)<\/strong>, social media, and public dissemination<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3437\" data-end=\"3565\">This approach protects academic credibility while ensuring that intellectual work is not erased simply because it is unfinished.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"3567\" data-end=\"3570\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"3572\" data-end=\"3634\">Making your contribution visible: practical recommendations<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3636\" data-end=\"3709\">Eco-outwards researchers can strengthen visibility and accountability by:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3711\" data-end=\"4514\">\n<li data-start=\"3711\" data-end=\"3851\">\n<p data-start=\"3713\" data-end=\"3851\"><strong data-start=\"3713\" data-end=\"3750\">Documenting research design early<\/strong><br data-start=\"3750\" data-end=\"3753\" \/>Record conceptual frameworks, methodological choices, and ethical positioning as scholarly work.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3853\" data-end=\"3967\">\n<p data-start=\"3855\" data-end=\"3967\"><strong data-start=\"3855\" data-end=\"3889\">Using consistent status labels<\/strong><br data-start=\"3889\" data-end=\"3892\" \/>Apply the same publication-stage language across plans, CVs, and reports.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3969\" data-end=\"4094\">\n<p data-start=\"3971\" data-end=\"4094\"><strong data-start=\"3971\" data-end=\"4002\">Clarifying authorship roles<\/strong><br data-start=\"4002\" data-end=\"4005\" \/>Make explicit who led design, analysis, writing, coordination, or community engagement.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4096\" data-end=\"4225\">\n<p data-start=\"4098\" data-end=\"4225\"><strong data-start=\"4098\" data-end=\"4132\">Valuing process as scholarship<\/strong><br data-start=\"4132\" data-end=\"4135\" \/>Treat planning, piloting, and iterative design as legitimate intellectual contributions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4227\" data-end=\"4379\">\n<p data-start=\"4229\" data-end=\"4379\"><strong data-start=\"4229\" data-end=\"4266\">Aligning visibility with audience<\/strong><br data-start=\"4266\" data-end=\"4269\" \/>Adjust where and how you share work depending on whether the audience is institutional, academic, or public.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4381\" data-end=\"4514\">\n<p data-start=\"4383\" data-end=\"4514\"><strong data-start=\"4383\" data-end=\"4428\">Embedding accountability in collaboration<\/strong><br data-start=\"4428\" data-end=\"4431\" \/>Transparent authorship protects relationships and supports ethical co-production<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3437\" data-end=\"3565\">.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"3567\" data-end=\"3570\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"3572\" data-end=\"3634\"><span style=\"font-size: 1.25rem;\">PhD students and Early Career Researchers<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For PhD students and Early Career Researchers, visibility of intellectual production is a form of academic care and protection. Much of their scholarly labour takes place in early, exploratory, and collaborative stages \u2014 designing frameworks, piloting methods, coordinating partnerships, and contributing to collective writing \u2014 yet this work is often invisible in traditional publication-focused cultures.<\/p>\n<p>Making research processes visible allows emerging researchers to evidence intellectual leadership, clarify authorship trajectories, and receive recognition for contributions that shape projects long before formal outputs appear.<\/p>\n<p>In eco-outwards research, where knowledge is co-produced and responsibilities are distributed, transparency helps safeguard ethical collaboration, supports fair attribution, and enables PhD researchers and ECRs to build credible scholarly identities grounded in process, not just outcomes.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"4516\" data-end=\"4519\" \/>\n<h2>Multilateral organisations and international funders<\/h2>\n<p>For multilateral organisations and international funders \u2014 such as UNESCO, the European Commission, UN agencies, development banks, and global foundations \u2014 visibility of intellectual production is essential to ensure accountability, trust, and long-term impact.<\/p>\n<p>Eco-outwards research often unfolds across institutions, countries, and communities, with knowledge emerging iteratively through design, piloting, and collaboration rather than only at the point of publication. When early intellectual work is made visible, funders can better understand how evidence is generated, how partnerships function, and how ethical, epistemic, and social responsibilities are embedded throughout the research lifecycle.<\/p>\n<p>This transparency supports fair recognition of contributions, strengthens monitoring and learning processes, and enables organisations to assess not only what outcomes are produced, but how knowledge advances policy, practice, and capacity-building in sustainable and equitable ways.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"4516\" data-end=\"4519\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"4521\" data-end=\"4542\">A final reflection<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4544\" data-end=\"4839\">Eco-outwards research is about <strong data-start=\"4575\" data-end=\"4598\">responsible futures<\/strong>. That responsibility begins long before publication. By making intellectual production visible \u2014 from first design ideas to final typesetting \u2014 researchers honour not only outcomes, but the <strong data-start=\"4789\" data-end=\"4822\">processes, people, and values<\/strong> that shape them.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4841\" data-end=\"4926\">Visibility is not about speed.<br data-start=\"4871\" data-end=\"4874\" \/>It is about <strong data-start=\"4886\" data-end=\"4925\">care, clarity, and collective trust<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<pre data-start=\"4841\" data-end=\"4926\">\"Document, share, and reflect on each stage of your research \u2014\r\nvisibility is a key form of mentorship, accountability, \r\nand scholarly growth.\"<\/pre>\n<p data-start=\"4841\" data-end=\"4926\">Glossary<\/p>\n<p><strong>RSDP \u2013 Research &amp; Scholarship Development Plan:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A forward-looking planning document<\/li>\n<li>Used to set out research goals, outputs, leadership, and timelines<\/li>\n<li>Common in UK universities (including OU), sometimes under slightly different names<\/li>\n<li>Typically internal, developmental, and reviewed annually or bi-annually<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>CDSA \u2013 Career Development &amp; Staff Appraisal (sometimes Contribution &amp; Development Staff Appraisal):<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A reflective and evaluative process<\/li>\n<li>Used to review workload, achievements, leadership, and professional growth<\/li>\n<li>Also largely UK-specific, tied to HR and promotion frameworks<\/li>\n<li>So in short:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>RSDP = planning future research<\/p>\n<p>CDSA = reviewing and evidencing contribution<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Alexandra Okada Knowledge is moving faster than ever. Ideas travel quickly, collaborations span continents, and research outputs increasingly evolve across multiple formats, platforms, and timelines. In this context, making intellectual production visible is no longer optional \u2014 it is an important scholarly, ethical, and professional practice. For the eco-outwards researcher, visibility is not about &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/2025\/02\/12\/eco-outwards-researcher-making-intellectual-production-visible-from-design-to-publication\/\" class=\"more-link\" >Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Eco-Outwards Researcher: Making Intellectual Production Visible from Design to Publication&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fun"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1092"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1094,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092\/revisions\/1094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/rumpus\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}