Doing research is a lot of work, which is probably one of the reasons that not everybody holds a masters or doctoral degree. Writing articles, especially for inexperienced authors, takes the difficult task of research and makes it even more complicated. However, veteran professors are no doubt familiar with the phrase ‘publish or perish’; publication is essential.

In fact, publishing is important as one of the steps in the research process (Derntl, 2003), or even the ultimate aim of research (Day, 1988) because it is the primary means for researchers to contribute to the advancement of human knowledge.

Wellington (2003, p.1-5) provides a comprehensive discussion of personal outcomes of publishing, which include:

• Improving your professional opportunities - in the academic world obtaining, retaining, or advancing your position often demands published research. Having published also demonstrates that the writer is considered knowledgeable in the field and has the skills to complete the difficult task.

• Influencing people - your work will inform the leaders who create policy and make decisions, it will also make people more generally aware of the subject of your research.

• Financial rewards - as well as increasing job opportunities, researchers often have the opportunity to receive extra remuneration as a result of successful publication.

• Personal rewards – learning new skills, being a respected part of a community, feeling a sense of achievement, and being able to travel as a conference speaker are additional perquisites of publishing.