NIK AHMAD NIZAM NIK MALEK**
Why Write a Research Book
A research book allows scholars to present their expertise in a coherent and comprehensive manner. Unlike journal papers, which focus on specific findings, research books provide thematic depth, long-term relevance, and broader contextualisation. They also contribute to academic visibility, institutional KPIs, and serve as enduring references for students, researchers, and industry practitioners.
Pathways to a Research Book
The presentation outlined three main pathways for research book preparation. The first involves converting a PhD thesis into a research book, where unpublished results are reorganized into topic-based chapters rather than thesis-style sections. The second pathway is compilation, combining outputs from Master’s projects, Final Year Projects, and technical reports into a unified scholarly narrative. The third approach is designing an original research book, built entirely from planned content and long-term research vision. These pathways demonstrate that a research book does not necessarily begin from scratch; rather, it evolves from structured and strategically refined research outputs.
Transforming a Thesis into a Book
One of the most emphasized messages was that a thesis cannot be published as a book without major restructuring. Typical thesis chapters such as Literature Review or Materials and Methods must be reformulated into topic-driven chapters that integrate methods, results, and discussion seamlessly. Authors are encouraged to avoid thesis language, rewrite content entirely, update references, add new illustrations, and ensure originality to prevent plagiarism. This transformation process requires careful planning, rewriting, and editorial refinement before submission to publishers or examiners.
Compilation as a Viable Strategy
Compilation-based research books draw from multiple supervised projects or reports, particularly from Master’s and undergraduate research. These materials must be reorganized, reformatted, rewritten, and expanded with updated analysis and new visual materials. The emphasis is on coherence, consistency, and scholarly depth rather than simple aggregation of existing work.
Designing an Original Research Book
For researchers aiming to write an original research book, the process begins with content design and planning. Writing, improving, finishing, submitting, and eventually publishing are treated as interconnected stages. A clear roadmap helps ensure steady progress and avoids delays commonly associated with long-form academic writing.
Tools to Enhance Productivity and Quality
The presentation highlighted practical tools that improve writing productivity and presentation quality. Using multiple screens, reference management software, grammar-checking tools, and design platforms such as Canva and BioRender can significantly enhance workflow. High-quality illustrations, tables, and figures are especially important in research books, as they improve readability and knowledge transfer. Authors were also encouraged to use professional illustration tools such as PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, or Inkscape to ensure clarity and consistency in visual elements.
*Assoc. Prof. Ts. ChM. Dr. Nik Ahmad Nizam Nik Malek is a Research Fellow of Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials (CSNano), UTM
