Publishing as a Science and as an Art—An Integrative Approach to Knowledge and Creativity in Research

There is no set formula for what makes a good paper. What works now for writing a good paper, might not work in the future, as research continuously evolves and develops. Simply following best research practices and copying what others do may even be counter-productive. For novel and groundbreaking research, a systematic and structured approach, in-depth knowledge of the research domain, and, equally crucially, creativity is needed. Essential for research is that we question why we do things in a certain way and whether there are other possible approaches. Research requires a process that can be followed better to understand a research domain’s assumptions and challenges, to explore novel research directions, and to craft ideas for new theories. Understanding how to systematize the creative research process can help. This contribution provides suggestions for improving a paper’s quality by embracing creativity. Integrative thinking is recommended, where creativity becomes an inherent part of the systematic and structured research process.