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[abdinny]

How hard is it, really, to have a 3-3 teaching load (2 preps) and conduct research successfully? 

[onion]

It really depends on your field and your service load and your teaching schedule.  I am in history, and I live 500 miles from my archives.  My first year and a half, I had a MWF teaching schedule, so getting out of town was nearly impossible, save for breaks.  I've since had a MTR teaching schedule, but I'm on 4 committees, so I'm inundated with meetings.  That being said, I have a finished book manuscript.  However, I have no life, no family, no partner to speak of, so I can devote all of my free time to my research. 

[spicoli]

It is tough to find the time to research with a 3-3 teaching load.

I find myself too tired after prepping for class, giving lectures, and grading to accomplish much research and writing during the week.  I tend to get my writing done in spurts at night or on weekends, but really rely on the summer for getting substantial projects completed.

[anon1000]

Do you know how big the classes are?  This makes a big difference.  Will you have the research resources you need nearby?

[jonas_salk]

What kind of research do you mean?  Research with undergrads or R1-level research?

[angel]

It is tough to find the time to research with a 3-3 teaching load.

It really does depend on class size and number of preps. Last year I had a 2-2 and double the number of students I have now. I have much more time for research this year, and also more than friends with a 2-2.

[jammer]

It depends on you.  I taught a 4/4 and got research done.  I wouldn't have gotten tenure at an R1 with my publications, but I'm a bigger fish in a little pond here at my regional comprehensive.  I found it very difficult my first year to squeeze in research until I got used to all the teaching.  Plus, I was sick of my dissertation and couldn't bring myself to think about it.  Teaching is much more tiring, physically and mentally, than I thought it would be after teaching a class here and there in grad school.  And committeee work is a huge time-suck.  But, like everything else (exercising, hobbies, family time, etc.), it can be done if you want to do it.

However, spicoli is right.  I almost always work on weekends and breaks become very, very important.  Then again, the new profs at the university where I got my Ph.D. were also there on weekends and over breaks.  They had tons more time and money for their research, but then the bar was much higher. 

There are many threads here that discuss this.  Try the search function.

[profxfiles]

I have been on 3-3 with 3 preps since I started teaching 9 years ago in political science. I have averaged about one publication a year, some in niche journals and some in the 2nd-3rd tier in my field. For me, I rely on two things: weekends and conferences. I find going to meetings keeps me active and gives me DEADLINES that force me to get work done. Even though I could probably continue to publish without the conferences, the time limits force me to get work done at a pace that keeps me publishing.

[larryc]

It depends on you. 

Jammer has nailed the most important variable.  At my 4/4 nearly everyone in my department has a research agenda and a book and some articles out.  If you can write an hour here and an hour there you can be quite productive. But even in my department there are a couple of people who do no research and whisper to each other that it is absolutely impossible to do so at our institution.

[mrhistory]

I'm in a 3/3 department with a book requirement.  My archives are far away (the closest is 1000 miles---yes, 1000). And, my discipline is archivally based research.  Still, the manuscript will have final submission in about one month, an edited project is done, one article will go out this spring and another this summer ---if all goes well. Locally I administer a huge academic program without clerical support and have 5 different campus committee assignments that do meet regularly and do real work. (BTW, all the comm/admin assignments were announced to me, not voluntary. The big one is insane for an untenured person to have. Period.)  I also came in during "assigned" summer teaching so my summers have been taken as well.

Am I a miracle worker? No, nor am I one of those people who can write an hour here, an hour there. Its been rough and given some variables changed, I'd be much further along to where I want to be with my research interests. And, to me, that is where variables come into play:

If you have research support, summers become research/writing time if you are smart.  If you have things like digitized subscription databases (Early American Imprints, American Periodical Series in my field) then your archives come to you. If you can do fewer preps than classes taught? Lucky you--and me, that is one thing that often has saved me.

Your own discipline, your own choices about "free" time and your access to resources for your discipline all matter. Make the best deal you can in terms of money, time and preps.

I've made every single mistake that can be made from not standing up well for myself to over-doing the preps for classes.  I'm not where I'd like to be but I'm managing. With some more saavy or good advice starting out, anyone can do better than this and thrive.

[abdinny]

Great info in these replies!  Thanks so much!  To answer some questions, the field is in the humanities and classes are no larger than 35 students.  Undergrad university.  I assume I'd be relying on summer breaks to do research abroad, but do the bulk of the writing during the year.  Committee responsibilities are unknown at this point.  I've been warned by others not to overcommit, so I'll be wary.  (Though, as Mr. History points out, these things aren't always "optional"!) 

You're all very inspiring - just what I needed to hear.  I agree that it does depend on the individual.  I think I just needed to hear that it can be done.

[losemygrip]

Listen, my former advisor told me that even teaching 2/2 at an R1, he still had to do all his research and writing in the summer.  It really makes no difference.  If you're committed, you'll do it when the time's available.

[reader]

Service requirements matter in calculating available time for research.  If your institution expects a lot, getting research done will be significantly more difficult. 

[case_insensitive]

How hard is it, really, to have a 3-3 teaching load (2 preps) and conduct research successfully? 

My first job after the PhD was 3/3.  I published in good journals (including top in my area) just over one journal article a year, plus 2 or 3  referreed non-journal things a year such as chapters in books and such-like.  This was for a period of about 6 years.  I was a slow starter but I was also at a school with very low research expectations. When I found out i COULD publish regularly, i wanted to, even though it wasn't the norm there.

Next job was 2/2, published about 3 refereed journal articles a year (including top in my area) and several refereed other items each year.  This was a two year period or so.  I was most productive here because of a fantastic boss and motivator.

Next job was 2/2 (higher ranked school) that became 3/2, published just over 2 referred journal articles a yearplus about two other refereed articles a year, plus one monograph over a period of 7 years or so.

Current job is 3/3 (another RU/H but small in my discipline), in 6 months i've had about 3 refereed journal articles and one refereed book chapter.

Now, can you generalize from that? Probably not. In my field, i'm a pretty productive research, though not a superstar.

I think the teaching load is less important over time, as you get to where you don't need so much prep and you get smarter at some things.  I also think 2/2 is nice but if you are in a toxic dept it's hard to be productive even on a 2/2.  It's more important who your colleagues are and how helpful and supportive your dept head is.  High service req'ts are also a killer.

A 3/3 doesn't mean you have to wait until summer to research/write.  That's ridiculous!  Unless, of course, you have to be elsewhere to do your work :o)

[tang64]

There are many other variables besides teaching load.  I have been in 4/4 state univ, 4/4 community college and 3/3 state university.   I published in the best journals in my field while at the community college.  I was teaching 4 courses per semester but they were easy to teach (also, light committee load, and a very collegial department).  I think an atmosphere where one does not waste time “fighting” makes up for a lot.