This paper presents first steps towards the development of a
formal model of the research process. We evaluate the use of
simulation as a tool for the evaluation of research strategies
in nascent research organizations faced with the absence of
significant data. We start by modeling the research process
by using the ”Publish or Perish” paradigm, a well-known
criteria of evaluation of research. We demonstrate the use of
this model for researchers to evaluate the effects of selection
of a particular publishing venue over time. We then perform
various experiments using this basic idea. By means of
various visualization techniques, we see how researchers
with similar publishing policies might self-organize in the
form of groups. We also evaluate the effects of giving higher
weights to articles in journals and see where the effects of
publishing in these venues breaks even for both top as well
as average acceptance rates.