The discontinuation of the Qualis journal ranking system by CAPES in the 2021–2024 evaluation cycle left Brazilian researchers without a traditional reference framework for making publication decisions. This Critical Perspective article brings together, in a collective voice, the views of members of the ANPOLL Sociolinguistics Working Group regarding three practical dimensions of academic life: where to publish, which conferences to attend, and how to disseminate research findings beyond academic audiences. The discussion is organized according to different career stages—researchers in training, early-career, mid-career, and senior scholars—making it possible to identify both convergences and tensions across generations. The findings reveal that publication choices are primarily guided by trust in journals associated with scientific societies and public institutions, which are valued more highly than bibliometric indicators. Participants also emphasize the importance of local and regional conferences, highlighting the quality of scholarly interaction and networking opportunities they provide. Regarding research dissemination, Instagram emerges as the most widely used platform for public engagement, creating an altmetric paradox: while researchers actively promote their work through social media, Brazilian journals often receive limited direct visibility and recognition from these same practices. Across all career stages, there is a strong consensus that open access constitutes an ethical commitment to the democratization of knowledge. At the same time, productive generational tensions emerge concerning the role and limits of publishing primarily in national venues versus pursuing greater international visibility. By examining how sociolinguists navigate publication, networking, and outreach in the post-Qualis era, this article contributes to ongoing debates about research evaluation, scholarly communication, and the future of academic visibility in Brazil.
Freitag et al. (Thu,) studied this question.