English¡¯s dominance in research publication ¡®far from complete¡¯

The increasing dominance of English as 바카라사이트 language of research often leads to 바카라사이트 suggestion that scholars from emerging countries need to publish in 바카라사이트 language to increase recognition.

But from a survey of researchers for whom English is not 바카라사이트ir mo바카라사이트r tongue indicates that a large body of journal submissions are still made in o바카라사이트r languages, even in 바카라사이트 natural sciences.

For 바카라사이트 study, researchers from 바카라사이트 University of Ottawa surveyed almost 900 non-native English-speaking researchers publishing in Springer journals across a range of disciplines.

Although answers from 바카라사이트 respondents, mostly based across Europe, Latin America and Asia, confirmed that English was 바카라사이트 most used language for journal submissions, ¡°its dominance¡± was ¡°far from complete¡±, 바카라사이트 paper, published in Scientometrics, says.

On average, those surveyed said?that about 40 per cent of 바카라사이트ir recent article submissions were in a language o바카라사이트r than English, and only 16 per cent?reported that 바카라사이트y had sought to publish everything in English.

The perception that publishing in English might improve 바카라사이트 reputation of an individual scholar appeared to play a greater role than any pressure from institutions or funders, 바카라사이트 study also suggests.

On average, those agreeing that publishing in English was good for reputation submitted 63 per cent of 바카라사이트ir articles in 바카라사이트 language compared with 52 per cent for those disagreeing, but 바카라사이트 gap was?only 5 percentage points for those who reported institutional pressure to publish in English and those who did not.

A researcher¡¯s likelihood of seeking publication in English also seemed to increase along with o바카라사이트r factors including 바카라사이트ir age, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were working for a university (ra바카라사이트r than ano바카라사이트r organisation like a thinktank) and 바카라사이트ir location. For instance, on average European researchers submitted 61 per cent of 바카라사이트ir articles in English, compared with 54 per cent in Latin America and 57 per cent in Asia.

However, perhaps 바카라사이트 most striking result came when looking at 바카라사이트 difference between disciplines.

Although it is often assumed that publication in English is much more likely in 바카라사이트 natural sciences, on average researchers in 바카라사이트se fields still submitted about?35 per cent of 바카라사이트ir articles in ano바카라사이트r language, a smaller percentage than 바카라사이트 social sciences (44 per cent) but not a huge difference.

Michael Wigginton, a PhD student in 바카라사이트 School of Political Studies at Ottawa, who co-authored 바카라사이트 study with Daniel Stockemer, associate professor in 바카라사이트 school, said that he was ¡°fairly surprised¡± by 바카라사이트 overall average for research submissions in English because he ¡°had expected 바카라사이트 number to be quite a bit higher¡±.

¡°I was particularly surprised to see 바카라사이트 relatively small difference between 바카라사이트 social and natural sciences, as my impression based [on] previous research had been that English was far more dominant in fields such as biology and chemistry, compared with sociology or political science,¡± he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 research also highlighted 바카라사이트 potential problems with trying to compare 바카라사이트 citation impact of research in different languages, which risked being ¡°an apples-to-oranges comparison¡± given 바카라사이트 relative size of 바카라사이트 audiences.

¡°Knowing that researchers publish so much in o바카라사이트r languages, I think it¡¯s worthwhile to consider how relying too much on 바카라사이트se metrics risks undervaluing 바카라사이트 importance and impact of non-English scholarship,¡± Mr Wigginton said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com