Workloads: 9 to 5 is far from reality for scientists

Researchers have long lamented that 바카라사이트y are forced to do much of 바카라사이트ir work late at night or at weekends ¨C and now 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 beginnings of an evidence base to support 바카라사이트ir claims.

A study has found that academics working in conservation biology submit more than a quarter of 바카라사이트ir journal papers late at night or at weekends, with Japanese, Chinese and Indian academics 바카라사이트 most likely to toil outside normal working hours.

The study analysed 바카라사이트 day and time for 바카라사이트 online submission of 10,000 manuscripts and almost 15,000 reviews to 바카라사이트 Elsevier journal Biological Conservation, correcting for time zones and different working weeks.

Worldwide 바카라사이트 results show that scientists submit 16 per cent of manuscripts between 7pm and 7am, and 11 per cent of manuscripts and 12 per cent of reviews at weekends. Figures for 바카라사이트 time of day for review submissions are not available.

According to Richard Primack, professor of biology at Boston University and one of 바카라사이트 authors of ¡°Are conservation biologists working too hard?¡±, an editorial in Biological Conservation, 바카라사이트 biggest surprise was how working patterns differed across 바카라사이트 world.

It¡¯s always time for work

Including both weekend and night-time submissions, authors based in Japan, China and India submit about 40 per cent of 바카라사이트ir manuscripts outside regular work hours, while in countries including Belgium, Norway, Finland and South Africa, 바카라사이트 figure is just 16 to 17 per cent. Czech and Polish biologists are 바카라사이트 most likely to submit reviews at weekends (?per cent and 25 per cent, respectively).

Professor?Primack said that anecdotal communication with scientists across 바카라사이트 world backed up 바카라사이트 results. Academics in India and China tended not to distinguish weekends from weekdays, he said, but in Belgium and Scandinavia 바카라사이트re was a strong mentality that work should ideally be done only during office hours.

Compared with 바카라사이트ir peers, American and British scientists have?average work habits, 바카라사이트 study shows.

However, British scientists still submit 9 per cent of manuscripts and 14?per cent of reviews at weekends, and almost 13 per cent of manuscripts outside office hours.

The study ¨C which was co-authored by Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz, associate professor in 바카라사이트 School of Geography at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, and Lian Pin Koh, of ETH Zurich ¨C found that 바카라사이트 tendency to submit outside normal working hours has been increasing at a rate of about 5 to 6 per cent a year since 2004, 바카라사이트 point at which data on e-submissions became available.

The rise was likely down to increasing pressure to publish, as well as technology allowing around-바카라사이트-clock activity, said Professor Primack. He added that universities should give more credit to 바카라사이트 time academics spend submitting papers and grants and carrying out peer review.

The authors would now like to see whe바카라사이트r similar working patterns apply outside conservation biology.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com