Who Publishes What in the Journal of the Learning Sciences: Evidence for Possible Biases
Author(s)
Chi Kim Cheung
ABSTRACT
A content analysis of the Journal of the Learning Sciences (JLS) was conducted for a 5-year period. Article topics, methodology, the names of the contributing authors, their academic ranks, affiliations, and geographical locations were coded to reveal trends in publication patterns. A questionnaire was sent to all authors in the relevant period to find out how they selected journals for submitting manuscripts. It was found that the active involvement of the JLS’s editor in the journal’s orientation correlated with the great importance that the JLS’s contributors gave to editorial considerations when selecting journals. A possible geographical bias was identified, and possible solutions were discussed.
A content analysis of the Journal of the Learning Sciences (JLS) was conducted for a 5-year period. Article topics, methodology, the names of the contributing authors, their academic ranks, affiliations, and geographical locations were coded to reveal trends in publication patterns. A questionnaire was sent to all authors in the relevant period to find out how they selected journals for submitting manuscripts. It was found that the active involvement of the JLS’s editor in the journal’s orientation correlated with the great importance that the JLS’s contributors gave to editorial considerations when selecting journals. A possible geographical bias was identified, and possible solutions were discussed.
Cite this paper
Cheung, C. (2012). Who Publishes What in the Journal of the Learning Sciences: Evidence for Possible Biases. Creative Education, 3, 256-262. doi: 10.4236/ce.2012.32040.
Cheung, C. (2012). Who Publishes What in the Journal of the Learning Sciences: Evidence for Possible Biases. Creative Education, 3, 256-262. doi: 10.4236/ce.2012.32040.
References
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[1] English, L., D’Souza, M., & Chartrand, L. (2005). Analysis of contents, contributors, and research directions: mapping publication routes in the journal. Religious Education, 100, 6-19. [2] Guzdial, M., Rick, J., & Kehoe, C (2001). Beyond adoption to invention: Teacher-created collaborative activities in higher education. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 265-279. [3] Horton, R. (2003). Medical journals: Evidence of bias against the diseases of poverty. Lancet, 361, 712-713 [4] ISLS International Society of the Learning Sciences (2006). International Society of the Learning Sciences. URL (last checked 12 June 2006). http://www.isls.org [5] Keiser J., Utzinger J., Tanner M., & Singer B. (2004). Representation of authors and editors from countries with different human development indexes in the leading literature on tropical medicine: Survey of current evidence. British Medical Journal, 328, 1229-1232 [6] Kolodner J. (2000). Entering our tenth year: We’ve come a long way, and thank you to all. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 9, 1-4. [7] Kolodner J. (2001). A note from the editor. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 1-4. [8] Kolodner J. (2006). A note from the editor. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15, 1-2. [9] Leff, J. (2001). Invited commentaries on: international representation in psychiatric literature. Survey of six leading journals. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 410. [10] Patel, V., & Sumathipala, A. (2001). International representation in psychiatric literature. Survey of six leading journals. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 406-409. [11] Tight, M. (2004). Research into higher education: An a-theoretical community of practice? Higher Education Research & Development, 23, 395-411 [12] The Journal of the Learning Sciences (2006). International Society of the Learning Sciences. URL (last checked 13 June 2006). http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/computing/lst//JLS/ [13] Tutarel O. (2002). Composition of the editorial boards of leading medical education journals. BMC Medical Education, 2, 3.