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A Decade in Research Publishing: Trends, Challenges, and Prospects

Reflecting on the past ten years of research methods publishing, this study delves into the transformations, growth, and key observations in the field. From the evolution of methodologies to the impact of technology on accessibility, explore the dynamic landscape of research publishing. The analysis includes insights on academic papers, international collaborations, and the changing preferences of students and researchers in social sciences and humanities.

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A Decade in Research Publishing: Trends, Challenges, and Prospects

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  1. Ten Years of Research Methods Publishing Malcolm Williams University of Plymouth

  2. Reflections, Observations and speculations…….. • Reflections: The last ten years and before….. • Observations: Producers and consumers • Speculations: Are we better researchers?

  3. Reflections • Context: Huge growth in number of text books / monographs in methods/ methodology in last ten years. • What it was like in the old days? • What it is like now? • Range of methods published as books Table 1) • Journal publishing

  4. Table 2 – The Sage Catalogue

  5. IJSRM – The Growth of a Journal • International Journal of Social Research Methodology first published 1997 • 253 papers published by end 2007 • In 1998: 22 papers, no international authors and 1 ‘quants’ paper • In 2007: 25 papers, 11 international and 9 quants. • Mainly academic papers

  6. IJSRM • ‘absence of any forum for methods discussion in the UK, other than quantitative’ • Dedicated methodological space are able to take a reflexive approach • Social research, not substantively/ disciplinary based (successful) • Relevant to all social sectors (less successful)

  7. MI Online – the new kid on the block • Methodological Innovations Online. First published 2006. 2 issues a year (plus ‘specials’). Open access • Focuses on methodological problems/ innovations • Works with early career researchers • Aimed to span all social sciences & connections with natural sciences/ humanities, but still predominantly ‘sociological’

  8. Observations • Growth in UK student numbers (& demand for methods education) in social science/ humanities. • UK. Two key audiences. Students and teachers/ researchers. • The role of ‘benchmarking’ / ESRC. • The role of technology in methods accessibility.

  9. Observations • Growth in UK student numbers in social science/ humanities. • The US/ Europe divide. (crudely) US statistical analysis techniques. Europe qualitative methods • A quants crisis? Methods and social science output (evidence from sociology. Table 2) • A quants crisis? Methods and student attitudes (more evidence from sociology. Table 3)

  10. Table 2 Mainstream UK Sociology Journals output 2004/5

  11. Table 3 Sociology undergraduate attitudes toward research methods

  12. Conclusions andSpeculations • Publishing and methods. The causal direction? • How good is what is published. Has quantity produced quality? • Are our students driving the publishing market? • Has the ‘cultural turn’ (in Europe) deskilled social research methods? When method became an ‘ology’ • Market research methods – the people next door • Futurology

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