Identifying your personal interests and commitments to publishing

1.1 Chapter focus

Scholars in many contexts around the world are coming under increasing pressure to publish, in English as well as in other languages, and are motivated by a range of interests and goals. At different points in their careers scholars write for different and sometimes multiple communities, depending on their goals and commitments. Scholars make decisions about which communities to address based on their priorities about the content, focus and audience for various publications. Understanding the range of reasons that scholars publish is important for considering which communities you may want to address at different moments in your academic work and career and in which language(s).

1.2 Scholarly interests and communities

The table in Data Example 1.1 illustrates the range of communities to which multilingual scholars contribute and the language(s) used in each community. What do you notice about the range of communities? What relationship do you see between the content and purpose of different types of publications and the languages used in publications for particular communities? Bearing in mind that any labeling of the communities that scholars write for is not straightforward, to what extent are the types of communities listed relevant to your publishing activity?

Comment

The table indicates a number of communities that scholars are seeking to address, including research and applied or practitioner communities in local languages, English or other languages. The range of communities that scholars address changes according to historical links between communities of scholars, individual interests, and personal and academic circumstances. Some scholars, for example, write for all of the communities listed in Data Example 1.1 while some write mainly for a selection of them. While many scholars are publishing in multiple languages, the ratio of their publications using the local language as compared to other languages varies considerably. Some scholars make a distinction between communities they are writing for on the basis of the content of their texts: for example, some scholars address applied communities using the local language(s), while they contribute theoretical or research publications to 'intranational' or 'international' communities in English. In contrast, some scholars find that there are more opportunities for developing advanced theory when addressing local communities in the local/national language, because their writings are part of ongoing and well-established local research and knowledge-building activities (such as seminars at which different stages of theory and research are presented).

1.3 Making decisions about where to publish

When thinking about where to publish – and which genres of text to publish (see Introduction) – scholars take into consideration a number of factors, as one scholar s publication record across the communities discussed in Section 1.2 illustrates. Look at Data Example 1.2 and consider the following question: What does Amalia's record of publishing in these communities suggest about her interests and personal commitments?

Comment

Amalia has published in four of the seven types of community listed in Data Example 1.2. She has published in both the local/national research and applied communities using the local language (Portuguese) and has four publications addressed to the 'international' academic community, also in the local language. Amalia has published one English-medium journal article for the 'international' community in her specialist area, which she co-authored with a colleague from Canada. In the next section we explore some of Amalia's reasons for addressing this range of communities.

1.4 One scholar's thoughts on where to publish

Read about the personal commitments that inform Amalia's publishing choices in Data Example 1.3 and consider the question: How do Amalia's comments support what her publications record suggests to you about her choices of communities to address through her publications?

Data Example 1.3: Views of Amalia, associate professor, Portugal, on choosing scholarly communities

'I have always preferred to know that what I am working on has some application, some use. That's why I'm working on the project with [a colleague in the education department], because we are applying our resources with people who really need that. [...] That for me is important, to really do something not just theoretically.'

[•••]

'There are things that maybe you want people in Portugal to know, so it will be easier if you publish that in Portuguese here ... because it may be something especially from here, from this community, for example.'

[•••]

'I like things that usually mean the application of research findings because then you are working on things that perhaps are of value. It seems the academic research publications are not worth so much in practical terms; they are worth something, but I do not have that goal.'

Comment

Amalia's choice of communities reflects her priorities that her academic work should have value in the local context, as the majority of her publications are aimed at local/ national communities, both research and applied. Although in Amalia's context there is some institutional pressure to publish in English, other factors also influence scholars' career opportunities. Thus Amalia's publications in Portuguese as well as English have supported her to become a permanent faculty member at her university (along with her teaching and other academic responsibilities). Amalia has therefore been able to receive institutional recognition...