Analysis of 30,000+ research outputs highlights shift in publication strategies and raises questions about diversity in legal scholarship.
A comprehensive new study has unveiled how the UK's Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) and Research Excellence Framework (REF) have significantly influenced legal academic publishing over the past 30 years. Conducted by esteemed legal scholars Professor Johanna Gibson of Queen Mary University of London and Professor Phillip Johnson of Cardiff University, and Queen Mary alumnus, the research provides an unprecedented analysis of over 30,000 research outputs written between 1990 and 2021.
Key Findings:
Professor Johanna Gibson, Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual Property Law commented: "Our analysis reveals that the structures put in place to assess research quality are profoundly shaping not just where, but also what and how legal academics publish. While aiming to promote excellence, these mechanisms may inadvertently be limiting the richness and diversity of legal scholarship."
Professor Phillip Johnson, Professor of Law added: "There is a very strong link between academic publishing behaviour and the research exercises, and I think it is important that institutions implement strategies to achieve a balance between rigorous assessment and a diverse, innovative research environment which encourages all forms of legal scholarship."
Recommendations:
The full study is published in the Modern Law Review and is accessible online: Thirty Years of Legal Research: An Empirical Analysis of Outputs Submitted to RAE and REF (1990‐2021) - Johnson - The Modern Law Review - Wiley Online Library
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