Work

Publishing Public Law: Publication Trends in Law and Courts

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As expectations for research output evolve, tenure portfolios serve as valuable records of how a field gauges impact. We analyze the records of 184 Law and Courts faculty at PhD-granting institutions and find that the median portfolio has grown from seven to ten peer-reviewed articles, that scholars publish in a wider variety of outlets, and that coauthorship rates have doubled over our four-decade time period. We also note patterns of gendered collaboration and private-institution advantages. These trends suggest shifting tenure expectations, complicate traditional metrics of impact, and underscore the need to initiate data-driven conversations about scholarly impact in an increasingly multidisciplinary field.

Source: Journal of Law and Courts

DOI: 10.1017/jlc.2025.10007

Authors: Abigail A. Matthews, Alyx Mark, Monica Lineberger

Institutions: University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Wesleyan University, University of Wisconsin System, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater

Language: English

Topic: scientometrics and bibliometrics research

Subfield: Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty

Field: Decision Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550

Funders: National Science Foundation, University at Buffalo