English as an International Language for Academic Publishing

by

Stewart Baker

• LAST MODIFIED: 23 May 2024
• DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756810-0319

Introduction

The pursuit of academic and scientific research has a long and truly global history, and technological advances since the late 1990s have provided a much larger audience for researchers around the world. However, this internationalization of academic research comes with its own particular challenges. One facet of international research that has been well documented is the rise and use of English as a “default” international language for academic publication. The study of this topic is generally, but not always, referred to as English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP). ERPP as a field concerns itself with issues of pedagogy, but also with the practicalities of writing research papers in English, especially as a second or other language or in so-called periphery institutions located outside of the main producers of academic work in English. Because local and regional situations can significantly affect scholars’ ability and desire to submit and publish work in English or their native language, many studies examine specific national or regional contexts. However, despite a focus on the real-world challenges facing non-anglophone scholars and the pedagogical implications for specific locales, the field is not purely a practical one. There is a core of equity and justice in the work of many ERPP researchers, dating from early studies in the 1990s all the way up to the most recent publications. The potential for linguistic bias against non-anglophone scholars by peer reviewers, editors, and other gatekeepers as well as more theoretical discussions of English’s status as “international” are common topics of discussion. Regardless of approach, ERPP stands to become a more influential field than ever as the use of English in international publishing continues to grow. Evidence of this all-pervasive influence can be seen in an irony that should not escape the reader’s attention: that all the citations in this list are written in English, even when, as is often the case, their authors’ native language is something else.

Journals

Because of ERPP’s relative newness as a cohesive field of research, only one journal, the Journal of English for Research Publication Purposes, focuses entirely on research related to ERPP. However, many journals public ERPP and ERPP-adjacent research, especially those in the fields of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English for Academic Purposes (EAP), and TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language). These journals include English for Specific Purposes, ESP Today, International Journal for TESOL Studies, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, Journal of Second Language Writing, The ESPecialist, and World Englishes. ERPP articles also appear in subject-specific journals (for an example, see Negash, et al. 2019, cited under ERPP in Africa and the Middle East), especially when examining the challenges facing non-anglophone researchers in a specific field, but these journals are not included here as the majority of their content is not relevant.

• English for Specific Purposes. 1982–.

  Journal devoted to English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Articles primarily explore second language acquisition in the classroom for various specialized purposes, including research publication, but may also study ESP as a field or some other aspect of English instruction.

• ESP Today. 2013–.

  This open-access journal managed by the University of Belgrade publishes peer reviewed articles and book reviews about English for Specific Purposes (ESP) twice a year. Some issues are themed, but otherwise many articles focus on higher education settings, including studies on research writing in English.

• International Journal of TESOL Studies. 2019–.

  Open access TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language) journal maintained by an international TESOL organization. Articles are typically pragmatic in orientation, although those that address philosophical issues of English in non-anglophone countries, including for the purpose of publishing research, also regularly appear.

• Journal of English for Academic Purposes. 2002–.

  The official journal of BALEAP, the professional organization for English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Typically publishes papers based in pedagogical or genre-based approaches to teaching English for the specific purposes of academics, including research publication, but also includes more general and theoretical studies.

• Journal of English for Research Publication Purposes. 2020–.

  Newer journal, with its first volume published in 2020 and notable for the number of prominent ERPP researchers on its editorial advisory board. Its issues to date include a useful mix of scholarly explorations of ERPP issues and viewpoint pieces designed to spur further conversation.

• Journal of Second Language Writing. 1992–.

  Publishes “theoretically grounded” studies of second language (L2) writing, primarily focusing on pedagogical approaches to teaching L2 writing in the classroom. Although not all articles are directly relevant, many do focus on academic and scientific writing, while others contain insights that can be carried over to ERPP.

• The ESPecialist. 1980–.

  Open-access journal for studies of applied linguistics, with a focus on language instruction in the classroom. Articles are published in Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish, with most in Portuguese. Lists language instruction for specific purposes, genre and corpus analysis, and various aspects of teaching foreign languages among their interests.

• World Englishes. 1980–.

  Although the scope of this highly ranked journal on the global use of English is not limited to the language’s use in academic publishing, it regularly features articles that explore the subject. Articles on the use of English outside of academia can provide insight into ERPP and new approaches, making this a useful publication for general browsing.