The status quo and development trend of talent cultivation in academic journal studies in China: A case study of Master's and Doctoral theses

Abstract

Background: This paper aims to investigate the situation of discipline construction in the field of academic publishing in China, including the transfer of talents to the academic publishing and its impact on the research and development of the academic publishing in the future. Methods: This research conducted a comparative analysis of the quantity of Master’s and Doctoral theses on academic journal studies in terms of relevant educational institutes, disciplines, high-frequency keywords, and research hotspots. Result: It was found that the number of Master’s and Doctoral theses on academic journal studies has increased since 2004 and remained steady during 2016–2021; among the 26 research institutes in which more than 10 Master’s and Doctoral theses in this field were published, information science, library science, communication, and journalism constituted the main disciplines of academic journal studies in China, and the theses published in these disciplines accounted for 34.4% of the total. The research hotspots included open access, editing and publishing, bibliometrics, etc. until 2015, and bibliometric analysis from 2016–2021. With bibliometric analysis, in the past ten and more years, 849 excellent graduates have been engaged in the academic journal studies. Some research institutes have made significant contributions to this field, cultivated a great number of talents, and introduced them to this field, promoting the development of the academic publishing. Conclusion: The number of Master’s and Doctoral theses focusing on academic journal studies has grown rapidly, leading to a picture of diversified prosperity in schools, majors, and fields of study. Universities and research institutes in China should establish a special research direction of academic journal studies to give impetus to the academic publishing industry.