Changing trends in publishing behaviour among university faculty, 1980-2000

This article analyses changes in publication patterns over a twenty-year period at Norwegian universities. Based on three surveys among academic staff; in 1982, 1992 and 2001, covering all kinds of publications, the following general conclusions are drawn: (a) co-authorship has become more common, (b) the extent of publishing directed towards an international audience has increased, (c) the scientific article in an international journal has enhanced its position as the dominating type of publication, and (d) the number of publications per academic staff member has increased. The largest changes have taken place within the social sciences, which to an increasing extent approaches the publication pattern in the natural sciences. On the other hand, the large productivity differences between individual researchers have remained remarkably stable over the two decades in all fields of learning.