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It's Best to Leave This Constructive Ambiguity in Place!' : The Evaluation of Research in Literary Studies

Nolan, Marguerite Rose
; 
Mrva-Montoya, Agata
; 
Ward, Rebekah
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Author
Nolan, Marguerite Rose
Mrva-Montoya, Agata
Ward, Rebekah
Abstract
Despite recognition that the use of journal rankings in research assessment is problematic, they are implicitly or explicitly used by institutions to evaluate individual researchers. This essay reports on a study we undertook on behalf of the Australian University Heads of English (AUHE) investigating research assessment policies within the field of English, and their impact on academics’ publishing strategies and careers. After an initial online questionnaire, we conducted follow-up interviews with twenty-seven Australian literary studies academics from a range of institutions and at varying academic levels. Given generally widespread scepticism about the role of journal rankings in measuring quality, we asked these academics how they think literary studies can and should be evaluated. What we discovered was a broad and rich range of responses to this challenging question, as well as various creative ways literary studies academics negotiate questions of value in relation to institutional priorities and modes of evaluation. This paper suggests that broadening conceptions of value may be an important strategic response to the current institutional context in Australia.
Keywords
literature, Australia, literary studies, Australian University Heads of English, publishing, research, evaluation
Date
2023
Type
Journal article
Journal
Book
Volume
38
Issue
2
Page Range
1-20
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Arts and Humanities
Faculty of Education and Arts
Collections
National School of Arts and Humanities
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URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14802/12922
Relation URI
DOI
10.20314/als.8ec9216602
Source URL
https://www.australianliterarystudies.com.au/articles/its-best-to-leave-this-constructive-ambiguity-in-place-the-evaluation-of-research-in-literary-studies
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