Education journals: Two decades of change and implications for the field

The authors sought to systematically examine patterns of change over time, as well as current variations, in educational journal specifications and publishing, including higher education. The 100 journals in this sample included research and practitioner venues across a range of subdomains and specializations. The authors gathered data for 3 points in time, at 10‐year intervals during a 20‐year period, from 1989–2009. They examined the following in detail: journal profiles for publishing characteristics, submission specifications for manuscript parameters, and full‐text published manuscripts for compliance with specifications. All were analyzed as point‐in‐time comparisons as well as trajectories of change over time. Journal profiles demonstrated patterns of increased centralization and digitization, inclusiveness of readership, increased frequency of issues, and increased length of articles. Key findings for manuscript parameter trends included increased specificity of detail, range of manuscript types and research designs accepted, and average manuscript length. In addition, journals have more explicitly specified elements previously left implicit, such as professional and ethical standards. Criteria for submission procedures and manuscript quality are consistent with university faculty performance standards for productivity and technological advancement. Findings carry implications for publishing, journal management, faculty work, and performance evaluation.