International Publishing as A Networked Activity: Collegial Support for Chinese Scientists

Writing for international publication is a daunting prospect for all scholars but is particularly difficult for those off-network academics writing in an additional language. With little institutional support, they may solicit help from colleagues and other text mediators who do not share authorship. In this article, we investigate the experiences of 31 Chinese scientists seeking to publish in English, following their writing practices and use of discursive support by colleagues. We found that colleagues, although a valuable resource, were at best part of the solution. Many also turned to noncolleague text mediators, but with only limited success. Our study points to the need that institutions in non-Anglophone settings may need to sponsor systematic support to their scholars striving for international publication.