Can Bilingual Publishing Through Translation Increase International Authorship: An Interrupted Time Series Study of Spain-Based Journals

Abstract

Under the pressure of English as the lingua franca for research publication, local journals have changed their language policies for survival. While some discontinued their local-language editions and became English journals, others resorted to bilingual publishing through translation, which may enable them to be integrated into the international community without losing their cultural identity. So far, the impact of bilingual publishing on international visibility has rarely been explored, though relevant knowledge is limited. This study aims to explore whether the bilingual publishing policy adopted by four Spain-based journals increases their international authorship, as is reflected in the proportion of foreign contributions and the geographical distribution of foreign contributing countries. To address this issue, a control-group interrupted time series design was implemented, assigning the four journals to the experimental group and a homogeneous journal to the comparison group. Within-group and between-group evidence indicates that Spain-based journals' shift to bilingual publishing increases the proportion of international contributions and widens the geographical distribution of contributing countries. The findings are discussed against the current literature and arguments are initiated as to whether it is necessary to continue with the bilingual publishing policy if international authorship reduces the publication chances of local authors.