Publishing Communication Research in Spanish: Structural Limits and Academic Pressures

What is it?

This article explores the barriers to publishing communication research in Spanish in high-impact academic journals. According to Mancinas-Chávez, Romero-Rodríguez, and Aguaded, despite growing institutional demands for scientific production, there is a severe shortage of Spanish-language journals indexed in JCR and Scopus, which limits dissemination and marginalizes regional topics.

Why is it important?

The main findings reveal a paradox: researchers in Ibero-America are expected to publish in high-impact journals, but few of these accept submissions in Spanish. This leads to publication saturation, thematic bias, and scientific dependency on English-language outlets, undermining the visibility of local knowledge.

How is it applied?

The study combines semi-structured interviews with 40 researchers and 5 editors, using a mixed-methods approach. It highlights practical issues like rejection rates, editorial policies, methodological preferences, and lack of institutional support—offering a guide for reform in academic policy and journal management.

Key Problems Identified

1. Limited Publication Spaces

• Only 1 Spanish-language journal in JCR’s communication category.

• Just 12 in Scopus (SJR 2014), with even fewer focusing on communication.

• Most high-impact journals are in English, reducing accessibility for regional scholars.

2. High Rejection Rates

• 55% of authors face 1–3 rejections; 17.5% experience more than 4.

• Main reasons: poor methodological rigor, misalignment with journal themes, and editorial saturation.

• Some researchers suspect rejections are influenced by citation potential or personal networks.

3. Thematic “Bubbles”

• Over 52% of respondents report thematic exclusion in top journals.

• Topics like Educommunication, ICT, health communication dominate.

• Areas like media history, PR, and journalism are underrepresented.

4. Methodological Bias

• 70% of researchers believe journals favor quantitative over qualitative methods.

• Editors are divided: some deny the bias, while others justify prioritizing “objective” studies.

5. Insufficient Research Training

• 77.5% of researchers cite weak training in statistics, methodology, and scientific writing.

• Editors confirm: many submissions lack structure, originality, or methodological clarity.

FAQs

Why don’t more journals accept articles in Spanish?
Because global indexing systems privilege English, limiting the prestige and reach of Spanish-language publications.

Are there enough Spanish journals in Scopus/JCR?
No. The current number is far too low to meet demand, causing oversaturation and high rejection rates.

What can be done?
Solutions include:

• Supporting emerging journals in Spanish

• Training researchers in scientific writing and methods

• Redefining academic merit systems to value regional impact

Final Thoughts

This study exposes a structural imbalance in academic publishing: researchers are pushed toward high-impact publication, but the system is not designed for linguistic or regional diversity. In the field of communication, this creates a cycle of exclusion, pressure, and thematic homogenization.

As the authors conclude, it’s time to rethink evaluation policies, support Spanish-language journals, and ensure that scientific knowledge is not lost in translation—or in rejection queues.