Working Paper: “The Scholarly Communication Attitudes And Behaviours of Gen – Z Researchers: A Pathfinding Study”

The working paper linked below was recently shared on Cambridge Open Engage.

Title

The Scholarly Communication Attitudes And Behaviours of Gen – Z Researchers: A Pathfinding Study

Authors

David Nicholas
CIBER Research

David Clark
CIBER Research

Abdullah Abrizah,
Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jorge Revez
University of Lisbon

Blanca Rodríguez-Bravo,
Universidad de Leon, Leon, Spain

Marzena Swigon,
Uniwersytet Warminsko-Mazurski, Olsztyn, Poland

John Akeroyd
CIBER Research

Source

Cambridge Open Engage
DOI: 10.33774/coe-2026-s8b36

Abstract

In preparation for a major study of Generation–Z early career researchers’ (ECRs) scholarly communications attitudes and practices we report on how different Gen-Z researchers included in our earlier studies of ECRs were. It is a qualitative, pilot study that covered a convenience sample of around 30 Gen-Z ECRs from 8 countries and all subjects and compared to 120 of their older colleagues. Conversational, in-depth interviews lasting an hour or more were the main form of data collection. An AI analysis, employing Claude AI, was used both to provide an initial analysis of the data and also assess the published literature on the topic. The findings were that there is enough evidence to suggest that there are enough differences between Gen-Z and their Millennial colleagues – even though all are ECRs – to merit further research. Younger researchers in particular appear to be strategically adopting AI for efficiency and career advancement, while older researchers possess heightened awareness, and caution, regarding the philosophical and ethical consequences of technological transformation in scholarly communication.

Direct to Abstract, Link to Full Text
8 pages; PDF.

See Also: Harbingers 5; a Recalibration  (via CIBER Research)
Background about the project.

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