PACIS 2021 Proceedings
Paper Type
FP
Paper Number
7
Abstract
If information systems research is to be widely disseminated, then it is important that its scientific texts are easily accessible. This study analyzes one aspect of accessibility, namely readability. Specifically, this study analyzes 5,467 abstracts of the eight information systems journals included in the Senior Scholars’ Basket of Journals between 1990 and 2020. It operationalizes readability using two common measures, the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and the New Dale-Chall formula (NDC). The study finds a concerning decrease in readability over time. Supplementary analyses show that an increasing number of co-authors partially explains this trend, but that the trend persists even after controlling for this variable. Implications forthe field of information systems and future research opportunities are discussed
Recommended Citation
Graf-Vlachy, Lorenz, "The readability of information systems research over three decades: An analysis of the Senior Scholars’ Basket of Journals from 1990 to 2020" (2021). PACIS 2021 Proceedings. 200.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2021/200
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