Presented at PRISEAL conference in Coimbra, Portugal.

1. Research publication
support for scholars in
Brazil: rising to the
challenge
Dr. Ron Martinez
Dr. Karin Graf
Universidade Federal do Paraná
31 October 2015
Setor de Tecnologia
UFPR
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2. Ron Martinez
• American, assistant professor of
English within Department of
Modern Languages at UFPR.
• Member of editorial advisory
board for TESOL Quarterly and
ELT Journal.
• Pedagogical Coordinator of
national government-sponsored
program called ‘Inglês sem
Fronteiras’.
• Leader of a research group entitled
‘Internationalization of Brazilian
Scholarly Research’.
Karin Graf
• Brazilian associate professor of
Mechanical Engineering at UFPR
(part of the Technology Sector)
• Member of the
‘Internationalization Commission’
within the Technology Sector
• President of the Automotive
Engineering Commission at
UFPR
• One of my wife’s best friends!
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3. Publication pressures (in the Setor de
Tecnologia)
• Professors must publish to advance.
• Professors cannot advise at the post-
graduate level until they have a publications
track record.
• Doctoral candidates must publish in a highly-
ranked journal in order to receive diploma.
• Even Brazilian journals and journal indexing
services are moving towards English.
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4. First research phase:
Try to understand the nature and
complexity of the current local situation.
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5. Who do they turn to for help?
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6. ERPP Questionnaire (n=26)
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7. Who (or what) do they turn to for
articles in English?
(professors [n=18]; post-grad students [n=18])
RESOURCE % USE (at least sometimes)
Dictionary 73.10
Brazilian colleague 42.30
Translation service 34.60
Editing service 23.10
Brazilian English teacher 15.40
Specialized course 11.50
Native English teacher 7.60
Foreign colleague in Brazil 3.80
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8. Interviews (n=7)
• All interviewees reported not trusting
translation services
• Most turn to ‘convenience editors’ of various
kinds (cf. Willey & Tanimoto, 2013)
• None of those convenience editors were
deemed very useful
• All describe a sense of helplessness and
frustration
• Manuscript data collection added insight
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9. EXAMPLE: “Adam”
(Professor at UFPR Department of Mechanical
Engineering)
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10. Rejected?
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11. First revision– “Reviewer 1”
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12. First revision– “Reviewer 2”
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15. Authors’ reply to Reviewer 1
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16. Authors’ reply to Reviewer 2
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17. Second Revision – “Reviewer 1”
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18. Reply Reviewer 1
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19. Last review
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21. MAIN ISSUE NOT MERELY ‘ENGLISH’
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23. Question on ‘collaboration’
%
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be written by
me as sole author.
7.70
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be written by
fellow colleagues.
26.90
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in
coauthorship with my thesis advisor.
53.8
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in
coauthorship with foreigners at this university.
11.5
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in
coauthorship with foreigners abroad.
7.7
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24. Question on ‘collaboration’
%
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be written by
me as sole author.
7.70
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be written by
fellow colleagues.
26.90
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in
coauthorship with my thesis advisor.
53.8
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in
coauthorship with foreigners at this university.
11.5
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in
coauthorship with foreigners abroad.
7.7
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25. “How did you learn to write research
articles in Portuguese?”
%
I never learned – I still do not know how to write research articles. 15.4
No one taught me – I learned by myself. 61.5
In a specialized course offered by my department. 3.8
In a specialized course offered outside by department, but by the university. 0
In a classroom-based course offered outside the university. 3.8
In a course delivered online. 3.8
My thesis advisor taught me. 23.1
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26. Untapped potential?
%
My first publication (in Portuguese or English) was/will be in coauthorship
with my thesis advisor.
53.8
My thesis advisor taught me. 23.1
I never learned – I still do not know how to write research articles. 15.4
No one taught me – I learned by myself. 61.5
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27. Some interim findings:
• Students turn to various sources for help, none of
which they deem particularly useful and/or
reliable;
• Students and faculty do not have any
institutionalized provision to help them;
• The scholars often do not seem to understand
what help involves beyond fixing ‘vocabulary’ and
‘grammar’;
• Advisors (supervisors) seem to offer untapped
potential help.
• I (and Karin) can only do so much!
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29. Looking at ‘ecologically sustainable’
support systems
• Thanks to some growing support...
• from Department Head
• from Vice-Rector
• from ‘Inglês sem Fronteiras’ President
• with Dr. Karin Graf (and colleagues), I will develop and pilot
a workshop program for post-graduate thesis supervisors.
• For postgrad students: Currently developing a course for
introduction to research publication, to be piloted and
offered through Inglês sem Fronteiras.
• For faculty: Developing and piloting faculty mentorship
program (+ initial training) with interdisciplinary research
support groups in each sector (+ incentives from university
administration).
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30. Contact
Email: ronmartinez@ufpr.br
Slides: www.slideshare.net/RonMartinez3
Website: www.drronmartinez.com
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