Women Representation among Editors-in-Chief in Physical Education Journals

Abstract

This study examined women representation in editor-in-chief (EiC) position at physical education (PE) journals. A total of twenty-five PE journals were selected from Web of Science (Social Science Citation Index and Emerging Sources Citation Index) and Scopus. Each journal was classified based on indexation [Journal Impact Factor–Journal Citation Reports (JIF-JCR)/Journal Citation Indicator–Journal Citation Reports (JCI-JCR)/Scimago Journal & Country Rank (SJR)], subject category, quartile (ranking year 2020), region, language(s) and EiCs’ gender. Only five journals (20%) listed women as EiCs: Apunts Educación Física y Deportes (JCI-JCR-Q2, SJR-Q1, Spain), Educación Física y Ciencia (JCI-JCR-Q4, Argentina), Motriz. Revista de Educação Física (SJR-Q4, Brazil), Retos. Nuevas Tendencias en Educación Física, Deportes y Recreación (JCI-JCR-Q4, SJR-Q3, Spain), and South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation (SJR-Q4, South Africa). Gender disparities are evident in EiC position at the PE discipline. Gathering and reporting data on male-female representation in EiC position is a necessary first step to move towards a more equitable scientific community. A joint effort from editorial boards in PE journals must be done to address this gender gap. A more gender diversity in leading journals might create a publishing environment that can reduce bias in how papers are selected and approved in the PE discipline.

Keywords

• female
• gender bias
• gender gap
• gender imbalance
• physical education