Early Career Determinants of Research Productivity

Abstract

The publication records of 2,205 holders of the Ph.D. in sociology are examined for the period 1940-70. The predictive efficiency of six independent variables: sex, age at Ph.D., years between bachelor's degree and Ph.D., age at first publication, publication before Ph.D., and quality of department of doctoral training is assessed via regression analysis. A seventh variable-year of Ph.D.-is entered into the regression equation as a control. The standardized partial regression coefficients indicate that only age at first publication and publication before Ph.D. exert important independent effects upon research productivity. Of the four remaining independent variables, sex emerged as a particularly weak predictor of publication output. Possible reasons for these results, as well as directions for future research, are presented and discussed.