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AGING IN STYLE: Seniority and Sentiment in Scholarly Writing

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  • Lea-Rachel Kosnik
  • Daniel S. Hamermesh

Abstract

The scholarly impact of academic research matters for academic promotions, influence, relevance to public policy, and others. Focusing on writing style in top-level professional journals, we examine how it changes with age, and how stylistic differences and age affect impact. As top-level scholars age, their writing style increasingly differs from others’. The impact (measured by citations) of each contribution decreases, due to the direct effect of age and the much smaller indirect effects through style. Non-native English-speakers write in different styles from others, in ways that reduce the impact of their research. Nobel laureates’ scholarly writing evinces less certainty about the conclusions of their research than that of other highly productive scholars.

Suggested Citation

  • Lea-Rachel Kosnik & Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2023. "AGING IN STYLE: Seniority and Sentiment in Scholarly Writing," NBER Working Papers 31150, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31150
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel S. Hamermesh & Lea‐Rachel Kosnik, 2024. "Why do older scholars slow down?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(1), pages 488-499, January.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology

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