Data citation, attribution, and employability

Abstract

Demand from academic departments for linguists possessing data skills has remained low in the last decade despite an influx of new data-driven tools, research, and ability to manage data in ways not possible before the internet. We assessed two barometers of employability: academic job postings and course descriptions. A survey of the academic linguistic job market over 10 years reveals that despite the field becoming more reliant on digital data, employers are not asking that candidates be fluent in data management. We also surveyed course descriptions and syllabi from 25 of the top-ranked linguistics programs in the United States and abroad, finding that most universities do not offer training in basic data management, despite offering courses in data- driven subdisciplines. This poster presents the data supporting these points including data management hiring and training trends.