Professional Literature: One View of a National Perspective

Abstract

Content, citation and theme analyses of articles and editorials published during two five year periods (1963‐67 and 1983‐87) in the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal are presented. A comparison of the two publication periods shows that: there has been no increase in the number of journal issues per year, nor in the total number of articles published since 1963. The number of articles in the research category has substantially increased; research appears to reflect the scope of practice. However, the need for a unifying conceptual framework that identifies Australian occupational therapy remains. A broader service network is evident; emphasis on promoting the profession in the wider community and a functional orientation are indicative of the shift that has taken place in marketing occupational therapy services. Recommendations are made regarding issues that relate to areas of professional concern and publication management.

Occupational therapy publications by Australian authors: A bibliometric analysis

“…Madill et al . () and Potter () have reported similar trends in which the number of Australian occupational therapist authored research articles has expanded. This increase is likely related to the number of occupational therapy‐specific journals that have recently been accepted into JCR (e.g.…”

“…Several content reviews of AOTJ articles have been published previously (e.g. Bell & Anderson, ; Cusick, ; Madill, Brintnell & Stewin, ; Ziviani, Behan & Rodger, ). Ziviani et al .…”

Child and Youth Practice Area Publications in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy in 2008 and 2009: A Content Analysis, Methodology Overview, and Summary

“…(Gutman, 2008a). Other studies of the occupational therapy literature have also found that pediatrics is a focus of journal publications (Brown, Rodger, & Brown, 2005;Case-Smith, 2007;Madill et al, 1989;Mountain, 1997;Ziviani, Behan, & Rodger, 1984).…”

A review of research with elderly people as respondents reported in occupational therapy journals

“…Professional journals are a primary source of information about a profession's undertakings (34) and can serve as an indicator for the state of the art within the subject. Professional journals show the strengths and maturity of the subject through debating and challenging presented ideas.…”