Studies in bibliometrics have revealed persistent biases in citation patterns — women and people of colour, for instance, garner citations at lower rates than men do. An increasing number of researchers are calling on academics to acknowledge the inequities in citational practices — and, by paying more heed to work from groups that are typically under-cited, take action to reduce them. Some are referring to this idea as ‘citational ethics’ or ‘citational justice’ (Kwon, 2022).

While finding diversity in referenced academic journal articles and other published research may be difficult, please do what’s possible to consider it. This may be easier in some disciplines than others. We recognise that diversity in academia is far behind where it should be, which impacts the opportunities you have to represent all populations in OER.

Aims

• Recognise key contributors from all backgrounds, and ensure real-world examples are diverse.
• Determine if referenced papers or data have been sourced from diverse authors, researchers, and organisations.

Actions and Considerations

• Assess diversity of key contributors and, if lacking, seek further contributors to broaden diversity.
• When historical figures in a field lack diversity, balance their contributions with more current and diverse contributors.
• Include examples of and references to historically underrepresented groups such as women contributors to Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM), where women are underrepresented despite their significant contributions.
• Where key/historical figures are not diverse, include current, more diverse researchers/figures for balance.
• Avoid isolating diverse contributors to specific sections – i.e., “multicultural impacts on Psychology.”
• Where diversity is lacking, suggest more diverse references, papers, and data sources.
• If you include less formal, in-text mentions of specific researchers or studies, these should be as diverse as possible.
• Include a citation diversity statement or a statement of positionality.

Acknowledge Limited Perspectives

If you chose to develop the content yourself, rather than consult colleagues or recruit co-authors, consider including a disclaimer acknowledging your background wherever applicable – for example at the end of chapters addressing issues related to gender, gender identity, sexuality, race, culture or religion. This will show that you’re:

• aware of any biases or blind spots
• are trying to address them
• are open to feedback.

For example:

Copyright note: This section has been adapted in part from:

• ‘Centering Diversity and Inclusion’ in The OER Starter Kit by Abbey Elder, licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.