ABSTRACT

Geographical bias definitely exists to some degree, and a good strategy therefore needs to take it into consideration. The former editor of The Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association, Magne Nylenna, and colleagues demonstrated one type of xenophobia rather neatly. Reviewers who received the English version gave it higher ratings, on average, than those who received it in their native tongue. Another study by Egger found that reports published in German were less likely to have statistically significant findings than those published in English. This observation may have several causes, including the fact that English language journals tend to have wider readerships and higher impact factors. When planning a publication strategy, it is important to identify writer's target audience and its location. Defining the writer's target readership will help focus their discussion on the most relevant, and therefore interesting, aspects.