Gender disparities in first authorship: examining the Matilda effect across communication, political science, and sociology

Abstract This study examines gender differences in first-author representation across communication, political science, and sociology journals, with a focus on how gender, academic fields, and journal quartile rankings intersect. We analyzed a proportional, representative sample of 1091 randomly selected articles published in 2021 in these disciplines, using data from the Journal Citation Reports ranking. Our findings reveal notable disciplinary differences: in communication, women were more likely to be first authors, whereas in political science and the overall sample, men held a significantly higher share of first authorships. In sociology, the gender distribution among first authors was more balanced. The results also indicate that the relationship between gender and first authorship varies by discipline, with political science favoring male authors and communication favoring female authors. Additionally, we examined whether journal prestige, measured by quartile rankings, is linked to first-author gender. No significant differences emerged in communication or political science, suggesting similar gender representation across journal quartiles in these fields. However, in sociology and the overall sample, women were more frequently first authors in mid-ranked journals but underrepresented in lower-tier journals. Overall, our findings contribute to ongoing discussions about gender representation in academic publishing, particularly in political science, where disparities in first authorship remain most pronounced.