Visitor Studies

Scope & Guideline

Shaping the Future of Visitor Research

Introduction

Welcome to the Visitor Studies information hub, where our guidelines provide a wealth of knowledge about the journal’s focus and academic contributions. This page includes an extensive look at the aims and scope of Visitor Studies, highlighting trending and emerging areas of study. We also examine declining topics to offer insight into academic interest shifts. Our curated list of highly cited topics and recent publications is part of our effort to guide scholars, using these guidelines to stay ahead in their research endeavors.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN1064-5578
PublisherROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1988 to 1989, from 1992 to 1993, from 2007 to 2024
AbbreviationVISIT STUD / Visit. Stud.
Frequency2 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address2-4 PARK SQUARE, MILTON PARK, ABINGDON OX14 4RN, OXON, ENGLAND

Aims and Scopes

Visitor Studies focuses on understanding the dynamics of visitor engagement, learning, and experiences within various informal learning environments such as museums, zoos, and science centers. The journal emphasizes empirical research and evaluation methodologies to improve visitor experiences and inform best practices in exhibit design and educational programming.
  1. Visitor Engagement and Experience:
    Research aimed at understanding how visitors interact with exhibits and the factors that influence their learning and engagement.
  2. Evaluation Methodologies:
    Utilization of various assessment tools and frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions and visitor experiences.
  3. Interdisciplinary Approaches:
    Integration of insights from fields such as psychology, education, and design to address complex issues related to visitor studies.
  4. Accessibility and Inclusion:
    Exploration of barriers faced by diverse visitor groups, particularly those with disabilities, and strategies to enhance inclusivity in informal learning settings.
  5. Environmental and Conservation Education:
    Investigating how informal learning environments can promote pro-environmental behaviors and awareness among visitors.
  6. Community Engagement and Impact:
    Examining the role of community facilitators and social contexts in shaping visitor experiences and learning outcomes.
Recent publications in Visitor Studies indicate a shift towards innovative and inclusive approaches to understanding visitor interactions. Emerging themes reflect the evolving landscape of informal learning and the need for adaptive strategies in visitor engagement.
  1. Impact of Technology on Learning:
    There is a growing emphasis on how digital tools, such as augmented reality and interactive exhibits, enhance visitor learning experiences.
  2. Collaborative Learning Environments:
    Research increasingly focuses on the role of social interactions, particularly among families and groups, in enhancing the educational impact of museum visits.
  3. Values-Based and Environmental Education:
    Emerging studies explore how values-based interpretations and messaging can influence visitor attitudes and behaviors towards environmental conservation.
  4. Community-Centric Approaches:
    A trend towards engaging community members as facilitators and co-creators of exhibits, highlighting the importance of local context and relevance in visitor experiences.
  5. Accessibility Innovations:
    A surge in research dedicated to improving accessibility for diverse visitor populations, particularly those with disabilities, indicating a broader commitment to inclusive practices.

Declining or Waning

While Visitor Studies has a robust focus on various themes, certain areas of research are becoming less prominent. This reflects shifts in visitor needs, societal changes, and emerging priorities within the field.
  1. Traditional Educational Methods:
    There is a noticeable decline in research focused solely on traditional didactic teaching methods in favor of more engaging, hands-on, and experiential learning approaches.
  2. Narrow Focus on Individual Visitor Behavior:
    Research concentrating exclusively on individual visitor behaviors without considering group dynamics or social interactions is increasingly rare, as studies now emphasize collaborative learning.
  3. Static Exhibit Evaluation:
    The trend has shifted away from evaluating static exhibits in isolation, with a growing interest in dynamic, interactive, and immersive exhibit experiences.

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