Responses to rejection: The experiences of six women early career researchers in the Education department of an English university

SynopsisThis paper maps the diverse experiences of six women early career researchers in the Education department of an English university. Within a case study approach, data were generated using methods originally developed in collective memory work. The paper analyzes the women's motivations and values, and the extent to which these render their research foci more or less malleable. It explores the women's expectations regarding rejection; their knowledge of the implicit rules of the productivity game; and their perceptions of reviewer feedback. It also discusses the kinds of help the women found most useful, namely, internal support from a departmental community of practice, and external support from academics at other institutions.