Hype and the manufacture of impact in REF submissions

This paper examines the use of hyperbolic and promotional language, or ‘hype’, in the impact case studies submitted to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), a major research evaluation exercise for UK higher education institutions. With substantial funding and institutional reputations at stake, REF submissions are high-stakes texts that may incentivize rhetorical embellishment to demonstrate research impact. We conducted a corpus-based analysis of 6,361 case studies, focusing on the extent and nature of hype across different academic fields and impact types. The findings reveal a pervasive use of hyping language, with significantly higher frequencies compared to typical academic genres. Disciplines oriented towards ‘pure knowledge’ exhibited the highest levels of hype, especially in attempts to assert certainty and contribution. Cultural and technological impact types were particularly characterized by claims of novelty and potential. The results highlight how the competitive pressures of research assessment foster exaggerated representations of impact, which may compromise the integrity of research communication. We argue for a more measured approach to promoting research impact to preserve the objectivity of assessment processes. This study contributes to the understanding of academic communication under high-stakes evaluation conditions and provides insights for policymakers, assessment panels, and researchers.