Transcript Publishing with T&F

Publishing Forum for English-language
Journals
at the
Institute of Microbiology, CAS
Rachel Sangster – Journals Publisher
Taylor & Francis Asia Pacific
[email protected]
Publishing Forum
• Taylor & Francis – who are we?
• How to get your manuscript noticed
• Working with journal editors and reviewers – maximise your
paper’s chance of acceptance
• Standards and expectations of Western journals
• Expand your research networks – helping with peer-review
• How to maximise your citations – after your paper has been
published
Taylor & Francis - Who are we?
• Publisher of scholarly journals since 1798
• T&F authors include Charles Darwin, Sigmund
Freud, Albert Einstein, Alfred Russel Wallace, Sir
Humphry Davy, James Prescott Joule, Bertrand
Russell and Claude Lévi-Strauss, inter alia!
• Collaborative – 460 society & university partners;
39 new societies joined T&F for 2010
• Global – 20 offices incl. Beijing, Singapore,
Tokyo, Oxford, Philadelphia and Melbourne
• Quality – citations  15% for T&F jnls in 2010
• Imprints:
Why Publish with T&F
• Heritage - founded in 1798
• Stringent peer review process
• 1,449 scholarly peer-reviewed
journals
• Full electronic workflow –
ScholarOne Manuscript, CATS
• 682 ISI listed journals
• iFirst initiatives; Advanced
Manuscripts Online (AMO)
• Long and trusted partnerships
with societies and institutions
• Highly searchable informaworld
online platform
• World class Academic Editors
• CrossRef
• Global presence – superb Sales &
Marketing reach
• Google Scholar; CNKI visibility
• Quality, Fast Production – free
colour online
• Optimizing Citations – advice and
support
• No page charges
Taylor & Francis space, 1798
Taylor & Francis space, 2010
Taylor & Francis Journals – New Titles
for 2010
T&F Journals in Microbiology
T&F Author Survey – publisher service
feedback
Mean Satisfaction Ratings for Publication Process by Publisher
10
9
8
Satisfaction Rating
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1015
438
328
67
174
245
115
T&F
Elsevier
Springer
OUP
Wiley
Blackwell
Sage
0
Mean
LQ
UQ
Median
The Publishing World is Changing
Changing Patterns of Research
The research process is no longer
likely to begin with a face-to-face
consultation with a librarian,
a visit to the library’s special
collections service points, or a
search of the online library catalogue
Faculty most often turn to
network-level services, including
both general purpose search engines
and services targeted specifically to
academia
From: Ithaka S&R Faculty Survey 2009: Key Strategic Insights for Libraries, Publishers, and Societies. p 5.
Value of the Electronic Journal

Taylor & Francis Journals – Online
Platform
http://www.informaworld.com
Uncorrected Manuscripts Online – within
5 days of acceptance
We recognise that speed of publication is key in this field. We continually refine
our services to meet author expectations, and the reputation of the journal
- HTML version only
Datasets – Enhancing delivery of
supplementary material
Food Additives and Contaminants Surveillance Database
• Clicking on the ‘Dataset’ button in an FAC – Part B article takes users
direct to the related dataset in the journal’s Surveillance Database:
Online Submission
Changing Research in China:
Change in Relative Output by Subject (2005-2008)
250%
200%
150%
100%
50%
0%
17
China’s Percentage of World Output by
Subject (2008)
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
How to get your
manuscript noticed
Start of the Submission Cycle
Audience and Type of Publication
• Is your audience your own Institute colleagues, local or truly
international?
• What level is it aimed at: researchers, practitioners or the
general public?
• Is it really a magazine article, a book or your PhD thesis?
• Is it a ‘Research in Progress’ paper, a literature review or a
‘Viewpoint’? (Some journals take these, some don’t)
• Is it a book review? Book reviews can be a good introduction
to academic writing
• So you have decided your paper conforms to a proper journal
article - do you:
- Write an article for a specific journal?
- Find any journal for your article?
Submitting your Paper
Selecting the Most Relevant Journal
• Browse by subject
• Check journal’s details – Aims &
Scope, Editorial Board, Type of
Papers
• http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Submitting Your Paper
• Instruction for Authors
• Online Submission System
• [email protected]
Choosing the Correct Journal
• Research the journals in your field
- Visit your Institute’s library
- Look at publishers and journal websites
- Talk to peers
• Type of journal
- Generalist: a title accepting papers across the whole research
field
- Niche: a journal with a narrow aims and scope
• Familiarise yourself with the aims and scope statements of journals
in your area
• Remember, you are joining a conversation with other contributors;
make sure you have something to say
Writing for your Chosen Journal
• Look at previous papers to get a feel for what is accepted
- Free online sample issues, visit: www.tandf.co.uk/journals
- Free online trials, access to subject archives, etc.
• Check the Aims and Scope again
• Take note of maximum extent of the submission
(Instructions for Authors)
• Follow any submission guidelines, how should you submit your
paper?
- Check if the submission is to an online editorial office, many now
use ScholarOne Manuscripts or Editorial Manager
• Quote and reference from previous papers published in the journal,
this can impress the reviewers and editor
Assessing the Best Journal for your Paper
•
What is the readership and usage? The top cited or downloaded papers may be on
the journal website.
•
Is it international? Is this important to you?
•
Is it peer-reviewed? How long will this take?
•
Who is the Editor?
•
Who is on the editorial board?
•
Who publishes in the journal?
•
Is it in the Thomson Reuters Citation Databases? Does the journal have an Impact
Factor? Is that an important consideration for your subject area?
•
Does the journal have a ranking in any other database?
•
Is the journal available online and/or in print?
•
Is it published by a major publisher, society or association?
•
Should you send an abstract of your paper to the Editor?
Preparing your Manuscript
• Read the Instruction for Authors.
• Abstracts should be written in the third person and shouldn’t contain
references. Abstract writing is a skill, it should NOT be the same as the
introduction or the conclusion
• Ensure references cited in text, appear in bibliography
• Expand any acronyms, remember it is an international audience
• Check spelling and grammar carefully
• Is your manuscript clearly written?
• Take care when choosing the title, remember academics may find it via a
search engine or see it on a content alerting service
• Always supply keywords if asked – use journal’s Glossary of Terms
• As an author, you are required to secure formal written permission if you
want to reproduce any figure, table, or extract from the text of another
copyright source
Preparing your Manuscript (contd)
• Figures, tables and photographs
- Check they are ALL present
- Place in a separate file on the email attachment
- Do not embed them in the text of the manuscript
- Consider how they will appear in the journal
- Ensure you have the correct copyright clearance, especially for
photographs, pictures of paintings, etc.
• Ask a colleague to read a draft prior to submission
• If English is not your first language consider using an ‘English polishing’
service
• Send the Editor the correct version of your paper: this is now becoming
one of the most common errors
• Draft a cover letter – relevance and innovation of your article
Working with journal
editors and reviewers –
maximise your paper’s
chance of acceptance
Some Journal Publishing Protocol
• Plagiarism: is it on the increase or are we just better at detecting it?
• Self-Plagiarism: authors should try to avoid using their own previously
published work without attributing it
– Online submission systems have software to check for originality and
authenticity
• Submitting a manuscript to more than one journal at a time is not
permitted
• Don’t submit an incomplete paper just to get feedback
• Always acknowledge all co-authors and fellow researchers
• Always mention any source of funding for your paper
• Ensure you include sufficient references
• Note: all journals reserve the right to reject submission without peerreview at the editor’s discretion, and…the editor’s decision is final
Top Ten Reasons for Rejection
1.
Sent to the wrong journal, does not fit the journal’s aims and
scope/fails to engage with the issues addressed by the journal
2.
Not a proper journal article (i.e. too journalistic, or clearly a thesis
chapter, or a consultancy report)
3.
Too long (ignoring word limits for the particular journal) or too
short
4.
Poor regard to the conventions of the journal (failure to consult
Instructions for Authors) or to conventions of academic writing
generally – as Ian Dobson, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Higher
Education Policy and Management recently stated, “it is
remarkable how many papers are submitted without authors
having taken notice of ‘Instructions for Authors’. Rule 1: ‘Read
the instructions’!!”
5.
Bad style, grammar, punctuation; poor English (not corrected by
native speaker)
Top Ten Reasons for Rejection (contd)
6.
Fails to say anything of significance (i.e. makes no new
contribution to the subject) or states the obvious at tedious
length
7.
Not properly contextualised (e.g. concentrates on parochial
interests and ignores the needs of an international or
generally wider readership)
8.
Poor theoretical framework (including references to relevant
literature)
9.
Rejection rates are high across the board. Eg. Journal of Higher
Education Policy and Management small, niche-based journal
– received 164 submissions in 2009, only ca. 35 papers
actually published per year (one in five)
10. Defamatory or unethical
What to do if your paper is rejected?
• Don’t despair! Few papers are published without revisions
• It’s not worth getting into a discussion with the Editor about the
reviewers, it won’t alter the decision and could do you harm
• Use the reviewers’ comments, alter the paper and submit to
another journal
• If you do submit elsewhere, take care to alter your paper to the
new style of that journal. Editors can easily detect a paper that
was submitted to a rival publication
• If asked to make heavy amendments and resubmit, you must
decide if it is worthwhile. Remember, you may get rejected
again! It may be better to go elsewhere
Publishing with T&F – Author Services Department
Advice and Support
•
Authors Charter
•
Preparation of manuscript – Chinese language available
•
Supplementary Data
•
Permission queries and Copyright FAQ’s
•
Track status of your paper
•
iOpenAccess
•
Ethics of Publishing
•
Maximizing citations – citation alerts
•
Access your paper online – and post publication advice
http://www.informaworld.com/authors
We aim to enhance your publishing experience as a T&F author
Online Resources for Prospective Authors
American Journal Experts
http://journalexperts.com?rcode=TandF1
ATECS - Text Editing www.atecs-text-editing.com
Bioedit English Language Editing www.bioedit.co.uk
Blue Pencil Science www.bluepencilscience.com
Cambridge Language Consultants www.camlang.com/profile.cfm
Clark Scientific Editing www.clarkscientificediting.com
Edanz Editing www.edanzediting.co.jp
Enago www.Enago.jp
English Polishing Ink [email protected]
Englishediting.net www.englishediting.net
Genedits www.genedits.com/profile.cfm
Global BioEditing www.globalbioediting.com
Liwen Bianji www.liwenbianji.cn
OnLine English www.oleng.com.au
ScienceDocs® www.sciencedocs.com
Semos www.semos.co.uk
SPI Publisher Services www.prof-editing.com
Stallard Scientific Editing www.stallardediting.com
TheMedicalEditor.com www.themedicaleditor.com
Publishing with T&F – Free Author Access Trial
Struggling to find that vital piece of research?
• 7 days Free Access Trial
– Taylor & Francis Journals
– Submit working title and abstract
– Voucher access for your convenience
– www.tandf.co.uk/journals/authorservices
Standards and
expectations in
Western Journals
The Submission Process
Peer review – the Good
• Enforces standards – mandatory in
contributions to the scholarly record
– Minimizes plagiarism
– Helps identify further unethical procedures
• Constructive criticism
• Positive reviews from your peers will be
stimulating, motivational and rewarding!
Peer review – the Bad
• Depending on the journal it can take a long time to reach
final decision
• Referee reports are not always comprehensive or
constructive
• You may receive contradictory reports – in which case
the editor’s decision is usually final or it will go out to a
third reviewer
• Do not allow a number of rejections to deter you
How to prevent and survive negative reviews
• Circulate a draft of your paper before it is submitted
• Seek a sense of a journal’s turnaround time before you submit
• Don’t be afraid to query your paper’s status with the editor – and be
sympathetic if editors are in the hands of their reviewers
• Do not take harsh reviews personally – that may simply be the
reviewer’s style
• Take away the constructive comments
• You can make the comments work to your benefit – but make sure
you take heed! Often the same referees will review a resubmission
• Don’t be afraid to ask the editor for guidance
• Be respectful and thoughtful in any further correspondence with the
editor
Ethical expectations from journals
• An article must not be submitted to more than one journal at the
same time – risk of dual publication
• Previously published work should not be re-submitted
• A full, accurate account of research performed must be presented
• Always name your co-authors
• Acknowledge any funding resources
• Cite all relevant publications
• Acknowledge all data sources
• An author must follow national and international procedures that
govern work carried out on animals
• An author must make available all formal approval where use of
humans or human tissue is concerned (incl. consent and
anonymisation)
How to maximise your
citations – after your
paper has been
published
Citations and raising profile
• Impact Factors are renowned and continue to be the top
benchmark of an individual journal’s success.
BUT that is changing:
• More metric systems in the online journals world
• Increasingly, authors will be judged on their own citation rate,
especially in science journals. Your paper should clearly
describe your accomplishments so that other people can
understand what is your original contribution
You can help raise the profile of your own paper
Online publishing environment
• Offers many opportunities!
• BUT quality remains the key factor
• Work must present something new and original to the
scholarly debate
• Electronic published work MUST match the print edition,
and cannot be changed after publication
• Search engines remain the most popular way to find
research – make your work easy to find
Before Publication - when writing your paper
• Publish your paper in one of the journals everyone in your discipline
reads – get known within your community
• Target a journal with a high Impact Factor (or any at all!)
• Rapidly growing research fields – shorter time to publish more likely
• Write a Review – more likely to be cited than original research
papers
• Publish a straightforward paper on cutting edge research or a “hot”
topic
• Choose an effective title and write a successful abstract
• Choose keywords carefully
• Share your data where possible
• Consider making your article Open Access where possible
Consider:
• Joining an Editorial Board
• Reviewing papers for other journals
• Presenting a working paper
• Publishing in a special issue with a prestigious guest
editor
• Publishing with other authors
• Putting your article in an institutional or subject repository
• Making sure you get help if you are not writing in your
first language
After Publication
Use your contacts!
• Circulate the free PDF you receive as a T&F author
• Add the URL of your published article to your email signature
• Maximise your web presence:
- Link to your article from your Institute or personal webpage
- Link to your article from your blog, or your social networks
(e.g. LinkedIn, Anianet)
• Do you teach?
• Upcoming conferences:
- Would delegates be interested in reading your work?
- Are you presenting? Can you refer to your article?
Be aware that….
• Conference proceedings are often not as well covered in citation
databases
• Some types of articles – for example, editorials, letters to editors,
news items, meetings abstracts, and case studies – are generally
poorly cited
• Citation bias may exist, for example, English-language resources
may be favoured
• Citation levels differ between research fields and even with a
specific field. Basic research tends to be more highly cited than
related applied research
• Most publishers do not endorse unnecessary self-citing as such
endeavours go beyond the boundaries of securing high-quality
content and general good practice
Work with your publisher
• Is your article of newsworthy interest?
- Via the Editor, let your publisher know in advance so
we can prepare
• Can your Institute work with the publisher to create a
press release?
• Send your publisher a list of your contacts to whom the
article could be promoted. The publisher may even be
able to make the article free online for a short time
• Forward Citation Alerts – e.g. Taylor & Francis online
platform. Also, CiteULike and Connotea
How Taylor & Francis will help its authors
•
Global Marketing (via conferences, print and electronic marketing, subject
clusters, article clusters, press releases)
•
Target the right audience – engaging with core research networks
•
Free articles online (top downloaded/cited; topical papers; special issue)
•
7 Day Free Access to prospective authors
•
International profile via Sales packages and philanthropic online access
arrangements, plus Google Scholar and CrossRef
•
Tell you when your paper has been cited! Sign up for Citation Alerts when
you publish in a T&F journal
•
Allow authors to self-archive their article
•
Fast publication – iFirst – including 5 days from acceptance
•
Make sure that are journals are of high quality – the most powerful driver of
a high impact factor
We will make sure your paper is seen, read and cited
And finally….!