Transcript Challenges in the selection, design and implementation of an online submission and peer review system for STM journals ELPUB 2007 – Vienna, Austria.

Challenges in the selection, design and
implementation of an online submission
and peer review system for STM journals
ELPUB 2007 – Vienna, Austria - June 14, 2007
Judy Best – [email protected]
NRC CISTI
Overview
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Background
What is OSPREY?
Overview of OSPREY’s features
Build or Buy?
Methodology
Technologies – Open Source and Other Technologies
Implementation
Impact
Current Events
Future Work
Background
• Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI)
Background
• CISTI
– science library and a world leader in document delivery for all
areas of science, technology, engineering and medicine
• NRC Research Press
– CISTI’s publishing arm, publishing since 1929
– publishes 16 international print and online STM journals + 15
client journals
– 1996 - Publish content in PDF format on the Web for its
subscribers
– 1997 - Create SGML metadata – OCLC DTD
– 2004 - XML publishing system - custom DTD
Background - Transition to
Electronic Peer Review
• Traditionally submission of manuscripts, peer review process and
manuscript management - manual and paper-based
• Email was introduced for transmission of manuscripts and reviews
• 2000 - Purchased commercial software - PaperPath 2000
– helped bridge the gap in the digital world between the peer review
process and publication
– client software installed on desktop for editorial office staff
– web-based access for authors and reviewers – submission of
manuscripts and reviews
– supported 15 journals
– vendor closed late 2001
• 2004 - developed Online Submission and Peer Review System
(OSPREY)
What is OSPREY?
• Supports web-based submission of manuscripts, reviews and
editorial decisions
• Automates and streamlines the peer review process within a
configurable automated electronic environment
• Supports 36 STM journals
OSPREY features…
• English and French interface
• Single sign-on
• Automatic editorial workflows for peer review and manuscript
management
• Creation of PDF file in real-time for reviewing purposes
– accepts up to 300 different file types
– accepts multiple files (manuscript, figures, tables)
• Captures Meta Data in XML format
OSPREY features
• Customizable
– journal branding
– correspondence templates
– copyright forms
– reviewer forms
– roles, tasks, workflow
– keywords
– role privileges
Build or Buy…again
• Considerations
– possibility of collaboration with another publisher
– available features in COTS or licensed product
– associated costs
– our diverse editorial workflows
– requirement for an English and French interface
– CISTI’s technical skills and infrastructure
– storage of confidential data off site
– accessibility to data for customer relationship management
– integration to publishing and subscription management systems
– past experience in purchasing software
– ensure our continued access to the source code and systems
Decision....
Build
• Develop a system in-house that would:
– ensure ease of use
– minimal overhead and support costs
– flexibility and scalability
– future growth of features.
• Develop to current standards
– Java and XML for the application
– oracle as its database engine
– component-based architecture
Methodology
• Collaboration
– partnered with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation (CSIRO) Publishing, Australia
– shared a common vision, priorities and goals
– ability to share resources (people and money)
– gather broader set of requirements
– draw on skills and experiences of two scientific publishers
• Development Approach
– iterative
– frequent releases
– development completed at CISTI
Team
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2 developers
System administrator
Database administrator
Application architect
Stakeholders
Users
Business analyst
Project manager
Open Source
Technologies
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Java
Java servlets and Java Server Pages (JSP)
Model View Controller (MVC) design pattern
Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI)
Tomcat
Apache
XML
MikTex
Other Technologies
• Adlib Express Server
• Oracle 9i database
• Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Implementation
• Production Environment
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web/application server + failover
database server + failover
two conversion servers + failover
network attached storage + failover
• Training and Support
– editorial assistants – onsite 4 day training
– editors and associate editors – onsite 2-3 hrs.
– helpdesk
• Data Conversion
– on average converted 5 yrs data per journal
– data analyzed, mapped and validated
Integration to
Publishing System
• XML file created and exported to Publishing System
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XML file is created and sent to the publishing system
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<EXPORT>
<ITEM>
<ITEM_INFO>
<EXPORT_DATE>13/09/2005</EXPORT_DATE>
</ITEM_INFO>
<MANUSCRIPT>
<TITLE>Life history variation among populations of Canadian Toads in Alberta, Canada</TITLE>
<NUMBER>4727</NUMBER>
<TYPE>Article</TYPE>
<DATE_SUBMITTED>31/08/2004</DATE_SUBMITTED>
<DATE_FINALIZED>13/09/2005</DATE_FINALIZED>
<OUTCOME>Accepted</OUTCOME>
<ABSTRACT>Development of appropriate conservation plans relies on life history information and
how life history traits vary across populations of a species. Such data are lacking for
Impact
• Authors receive an automatic acknowledgement of receipt of
their submission immediately upon completion
• Paper is in the hands of the Editor faster
• Editors search for reviewers by expertise taxonomy keyword
• Reviewers access manuscripts immediately and submit reviews
online enabling Editors to have access to reviews immediately
• Automatic reminders sent out to Reviewers and Editors
• Editors now have access to all data from their desktop
regardless of their geographic location
Impact
• Editorial staff had to learn how to work differently
• Check PDF files for completeness and provide support to
authors and reviewers using the system
• No longer piles of mail on their desks
• Many e-mails
• Increase in submissions
Submissions
Number of new submissions
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Current Events
• Usability Study
– more clearly understand the users’ expectations of the system
– verify the types of tasks that users’ complete, and identify how
well OSPREY supports those tasks
– identify patterns to the types of usability issues that maybe
occurring among users
• Methodology
– hired usability expert
– analysis to be completed July 2007
– heuristic evaluation of interface
– surveys, interviews, online interactive exercises
Future Work
• Automatic workflow from OSPREY to Workflow Management
System
• Parsing and tagging references to provide a link to abstract
databases or full text (e.g. PubMed, CrossRef, and user
organization link resolver)
• Option for authors to identify papers for open access and supply
payment or funding
• Ability to access tasks directly from e-mail
• Integration with external databases
• Troubleshooting of common graphic file problems
Future Work
OSPREY
Manuscript
Submission
Approve
Proofs
Order
Reprints
Publishing System
Publishing
Workflow
XML publishing
process
Printer
Thank You
Judy Best
[email protected]
http://www.nrc.ca/