From SSWR to Peer-Reviewed Publication: How Many Live and How Many Die?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate how many presentations at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) are subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals. A 30% random sample of abstracts presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of SSWR was reviewed. To determine publication status of the presentations, the authors conducted searches using Google Scholar, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Social Work Abstracts, in addition to reviewing faculty pages and curriculum vitae (CVs). The authors recorded information about the published articles including the journal title, impact factor, year, and authors. Forty-three percentage (95% CI = [34.5%, 51.9%]) of presentations were published in a peer-reviewed journal. Twenty-eight percentage (95% CI = [20.9%, 36.7%]) of publications were in a journal with an ISI Impact Factor (M = 1.32). The number of presentation authors was not associated with a subsequent publication. No differences were observed by type of presentation.