The International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases - a journal in evolution

Abstract

It has been 1 year since IJRD was selected for indexation by the Science Citation Index Expanded. Six months ago, I was also able to announce to readers that Medline had accepted the Journal with indexation from 2009 Volume 12. This exciting news has obviously been filtered through to clinicians and researchers in the field and there has been a steady increase in the number of articles submitted to the Editorial Office in recent months. For example, the number of articles received in the first 5 months of this year has increased 250% compared with the same period in 2009. There is also a proportionate increase in original articles submitted for consideration for publication. As a result, some changes in the Journal’s publishing policies have to be made. Any changes that have been put in place or being considered are based on two binding principles – to enhance the reputation of the IJRD; and, as the official journal of APLAR, to continue to encourage and assist researchers from the Asia Pacific to publish their research work in the Journal. Many readers would have noted that since May, IJRD no longer accepts articles for consideration for publication as Case Reports. While the Editorial Board acknowledges that sharing one’s experience in the management of patients with unusual presentations will sharpen and improve our clinical awareness and acumen, Case Reports have little impact on the credentials of a specialty journal. The publication of Case Reports increases the denominator for the future calculation of the IJRD’s impact factor which will be based on the number of articles cited per all articles published in a given time. In order that case discussion continues to feature in IJRD and to ensure that members of APLAR have the opportunity to publish their clinical experience, potential authors are now asked to change the format of their submission to that of a Letter to the Editor. Another way to enhance the reputation of IJRD and to increase the exposure of quality articles is to typeset and proof manuscripts as soon as they are accepted. Proofed articles are now published as ‘Early Views’ on the Journal’s homepage before they eventually appear as printed copies. Corresponding efforts have also been made to improve the turnaround time of the reviewing process and the quality of articles to be published. Not only are members of the Editorial Board working overtime to handle the many articles submitted each month, the reviewer pool has been expanded significantly recently. Some authors might also have noted the request for repeated revisions before their articles were finally accepted. Here, I beg your understanding that this is not due to our being awkward but a mean to ensure the quality and readability of your manuscript. In addition, as has been stated in my editorial in the first issue of IJRD this year, the Editorial Board has successfully secured limited funding from APLAR to hire freelance scientific writers to assist authors whose first language is not English to improve the presentation and writing style of their manuscripts. Despite more stringent efforts in the reviewing process, the increase in manuscripts submitted for consideration means more articles are now ready for publication than the number of pages that we have previously budgeted for. There is on-going discussion to increase the pagination and frequency of publication of IJRD. In the meantime, measures are being made to accommodate the increased number of accepted articles. As from this issue onward, therefore, some articles will be published online and ‘abstracted’ only in the printed copy of the Journal. To underline the gradual evolution of IJRD, there are subtle changes to the Journal’s look too! The sharp-eyed readers would have noted minor rearrangements of the style and the text colour on the front cover, which now also features ‘highlights’ of some of the interesting articles published in the issue. In due course, we will be inviting submissions for interesting relevant pictures, X-rays and micrographs to be featured on the front cover replacing the lumbar spine ankylosing spondylitis X-ray that has served the Journal so well in the last 2 years. I have been positively encouraged by the progress IJRD has made in the past 6 months. The Journal is truly undergoing an evolution and no doubt I will be writing similar editor’s notes to inform readers of more changes in the future. I am sure you will agree with me that these are made possible only because of the support that we have from members of the Editorial Board and the Editorial Office, as well as our authors and readers. Enjoy reading the Journal.