Journal Editors Research Articles

Beyond Expectations in the Academic World: 17 Years of Publishing with Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae (2006–2023)

This research article aims to bring out the author’s 17 years of research and publications with the Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae: Journal of Church History, abbreviated as SHE, from 2006 to 2023, and to establish its impact on his socio-scholarly formation. Methodologically, this drives the researcher to acknowledge the journal’s sharpening and preparatory role that has made it possible for him to be invited as an editor of an East African journal, an external examiner in various universities, and a conference speaker in diverse forums. The methodology also includes surveying the Church History Society of Southern Africa (CHSSA)’s annual conferences whose presentations since 2007—when the author attended for the first time—have enriched his engagements with SHE. Such presentations were later published in the journal. Key events that helped the author to come into contact with the first SHE copy have also been surveyed. The Mombasa Biographical Conference of April 2024, where the author was invited as the closing speaker, is viewed as one of the journal’s impactful events. The author was invited to address the gathering after his interest in biographical research was noted through his publications in SHE since 2006. Given this, the author seeks to usher in an East African perspective by drawing from the 17 years of his active participation in SHE publications and the CHSSA conferences. The latter provides the raw material for SHE’s publications.

Fairness, tika and political science in Aotearoa New Zealand: Some “inconvenient evidence”

This article is a rejoinder to Annie Te One and Maria Bargh’s article, published in the previous edition of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, exploring whether the political science discipline in Aotearoa New Zealand is keeping pace with change with respect to Māori politics content in university political science programs, the number of Māori employed in the political science profession and the content of New Zealand's Political Science journal. While acknowledging the importance of their case, an assessment of the empirical evidence and further analysis of the data and the methods used by Te One and Bargh refutes their allegations in relation to all three issues. As one of the co-editors of Political Science, I note that, from 2012 to 2022, the acceptance rate of articles on Māori politics was 91.7% and that of Māori authors submitting on a Māori topic was 100%. Recognition and change are underway.

Academic publication uncertainty and research behavior

AbstractThere are many uncertainties in the production/dissemination of academic research. This paper incorporates publication uncertainty in a game model between researchers and journal editors, and examines its effects on the quantity and quality of research and on citations. Authors seek to maximize satisfaction from their publishing efforts, while journal editors try to enhance reputations of their journals. Publication probability depends on the number of academic journals. Results show that the impacts of a change in the number of journals (capturing publication uncertanty) on citations and quality are symmetric. Citations and research quality can go up, while total publications (research quantity) can increase, decrease, or stay unchanged.

Retraction: Effects of pneumatic compression therapy on wound healing in patients with venous ulcers: A meta-analysis.

Xu Q, Li Z. Effects of pneumatic compression therapy on wound healing in patients with venous ulcers: a meta-analysis. Int Wound J. 2023; 21(3): e14438. 10.1111/iwj.14438 The above article, published online on 07 November 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. It came to the publisher's attention from a third party that a number of articles shared concerning similarities in format and structure. Following an investigation by the publisher, the retraction of this article has been agreed on because the peer review and publishing process for this article were found to have been manipulated. The authors did not respond to our notice of retraction.

Retraction: Effects of rapid rehabilitation nursing model on surgical site wound infection and pain of patients with ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis.

Fan E, Zhang K, Wan Y, Hu S. Effects of rapid rehabilitation nursing model on surgical site wound infection and pain of patients with ovarian cancer: a meta-analysi. Int Wound J. 2023; 21(3):e14464. 10.1111/iwj.14464 The above article, published online on 12 November 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. It came to the publisher's attention from a third party that a number of articles shared concerning similarities in format and structure. Following an investigation by the publisher, the retraction of this article has been agreed on because the peer review and publishing process for this article were found to have been manipulated. The authors did not respond to our notice of retraction.

The Role of Institutional Review Boards in Improving the Inclusion of Sex and Gender as Variables in Clinical Research

Abstract: In orthopaedic clinical research, as in other fields, sex and gender-specific analyses are not consistently performed, despite evidence of sex differences in outcomes. Both institutional review boards (IRBs) and journal editors have a role in impacting the rate at which such analyses are performed and reported. The authority, responsibilities, and potential actions of IRBs are discussed herein, with the aim of setting investigator expectations and propelling changes to the study plan before the research is initiated.

Retraction: Effects of an enhanced recovery after surgery nursing programme on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

Lu H, Yu J, Hong H. Effects of an enhanced recovery after surgery nursing programme on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis. Int Wound J. 2023; 21(3): e14485, doi: 10.1111/iwj.14485 The above article, published online on 16 November 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. It came to the publisher's attention from a third party that a number of articles shared concerning similarities in format and structure. Following an investigation by the publisher, the retraction of this article has been agreed on because the peer review and publishing process for this article were found to have been manipulated. The authors did not respond to our notice of retraction.

Serra and Us

Abstract Yve-Alain Bois discusses and describes the many essays that October editors and contributors have written about Richard Serra, particularly Rosalind Krauss, Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Yve-Alain himself, Leah Dickerman (most recently), and Hal Foster (most abundantly). The article begins: “I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that no artist can be more immediately identified with October than Richard Serra, particularly during the journal's first decades. Several of its editors or editors-to-be wrote repeatedly about his work, in the journal and elsewhere, and he himself participated directly in the life of the publication via a lengthy interview, not to mention his unwavering financial support since issue 39 (Winter 1986). “In 1991, The Destruction of Tilted Arc: Documents appeared in the October book series; edited by Clara Weyergraf-Serra and Martha Buskirk, it offered nearly three hundred pages of documentation concerning the legal battle waged (and lost) by the artist to prevent the destruction by the American government of the site-specific work it had commissioned for Federal Plaza in New York City (installed in 1981, it was dismantled in 1989). Needless to say, the October gang came en bloc to defend the work at the public hearing (the testimonies of Rosalind Krauss, Annette Michelson, Douglas Crimp, Benjamin Buchloh, and regular contributor Abigail Solomon-Godeau figure in the book). “In 2000, the first volume of the October Files appeared; edited by Hal Foster, it took Serra as its subject. Memorial tributes are an awkward genre in that they are almost inevitably nostalgic and take a narcissistic turn (“me and the great man”). But what if one were simply to commemorate the prolonged interaction of the journal's editors with Serra's work by chronologically recapitulating the various instances of their engagement? This will be done with pride, for sure, but also as a duty to forestall amnesia.”

The external business environment faced by the restaurant industry: Discourse analysis of trade journal editorials in Finland in 1979-2023

The external business environment faced by the restaurant industry: Discourse analysis of trade journal editorials in Finland in 1979-2023

“Does an Additional Advanced Degree Influence Career Trajectory as a Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon?”

BackgroundAs orthopedic surgery becomes increasingly competitive, orthopedic surgeons are now pursuing advanced degrees more frequently to enhance their resumes or gain additional expertise. The specific impact of this additional training and education on a surgeon’s career trajectory is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of an advanced degree on the academic career of orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeons. MethodsOrthopedic shoulder and elbow fellowship-trained surgeons were identified using the directory listed on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons website. Demographics, education, and current professional roles were obtained. Research productivity was obtained using SCOPUS and Google Scholar. Advanced degrees were defined as those additional to the primary medical degree (Doctor of Medicine [MD] or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine [DO]). Outcome measures collected included timing of advanced degree obtainment, current academic and leadership roles, leadership on journal editorial boards, and research productivity. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test to determine the association of advanced degrees on outcome measures. ResultsIn total, 893 orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeons were identified, of whom 129 had advanced degrees. Most common advanced degrees included Master of Science (MS/MSc; 43%), Master of Business Administration (MBA; 23%), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD; 13%). The most common period of degree obtainment was before medical school (35%) with the least common times being after medical school/before residency (0.9%) and between residency and fellowship training (0.9%). Surgeons who held advanced degrees demonstrated greater research productivity, with a higher h-index (p < 0.001), a greater number of citations (p < 0.001), and more publications (p < 0.001). Of the 523 shoulder and elbow surgeons who worked at an academic institution, those holding advanced degrees were more likely to serve as orthopedic department chair (p < 0.001) and serve an editorial board position (< 0.001). ConclusionThis study found that having an advanced degree as an orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeon was linked to higher research impact and productivity and an increased likelihood of becoming a department chair and holding an editorial position. These significant findings can help future trainees and department leadership in understanding the importance and impact of additional training on career trajectories for academic faculty.

Effect of librarian collaboration on otolaryngology systematic review and meta-analysis quality.

To determine if librarian collaboration was associated with improved database search quality, search reproducibility, and systematic review reporting in otolaryngology systematic reviews and meta-analyses. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, PubMed was queried for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in otolaryngology journals in 2010, 2015, and 2021. Two researchers independently extracted data. Two librarians independently rated search strategy reproducibility and quality for each article. The main outcomes include association of librarian involvement with study reporting quality, search quality, and publication metrics in otolaryngology systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Categorical data were compared with Chi-Squared tests or Fisher's Exact tests. Continuous variables were compared via Mann Whitney U Tests for two groups, and Kruskal-Wallis Tests for three or more groups. Of 559 articles retrieved, 505 were analyzed. More studies indicated librarian involvement in 2021 (n=72, 20.7%) compared to 2015 (n=14, 10.4%) and 2010 (n=2, 9.0%) (p=0.04). 2021 studies showed improvements in properly using a reporting tool (p<0.001), number of databases queried (p<0.001), describing date of database searches (p<0.001), and including a flow diagram (p<0.001). Librarian involvement was associated with using reporting tools (p<0.001), increased number of databases queried (p<0.001), describing date of database search (p=0.002), mentioning search peer reviewer (p=0.02), and reproducibility of search strategies (p<0.001). For search strategy quality, librarian involvement was associated with greater use of "Boolean & proximity operators" (p=0.004), "subject headings" (p<0.001), "text word searching" (p<0.001), and "spelling/syntax/line numbers" (p<0.001). Studies with librarian involvement were associated with publication in journals with higher impact factors for 2015 (p=0.003) and 2021 (p<0.001). Librarian involvement was associated with improved reporting quality and search strategy quality. Our study supports the inclusion of librarians in review teams, and journal editing and peer reviewing teams.

The Role of Journals in Reporting Sex and Gender-Based Outcomes: Should We Adopt Guidelines, and What Else Can We Do to Improve Reporting?

➤ Sex and gender are inconsistently reported in musculoskeletal research. A panel of journal editors and other interested parties who participated in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Sex and Gender Reporting in Musculoskeletal Research Symposium met in 2023 to help define the roles of journals and other stakeholders in addressing this issue.➤ This report summarizes the resulting recommendations and presents several different ways in which orthopaedic journals may elect to introduce to their readers, reviewers, and authors the importance of considering sex and gender in orthopaedic research.➤ Many current sex and gender-related funding agency mandates as well as the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines are most readily applied to prospective research and/or randomized controlled trials.➤ The panel was supportive of endorsing SAGER or a similar set of guidelines as a tool that can help authors to consider the most effective means of evaluating the influences of sex and gender within the context of orthopaedic research.➤ Engaging readers, reviewers, and authors on multiple fronts, with purpose and intention, is likely the most important approach to increase awareness and to enhance the quality of evidence utilized to support clinical decisions in orthopaedic surgery.

Development of a core data set for describing, measuring and reporting the learning curve in studies of novel invasive procedures: study protocol

IntroductionThe introduction of novel surgical techniques and procedures remains poorly regulated and standardised. Although the learning curve associated with invasive procedures is a critical part of innovation, it is currently...

Recommendations on the translation of academic texts in the social sciences and the humanities

These recommendations are addressed not only to translators, but to all users of translation, including authors and readers of academic texts, journal editors and publishers, as well as reviewers. They call attention to the translated nature of many works that are often viewed as originals, and through which English as the academic lingua franca is constantly produced and reproduced in a multilingual space. Rather than approaching translation as a hindrance, they seek to highlight its transformative potential and to call for more constructive approaches to the translation of academic texts. Academic translation, these recommendations maintain, relates to the particularities of the language of the social sciences and the humanities, as distinct from that of scientific and technical texts. Relying on a theory of translation as a procedure that involves specialized techniques for the rewriting of texts, they address the relationship between writing and translating, the collaboration between academic authors and translators, and relevant issues relating to the politics of translation in a highly unequal academic field.

How do you solve a problem like COREQ? A critique of Tong et al.’s (2007) Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research

In this paper, we argue that COREQ – the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (Tong et al., 2007) – is a problem, and a problem in need of a solution. COREQ is not just a problem because – as Buus and Perron (2020) argued – there are important questions about the credibility of the development of the checklist. COREQ is a problem because some in the (qualitative) research community treat it as generic and universally applicable, and maintain that the use of COREQ by authors and evaluators will result in better – more transparent and complete – reporting. But, as we will show, COREQ is far from generic, and its use can contribute to methodologically incongruent reporting. We develop our argument that the use of COREQ should be confined to the reporting and evaluation of what we term ‘small q’ qualitative research, by critically discussing the definition of qualitative research in COREQ, the conflation of reflexivity and bias, and the presumed universality of saturation, certain analytic practices and outputs, and participant validation. However, even demarcating a limited frame of ‘qualitative’ for the application of COREQ doesn't eliminate all the problems. We contend that COREQ needs extensive refinement to ensure it promotes more transparent and complete reporting, especially when used by less experienced researchers and evaluators. In the absence of such revision, we invite journal editors to consider whether the flaws in COREQ render it untrustworthy as a reporting quality tool. Going forward, we suggest research values, rather than consolidation or consensus, offer a sounder foundation for developing assessment tools for reporting quality.

Publication behaviour and (dis)qualification of chief editors in Turkish national Social Sciences journals

Abstract Purpose This study investigated the publication behaviour of 573 chief editors managing 432 Social Sciences journals in Turkey. Direct inquiries into editorial qualifications are rare, and this research aims to shed light on editors’ scientific leadership capabilities. Design/methodology/approach This study contrasts insider publication behaviour in national journals with international articles in journals indexed by the Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus. It argues that editors demonstrating a consistent ability to publish in competitive WOS and Scopus indexed journals signal high qualifications, while editors with persistent insider behaviour and strong local orientation signal low qualification. Scientific leadership capability is measured by first-authored publications. Correlation and various regression tests are conducted to identify significant determinants of publication behaviour. Findings International publications are rare and concentrated on a few individuals, while insider publications are endemic and constitute nearly 40% of all national articles. Editors publish 3.2 insider papers and 8.1 national papers for every SSCI article. 62% (58%) of the editors have no SSCI (Scopus) article, 53% (63%) do not have a single lead-authored WOS (Scopus) article, and 89% publish at least one insider paper. Only a minority consistently publish in international journals; a fifth of the editors have three or more SSCI publications, and a quarter have three or more Scopus articles. Editors with foreign Ph.D. degrees are the most qualified and internationally oriented, whereas non-mobile editors are the most underqualified and underperform other editors by every measure. Illustrating the overall lack of qualification, nearly half of the professor editors and the majority of the WOS and Scopus indexed journal editors have no record of SSCI or Scopus publications. Research limitations This research relies on local settings that encourage national publications at the expense of international journals. Findings should be evaluated in light of this setting and bearing in mind that narrow localities are more prone to peer favouritism. Practical implications Incompetent and nepotistic editors pose an imminent threat to Turkish national literature. A lasting solution would likely include the dismissal and replacement of unqualified editors, as well as delisting and closure of dozens of journals that operate in questionable ways and serve little scientific purpose. Originality/value To my knowledge, this is the first study to document the publication behaviour of national journal chief editors.

Quo Vadis, University? A Roadmap for AI and Ethics in Higher Education

In recent years, academic interest in new developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its ethical challenges in higher education has increased. The new emerging technologies that have become popular among the university community in recent times require an exhaustive study to evaluate their impact on academic integrity and plagiarism. The main stakeholders in higher education (SoTL, educational authorities, and policymakers) must understand the new trends and the most relevant studies to have action guides that preserve academic integrity standards in deploying AI in the university. This research analyzes scientific articles published in high-impact journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) (n=254) and carries out a bibliometric study using VOSviewer 1.6.18 and WordStat 2023.1. The Normalized Impact per Document (NID) and per Year (NIY) are studied, and four thematic groups and twelve main themes are identified and discussed, allowing the internal research structure of this field of study to be determined. Based on the findings, a roadmap for implementing AI in higher education is proposed, preserving ethical standards and based on three levels (Micro, Meso, Macro). This study offers practical implications for SoTL, academic authorities, and policymakers. Furthermore, the evidence found allows editors of high-impact journals to advise on unclosed gaps and new research trends and new research trends in the area.

Selection of outcome measurement instruments for a core outcome set for trials aimed at improving appropriate polypharmacy in older people in primary care: a Delphi consensus study.

Despite developing a polypharmacy core outcome set (COS) in primary care, it is not clear how these outcomes should be measured. To select outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) for a COS targeting appropriate polypharmacy in older patients in primary care. Following the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guideline, OMIs were identified from a Cochrane review focusing on appropriate polypharmacy. The quality of OMIs was assessed using a published checklist. Subsequently, two rounds of Delphi questionnaires were conducted via the SoGoSurvey® platform, engaging stakeholders (researchers, clinicians and journal editors specialising in geriatric primary care) to achieve consensus on OMIs using a scale encompassing "agree", "disagree", or "unsure". Consensus was achieved if 70% or more participants chose "agree" and 15% or fewer chose "disagree." The quality of 20 OMIs identified from the Cochrane review was evaluated. Seven OMIs were selected based on meeting the COSMIN guideline's minimum requirements. Out of 188 potential participants, 57 (30.3%) consented to participate. Rounds 1 and 2 of Delphi exercises were completed by 50 respondents, achieving agreement on three OMIs: 'number of serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs)' (98%), 'number of deaths' (76%), and 'number of patients who fell' (70%) for measuring 'serious ADRs,' 'mortality,' and 'falls,' respectively. No agreement was reached for 'medication appropriateness,' 'medication side-effects,' 'quality of life,' and 'medication regimen complexity.' OMIs were selected for a limited number of outcomes in the polypharmacy COS. Future research should identify suitable OMIs for the remaining four outcomes.

"Making Space for More People, More Perspectives, and More Ideas": How Medical Education Journal Editors View Their Role in Capacity Building.

Medical education journal editors work to improve scholarly rigor and expand access to scholarship. How editors conceptualize these dual roles is unknown and holds implications for the kinds of scholarship that are valued and made visible through publication. The authors applied the concept of capacity building to examine how medical education journal editors conceptualize and operationalize capacity building and to identify the contextual factors that support or constrain these efforts. Using a reflexive thematic approach, the authors interviewed 13 editors of 11 medical education journals between February 2022 and March 2023. Data collection and analyses were performed iteratively. Interview transcripts were coded by 2 authors to generate initial codes, which were then refined by the research team until final themes were created. Editors viewed capacity building "making space" for people and perspectives. Making space for people included efforts to support editors and reviewers, offer feedback to authors, and engage with readers. Making space for perspectives included efforts to promote discussion on diversity and inclusion and to introduce ideas perceived to advance the field. How editors made space was shaped by a journal's ecosystem, including local features unique to each journal (e.g., aims, scope, readership) and system-level factors that influenced all journals (e.g., English as the language of science, academic promotion and tenure). Although medical education journal editors' capacity-building work will inevitably guide future scholars and scholarship, their work should be considered in the context of a larger ecosystem, including such features as institutional academies for scholarship and promotion and tenure policies. Improving rigor and expanding access will require clarifying how editors' approach and understand capacity building to advance as a field. Future work should clarify how individual journals' capacity-building efforts can be facilitated and how journals can collectively reimagine spaces for knowledge-building conversations.

Analysis of risk of bias assessments in a sample of intervention systematic reviews, part I: many aspects of conduct and reporting need improvement

ObjectivesCurrent standards for systematic reviews (SRs) require adequate conduct and complete reporting of risk of bias (RoB) assessments of the individual studies included in the review. We investigated the conduct and reporting of RoB assessments reported in a sample of SRs of interventions for persons with cerebral palsy (CP). Study Design and SettingWe included SRs published from 2014 to 2021. Authors worked in pairs to independently extract data on the characteristics of the SRs and to rate their conduct and reporting. The conduct of RoB assessment was appraised with the three AMSTAR-2 items related to RoB assessment. Reporting completeness was evaluated using the two items related to RoB assessment within studies in the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We use descriptive statistics to report the consensus data, in accordance with our protocol. ResultsWe included 145 SRs. Among the 128 (88.3%) SRs that assessed RoB, the standards for AMSTAR-2 item 9 (use of an adequate RoB tool) were partially or fully satisfied in 73 (57.0%). Across the 128 SRs that assessed RoB, 46 (35.9%) accounted for RoB in interpreting the SR’s findings and, of the 49 that included a meta-analysis, 11 (22.4%) discussed the impact of RoB on this. 123 (96.1%) of the 128 SRs named the RoB tool that was used for at least one of the study designs they included, 96 (75.0%) specified the RoB items assessed and 89 (69.5%) reported the findings for each item, 81 (63.2%) fully reported the processes for RoB assessment, 68 (53.1%) reported how an overall RoB judgment was reached, and 74 (57.8%) reported an overall RoB assessment for every study. ConclusionThe selection and application of RoB tools in this sample of SRs about interventions for CP are comparable to those reported in other recent studies. However, most SRs in this sample did not fully meet the appraisal standards of AMSTAR-2 regarding the adequacy of the RoB tool applied and other aspects of RoB assessment conduct; Cochrane SRs were a notable exception. Overall, reporting of RoB assessments was somewhat better than conduct, perhaps reflecting the more widespread uptake of the PRISMA guidelines. Our findings may be generalizable to some extent, considering the extensive literature reporting widespread inadequacies in health care–related intervention SRs and reports from other specialties that document similar RoB assessment deficiencies. As such, this study should remind authors, peer reviewers, and journal editors to follow the RoB assessment reporting guidelines of PRISMA 2020 and to understand the corresponding critical appraisal standards of AMSTAR-2. We recommend a shift of focus from the documentation of inadequate RoB assessments and well-known deficiencies in other components of SRs towards the implementation of changes to address these problems along with plans to evaluate their effectiveness.