Publishing World Research Articles

The changing roles of scientific journals.

After centuries of relative stability, the scientific publishing world has undergone tremendous disruption and change during the first decades of the 21st century. The causes for disruption can be traced to the information revolution, which brought such benefits as rapid publication, greater connectivity, and ready access to large databases, along with less desirable practices including image manipulation, plagiarism, and other ethical transgressions. The information revolution has driven the proliferation of journals, expansion of for-profit academic publishing, and empowerment of the open-access movement, each of which has exerted new financial pressures on traditional publishing models. As journals became the focal point for ethical concerns in science, they have adapted by increasing the scope of their duties, which now include archiving of data, enforcement of good practices, establishment of standards for rigor, and training the next generation of reviewers and editors. Here, we consider the seismic changes occurring in scientific publishing and place them into the context of a rapidly changing landscape of scientific and publishing norms.

The Influence of BookTok on Literary Criticisms and Diversity

BookTok, a TikTok community where creators discuss and review books, influences the publishing industry as books that gain popularity on TikTok have seen mainstream success. BookTok is believed to be a diverse space where stories about marginalized identities are celebrated. This is in opposition to the traditional publishing world that is dominated by White, heterosexual, cis-gendered men. However, despite misconceptions, online spaces are notably homogeneous, and TikTok does not appear to diverge from these patterns. By analyzing 55 TikTok videos collected from the BookTok community, this study analyzes the race, gender, and sexual orientation of TikTok creators, authors, and main characters of BookTok books. This article aims to understand the effects social media applications such as TikTok have on the publishing world and to understand BookTok’s relation to diversity. While there is more gender equity among the authors of BookTok than in the traditional publishing world, there continues to be a deficiency in the prevalence of marginalized authors on the platform. Although women creators and women authors are popular on the app, most of these women are White. In addition, the authors who are most discussed on BookTok do not typically include persons of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community. The tendency for authors to write about their own experiences results in there being few characters of color and few books about members of the LGBTQ+ community. Publishing houses should prioritize increased collaboration with authors of color and LGBTQ+ authors, while also using BookTok to promote and advertise their work.

Un análisis del impacto del covid-19 en el mundo editorial en Argentina: redes sociales, digitalización y activismo digital

Since March 2020, the effects of the mandatory quarantine promoted by governments to face the pandemic by covid-19, generated an unprecedented impact on the characteristics that the global and national book industry had so far. The present work is part of a project based in the Gino Germani Research Institute of the University of Buenos Aires called “The Argentine edition, between the State and the market”, and its objective is to reflect analytically on the current moment in the publishing world, considering the conjunctural transformations suffered by publishers in terms of economic impact, reprogramming of publishing plans, the initiatives undertaken by publishers and digital activism put into practice in this context. To carry out this objective, we present the results of a survey carried out among 131 publishers in Argentina in May 2020. The results allow us to describe the importance of the digital environment, social networks and digital activism in this new scene. As an example of digital initiatives, we will describe the collective projects “¡Sálvese quien lea!” and Feria del Libro en Casa.

DiGeSt: The Journal’s Genesis

Ten years is an important period. DiGeSt, the academic journal for gender and diversity studies, was launched ten years ago. The idea of the journal, however, took shape three years earlier the summer of 2011. Until then, the Centre for Gender studies at Ghent University published an annual yearbook, collecting the presentations of researchers mainly working on projects that used gender as their crucial angle. These papers were presented at the Genderforum. This series of symposiums for academics and interested members of the public that had started in the early 1990s began quite low key, with the organisers, for instance, taking care of some sandwiches and coffee for the attendees. Researchers were invited to present their ongoing investigations and were later expected to send in their papers for publication in the Verslagen van het UGent Centrum voor Genderstudies [Reports of the UGhent Centre for Gender Studies]. A publication in the annual became a rite of passage into the world of publications for budding researchers.

Aleppo Buttons and Sulphur Injections: The Politics of Science and Citation in Mandatory Palestine and Transjordan

Summary This article explores the experiences of two doctors, Jamil Tutunji and Tawfiq Canaan, in their efforts to interact with, contribute to and debate with international colleagues in the medical journals of the 1920s–40s. Respectively from Transjordan and Palestine, both at the time ruled by British colonial administrations under League of Nations Mandates, these men’s work seems to have been ignored or sidelined in favour of that by European or European-Jewish scholars working on similar topics. The resulting trajectories they followed, however, differed significantly, highlighting the shifting opportunities available to scientists of Arab origin in the colonial world of academic publishing, collaboration and citation. Canaan and Tutunji’s engagement with medical research highlights the precarity of their positions as doctors committed to a model of medicine the operation of which was policed by professionals and institutions in the colonial metropole.

Pearls of meta-analyses and systematic review in scientific evidence

Scientific evidence develops bit by bit from case reports, case series; to larger case-control, case-cohort; and further escalate to randomized controlled trials. This echoed the importance of continue publishing World journal of Clinical Cases , where novel and advancing discoveries start from a single case. In contrast, at the other end of the realm of evidence synthesis, systematic review and meta-analysis represent distinct yet interconnected processes. Butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia has long been studied since 1989, and with 70 publications from MEDLINE searches. However, there was no meta-analysis, nor any systematic review published so far. The latest in-press article published by Tang et al. on the protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis on the safety and effectiveness of butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia is encouraging. We believe the findings of this study will be valuable for clinical practice as well as for future research.

Unlocking success as a book author: Navigating the essential social skills of writing gained through my PhD journey

This article explores the journey of transitioning from PhD to a book author, emphasising the importance of soft skills cultivated during academic pursuits. Drawing from personal experience, the author underscores the parallels between academia and authorship, highlighting skills such as effective communication, networking, resilience, and self-discipline. The ability to translate complex ideas, build relationships, persevere through challenges, and maintain a structured writing routine proves essential in navigating the publishing landscape. Practical strategies are offered to nurture these skills, including engaging in conversations, participating in authorial communities, embracing a growth mindset, and mastering self-discipline. Ultimately, the article illuminates how the journey from PhD to authorship is marked by growth, challenges, and the development of crucial soft skills, laying a foundation for success in the dynamic world of publishing.

Navigating my freelance journey while driving EMWA freelance activities

I didn’t plan to become a medical writer, but then again who does? It wasn’t, at the time, a career on the list of things to do after a PhD. Shortly after completing my PhD, I got a job as an editorial coordinator for a high-impact journal in hepatology, learning all the intricacies of the publication world. It was in this role that I found EMWA and went to my first conference in Brussels (2016). I must admit, I felt a bit of imposter syndrome going to a medical writing conference when I was “just” editing. Oh, how I was wrong. I was amazed at the diversity of medical communicators at the conference and all the interactions I had gave me the realisation that there were multiple opportunities to be had.

Nautical Metaphors and Late-Victorian Literary Culture

Abstract This article reveals how nautical conceits were frequently used to articulate stylistic concerns and respond to publishing trends emerging in late-Victorian culture. Reviewers, authors, and press commentators described writing as akin to ship building or seafaring and employed marine metaphors to categorize and critique narratives as ‘vessels’ for certain characters or plots. For example, leisurely multi-volume ‘three-deckers’ were manned by a recognizable ‘crew’ of characters while modern literary ‘steamers’ were more sparsely populated and took shorter and more direct narrative routes. Many accounts discussed also show an acute awareness of commercial pressures of the book-trade and parallel developments in author-publisher relations. Rudyard Kipling, amongst others, envisioned the publishing world as a ‘seascape’ upon which works needed to be carefully launched—especially if the voyage was trans-Atlantic. His unusually inventive and intricate nautical metaphors anchor much of the article’s analysis, while close literary-critical readings of contemporary periodicals shed light on broader patterns of contact between literary and maritime cultures. The linguistic creativity with which the Victorian nautical imagination was expressed demonstrates the depth of maritime influence upon literary discourses of the period while also reflecting very real interconnections developing between nautical and literary industries.

Reflections

As ever, the themes in this issue of Reflections are wide ranging. Last time I recognised the wonderful job our reviewers perform and how their contributions improve the quality of publications in this Journal (and elsewhere). This time, the focus is on the challenges of peer review and the importance of authors working together with reviewers (and the EiC) to make papers ‘shine’. On a happier note, ‘short communications’ will be introduced as a new category of manuscript to submit the Journal. Often, a neat, rounded piece of work is better suited to a standalone publication and can be lost in the push for a ‘big’ paper. Peer review and the usual rules will apply but the text of MS is no more than 2000 words with a maximum of 20 references. Finally, even in the refined world of scientific publication, it is good to celebrate success. The number of downloads is measure of reader interest and accordingly papers with > 400 downloads (and beyond) are flagged within an issue and across the archive.

Detecting the Impact of Academics Self-Citations: Fi-Score

The academic landscape has witnessed significant transformations in recent years, primarily attributed to advancements in IT tools, which have advantages and drawbacks in the world of publications. The transition from traditional university library searches to the digital era, with access to various information sources such as Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, has revolutionized research practices. Thanks to technology, researchers, academics and students now enjoy rapid and vast information access, facilitating quicker manuscript preparation and boosting bibliometric parameters. To identify authors “self-distorted” bibliometric parameters, different indices following the Hirsch index (h-index) (based on citations) have been proposed. The new “fi-score” evaluates the reliability of citation counts for individual authors and validates the accuracy of their h-index, comparing the number of citations to the h-index value to highlight value that is not within the norm and probably influenced or distorted by authors themselves. It examines how authors’ citations impact their h-index, although they are not self-citing. The study calculated the fi-score on a sample of 194,983 researchers. It shows that the average value of the fi-score is 25.03 and that a maximum value admissible as good must not exceed 32. The fi-score complements existing indexes, shedding light on the actual scientific impact of researchers. In conclusion, bibliometric parameters have evolved significantly, offering valuable insights into researchers’ contributions. The fi-score emerges as a promising new metric, providing a more comprehensive and unbiased evaluation of scholarly impact. By accounting for the influence of citations and self-citations, the fi-score addresses the limitations of traditional indices, empowering academic communities to recognize better and acknowledge individual contributions.

Letter from the Former Editor-in-Chief, Hasan Bayram, MD, PhD: Happy 30th volume and 35th year of the European Journal of Therapeutics!

Dear Colleagues, I have been very happy to see that our journal, the European Journal of Therapeutics, has reached its 35th year by publishing 78 issues over the years. Many congratulations! I would like to sincerely thank the Editors and publishing team for their great dedication and efforts in helping the Journal reach this stage, and more importantly, the authors who supported the Journal with their scientific work and manuscripts. I had the opportunity to contribute to our Journal, as Editor-in-Chief between 2014 and 2016 with great honor [1]. The preparation of issues, the editing and printing of the manuscripts were being carried out with limited resources within the Medical Faculty and Gaziantep University, and there were disruptions from time to time. However, in order for the Journal to reach the place it deserves in the publishing world, the issues had to be prepared on time, the peer review process had to be carried out meticulously, and the printing quality had to be improved. At that time, with the support of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, for the first time, a contract was signed with a professional publisher and an attempt was made to maintain a more uninterrupted and professional publication process. I have been very happy to see that this effort has continued with increasing momentum in the period after the period I served for the Journal. I am happy to follow the Journal closely and contribute by reviewing the articles sent from time to time. I sincerely hope that our magazine will rise to the top in the publishing world for many years to come. Yours sincerely,

From Research to Publication: Understanding the Publishing Landscape in Architectural Studies

ABSTRACT Navigating the academic publishing ecosystem is a crucial skill that requires preparation and experience. Publishing for tenure is a common practice in many institutions, yet as with many disciplines, engaging in the academic publishing world is not often taught in graduate architecture school. By accessing and examining the procedures and expectations needed to successfully publish, this article enables tenure seeking faculty to identify and address the challenges and questions facing academic publication. Topics include understanding open access journals, predatory journals, the role of the editorial board, and other important scholarly communication topics.

Unradical Feminisms: Whitney and the World of Women’s Work

ABSTRACT Isabella Whitney is often celebrated as the first professional woman English writer. Such “firsts”, however, are sticky—a matter of shifting data and definitions. More importantly, a focus on a “first” woman can often obfuscate the reality of women’s historical involvements in a field. When Whitney’s first work was published, the printing press had not yet been in England a full century, and professional writers of any description were still thin on the ground. But women who wrote, who were involved in the book trade, or who otherwise participated in the publishing world were no anomaly. While gender is important to both Whitney’s work and her historical place, this article will prioritize placing those considerations in conversation with the larger contextual community of early modern print. How might we continue to reconceptualize Whitney’s place in the history of women’s writing, circumventing tokenization and promoting a fuller appreciation of all women’s places in the world of early modern writing, print, and books? Whitney’s work then emerges as an exemplar of early professional authorship qua professional authorship, full stop, and as one access point for appreciating the rich and extensive involvement of women in the early English publishing and writing networks.

The Power of Case Reports

Medical education has currently a variety of tools as never before in the history of mankind. Options include everything from telepresence to virtual reality. However, interaction with patients remains, as in the past, an unsurpassed source of learning. Health-care practice provides learning about the way different pathologies manifest, their clinical course, and the response to different treatments. A simple way to share that experience is through case reporting. A case report consists of a detailed description of significant clinical information of a case or a small group of patients, presenting pathologies not previously described, new therapeutic methodologies, or cases with an unusual response to treatment. This type of study has often been underestimated because it is a category of publication with a low level of evidence [1-4] and does not have a high citation rate [1, 2, 4, 5]. These causes have led to case reports being a small segment of health publications [4]. However, these studies can provide important information [1-9]. Case reports can be the basis of future large-scale clinical studies [6], can reveal facts that often go unnoticed in large series of patients [3], and be the starting point for the development of new treatments [3]. They can demonstrate results in one or a few cases with therapeutic methods previously tested in animal experiments [4]. Case reports have made it possible to detect severe adverse effects [3, 4]. Nayak described that the teratogenic effect of thalidomide was identified through a case report of phocomelia [3]. We must also be aware that the publication of a case report is often the first step of a young colleague in the world of publications. That is why it should be encouraged. The publication of case reports allows even those who have less economic or institutional support for their academic activity to transmit their experience. It is a way to democratize scientific exchange and not depend only on supposed elites that end up transforming clinical research production groups into small aristocracies that generate only a one-way exchange. Writing a case report has been described not only as an academic procedure but also as an art [8]. There is useful information in the literature about how to write this type of manuscripts [3, 4, 6, 8, 10]. Cases must be original and transmit information that has an impact on clinical practice. They must be structured like the rest of the publications, provide a complete and correct description of the case, and have solid bibliographic support. Starting in this volume we will include case reports. On this occasion, they come from different colleagues from Ibero America. We also incorporated a new section that consists of critical reading of scientific publications related to regenerative medicine. Contributions, proposals, and criticisms will be welcome.

Funny Bestsellers: Positioning Female Comedian Memoirs in the Book Industry

Guardian critic Hadley Freeman stated in 2014 that the “book publishing world has, for some time now, become wholly memoirified.” This article will analyze the book industry’s penchant for memoir, focusing on memoirs published by female comedians or comedic actors since Tina Fey’s record-breaking bestseller Bossypants (2011). The article offers a book studies-centered perspective, drawing on quantitative as well as qualitative data. Including a brief case study of the Goodreads Choice Awards in the category “Humor,” this article contributes to a greater understanding of the position of the popular memoir in the book industry.

The Inside Scoop: What We Learnt About Getting into Academic Publishing During Our Editorial Internship

The world of publication can seem intimidating and closed to the newcomer. How then does one even begin to get a foot in the door? In this paper, the authors draw from the literature and their recent lived experience as editorial interns to consider this challenge under the theme of access, and how it overlaps with the various components of academic publication. The main three components of the publication ‘machine’ are discussed in this article, authoring, reviewing, and editing. These are preceded by the first, and arguably foundational, interaction with academic journal publishing—reading. Without reading articles across different journals, and even in different disciplines, understanding the breadth of scholarship and its purpose is impossible. The subsequent components of authoring, reviewing, and editing, which are all enhanced by ongoing familiarity with current literature through further reading, are considered in further detail in the remainder of this article, with practical advice provided as to how to gain access and experience in each of these areas, for example, writing non-research article manuscripts, engaging in collaborative peer review, and applying for editorial opportunities (with perseverance) when the opportunity presents itself. Medical education publication can seem daunting and closed to entry-level academics. This article is written to dispel this view, and challenges the notion that the world of publication is reserved for experts only. On the contrary, newcomers to the field are essential for academic publications to retain relevance, dynamism, and innovation particularly in the face of the changing landscape of medical education.

Teachers as Researchers: Exploratory Practice in Tunisian EFL Classrooms

This Special Issue is dedicated to teachers’ exploratory practice research (Allwright, 2005; Allwright & Hanks, 2009). It showcases nine studies conducted by Tunisian EFL teachers in their own classrooms.
 In the publishing world of TESOL and applied linguistics, despite a proliferation of journals and edited volumes in recent decades, there remains hardly any space for practitioner research. Book publishers and journal editors, driven in part by concerns about profit margins, tend to reject this type of research (unabashedly) citing, as pretexts, the lack of geographical reach or lack of name recognition among contributors. Against this backdrop, this Special Issue counters the commercial mindset and helps fill a longstanding void in TESOL and applied linguistics literature. It illustrates how exploratory practice research can be done and illuminates the potential of practitioner research and the largely untapped ingenuity of practitioners.
 As an introduction to this Special Issue, we will, briefly, discuss the research-practice divide phenomenon and describe the genre of exploratory practice (EP). After, we present a synopsis of nine EP studies. We conclude by emphasizing the unique role of EP in advancing foreign language instruction and suggesting ways to substantiate it.

Translating knowledge in the multilingual paradigm: Beyond epistemicide

The term ‘epistemicide’ was first coined by the Portuguese sociologist, Boaventura de Sousa Santos to refer to the systematic eradication by western science of the indigenous knowledges of the Global South. It was later applied to translation by Bennett in order to describe the way that academic texts produced in non-Anglophone cultures often have to be so radically rewritten for publication in international journals that their epistemological infrastructure is effectively destroyed. The long-term consequences of this process included, it was argued, a drift toward an epistemological monoculture, as scholarly discourses in other languages assimilated to the dominant one through a process of calquing. This argument was developed at a time when the hegemony of English appeared unassailable in the world of academic publishing and beyond. Since then, however, the multi- or translingual paradigm has profoundly challenged this assumption. This article focuses on how knowledge is generated and disseminated within this new paradigm and its implications for Translation Studies. Considering the prevalence, in this domain, of second-language writing, self-translation and paratranslational activities (like language revision and editing), and the demands of a readership with multilingual competence, it suggests that a much broader concept of translation might now be in order.

What Constitutes Engaged Dialogue in Urban Research? Thoughts From a Long Time “Outside-Insider”

In this plenary for the new journal Dialogues in Urban Research, I discuss what constitutes (and should constitute going forward) engaged dialogue in urban research. Engaged dialogue is the process of working collaboratively with groups of people, whoever they are, in relation to particular issues that affect them, to understand those issues better. So what does engaged dialogue in urban research look like? Who is engaging with who, where, why, and how? Has it changed over time? Most, if not all, urban research engages beyond academia, but that engaged dialogue rarely makes it into the pages of academic journals in an inclusionary way. Who usually takes part in conversations on urban research in journals, but also who does not (or is less likely to), and who should? In a new world of publishing and government-funded research that is promoting open access, making research more publicly accessible and inclusive, there has been much less discussion of those engaged in the dialogue that is published. And, if academics do publish with nonacademics it is not usually in an academic journal; this is not inclusive, indeed it is exclusionary.