Editing Practice

Artificial intelligence-driven scholarly journal publishing: A new milestone in the modernization of science

Zheng Ma — 2024-12-31

Artificial intelligence in publishing: Navigating the balance between assistance and originality

Ashutosh Ghildiyal — 2024-12-31

The core components and the survey on importance of professional quality of chief editor, editorial director and editor of sci-tech journals in China

Jiajia Wu — 2024-03-29

Background: This study aims to explore the core elements of the professional quality of the chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals and to analyze the understanding of the importance of the professional quality of the editorial team. Methods: The core elements of the professional quality of the chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals are summarized into basic quality, professional quality, comprehensive quality, and excellent quality. They are then defined and explained using the literature research method. In addition, a questionnaire on the core professional quality of the chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals was designed to investigate the cognition status of the importance of professionalism among editors of sci-tech journals. Results: The survey results show that editors are the direct executors of journal operations and need to master basic quality and improve professional quality. The editorial director is the main manager of the work of sci-tech journals, and it is necessary to comprehensively strengthen the promotion of various professional qualities. The chief editor is the main person at the helm of the academic quality of sci-tech journals and needs to have a higher academic level and a more rigorous work attitude. They should pay attention to improving professional quality and excellent quality. Conclusion: The chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals should focus on different professional quality training specific to their practice. Professional quality evaluation standards should be established to provide a reference for the evaluation system of sci-tech journal editors.

A one-stop solution for generating, inserting, and verifying quick response codes in scientific journals based on Python

Xinyue Niu — 2024-12-31

Background: This study aims to make quick response (QR) code processing operable, reliable, and efficient. It discusses the exploration and practice of QR code processing in Computer Systems & Applications, providing a useful reference for editors. Methods: Common problems encountered when manually handling QR codes are summarized and analyzed. A QR code-integrated tool is designed using Python language to propose an integrated solution for QR codes, and the tool is compared with manual solutions. Results: The self-developed QR code-integrated tool can realize the automatic processing of tasks, such as generating, inserting, and verifying QR codes, thereby achieving high efficiency and reliability. For example, it takes about 2 hours to handle 45 papers by hand, whereas automated operations require only about 30 seconds, without any errors. The use of tools to automatically verify QR codes no longer relies on uniform resource locator (URL) activation, achieving perfect integration between QR code processing flow and the traditional editorial publishing process. Conclusion: Using Python, this study demonstrates that high-quality QR code settings can be achieved efficiently in single articles in scientific journals. Computer automation operations have high efficiency and strong reliability in dealing with repetitive work. Scientific journal editors should think creatively and continuously improve their work efficiency by adopting computer technology to refine workflow.

The "Five Forces Model" and strategies for enhancing the influence of scientific journals

Yongxia Liang — 2024-12-31

Background: Based on relevant theory of science of science, we aimed to construct a model for evaluating the influence of science journals and thereby propose strategies to enhance their impact. Methods: By using methods such as a literature review, in-depth interviews, and a concept analysis, we considered various aspects related to science journals, including knowledge production, flow, and dissemination, and developed what we call the "Five Forces Model, " along with countermeasures and suggestions. Results: We identified knowledge power, persuasiveness, management power, expressiveness, and dissemination power as the five aspects that determine the influence of science journals. The Five Forces Model was built using these five aspects. Conclusion: Influence development and enhancement are integrated processes among science journals. Theories on knowledge activities need to be utilized effectively to improve a journal's knowledge power. Paradigm theories need to be understood to increase a journal's persuasive ability. The Matthew effect within the scientific community should be given attention to strengthen managerial capacity. Further, the advantages of structural holes should be leveraged for a journal to showcase its expressive capability. Fully recognizing the functions of science journals can help reinforce their dissemination capabilities.

Digital production and new media convergence publishing practice of scientific and technological periodicals based on XML integration: The case of Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae

Guihua Yang — 2024-12-31

Background: This study aims to systematically summarize the advantages of using a digital publishing platform for scientific and technological journals based on extensible markup language (XML)-integrated production. It also seeks to analyze the effects of the fusion of digital production and new media practices in order to provide a reference for China's digital publication of scientific and technological journals and its combination with new media. Methods: Taking Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae as an example, this study builds a model of digital production and new media fusion publishing for scientific and technological journals based on XML integration by reviewing the shortcomings of traditional production models. The advantages and practical applications of digital production and new media fusion publishing are analyzed. Results: The adoption of an XML-integrated production platform results in producing content once and its diverse publication. Single articles or entire issues can be quickly released, allowing these to be immediately published four months ahead of the network first release and thus shortening the publication cycle. The platform is seamlessly connected with journal websites and WeChat, achieving simultaneous priority publication and full-issue publication on the PC and mobile ends and realizing media convergence and multichannel dissemination. During the initial period, the average downloads per article significantly increased, with single-article downloads reaching 1961 times. Conclusion: Using an XML-integrated production platform can optimize the publishing process, improve the level of digitalization, and increase work efficiency. It helps shorten the publication cycle, accelerate the speed of dissemination, and enhance the academic influence of a journal.

Planning major national strategic topics for science and technology journals: Practice and reflection

Lina Wang — 2024-12-31

Background: This study was aimed at exploring effective methods for scientific and technological journals to serve national innovation-driven development. It also examined major strategic demands in this respect and their effects on journal quality and influence. Methods: This study identified topics related to major national requirements and development strategies for science and technology from special issues planned and published in the Science & Technology Review, such as "Suggestions for the 14th Five-Year Plan" and "Strategic Scientists". Particular focus was directed to the effects and achievements of "Suggestions for the 14th Five-Year Plan", which were examined on the basis of data from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure and other sources. Results: By pinpointing key time points for publication and focusing on major national strategic plans and requirements for science and technology, it is possible to attract leading experts in academia to independently or comprehensively participate in writing articles for journals. Such endeavors not only provide intellectual support for national innovation and development but also significantly increase the citation frequencies, download volumes, new media reading volumes, and reposting rates of journals. Conclusion: Focusing on major national strategic planning is integral to serving national innovation-driven development, promoting the development of disciplines, and cultivating excellent scientific talents. It also effectively improves the academic quality and social influence of scientific and technological journals.

The jump in journal impact factors during this pandemic

Qiang Zou — 2024-12-31

Background: Due to the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a significant number of COVID-related papers have been published. The journal citation report (JCR) of Web of Science, released in June 2022 and 2023, demonstrated that the journal impact factors (JIFs) of biomedical journals have increased substantially. Methods: This study examined two traditional multidisciplinary journals (Science and Nature) and four medical journals (The Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], The Lancet [LANCET], The New England Journal of Medicine [NEJM], and British Medical Journal [BMJ]). The influence of COVID-related papers on JIFs was analyzed using bibliometric methods. Results: The proportion of citations in 2021 to items published in 2020 was notably high, with five journals exceeding 50%. Similarly, the proportion of citations in 2022 to items published in 2020 and the proportion of citations in 2022 to items published in 2021 remained high, although exhibiting a gradual downward trend. Conclusion: The JIFs of the four medical journals were higher than those of the top traditional multidisciplinary journals Science and Nature by a wide margin. This discrepancy could be attributed to the larger denominators (citable items) in the JIF calculations for Science and Nature or other factors. However, in terms of average citations per paper, there was no evidence that Science and Nature performed worse than the medical journals. Emerging hot topics, such as COVID-19, tend to elevate JIFs considerably. However, it is important to adopt a rational perspective on these surges. The publication of scientific and technological papers should prioritize advancing human knowledge through academic exchange rather than focusing solely on JIFs values.

Description and analysis of the characteristics of retracted articles addressing public health emergencies: A study investigating COVID-19 articles

Yinchao Fang — 2024-05-31

The present study analyzed the main characteristics of retracted articles addressing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) published in medical journals in China and abroad. The results are anticipated to provide a reference for the publication and dissemination of articles addressing public health emergencies in the future. Information regarding the retraction of COVID-19 articles was obtained from the Retraction Watch website for the period between January 1, 2020, and October 31, 2023. The main characteristics of the withdrawn COVID-19 articles were analyzed according to the distribution of journals, authors, publication period, and the reasons for retraction. Among the 235 COVID-19 articles withdrawn, the main article types were original research and reviews, the main publishers were journals without impact factors and/or preprint platforms, and the authors' countries were mostly China and the United States. The publication period was mainly in 2020 and 2021, and the number of publications is gradually decreasing. The retraction delay was 0–741 days, with a mean delay of 5.9 months. In addition to mistakes from journals/publishers, most of the top reasons for retraction included academic misconduct, especially regarding data and results. The main characteristics of retracted COVID-19 articles included publication on preprint platforms and journals with an impact factor < 5. Furthermore, more retractions were due to journal/publisher errors and academic misconduct. During epidemic situations, such as COVID-19, medical journals should not only improve publishing efficiency, but also strive to strictly control academic quality.

Exploration of strategies for thematic publishing in medical journals

Liying Zhao — 2024-12-30

Thematic publishing is a major form of implementing the will of the state and serving the national development strategy. It is the mission and responsibility of medical journals to do a solid job in promoting thematic publishing. In order to promote the development of health care, the Chinese Journal of Practical Stomatology has been deeply engaged in creating quality products about thematic publishing. The article "History, Present Status and Future Developmental Trend of Oral Health Science Integrated Humanity in China—By Review of One Century′s Advances in Dental Prevention at the Nationwide Basis" was awarded as an excellent achievement in thematic publishing. The article summarizes the experience of thematic publishing in the Chinese Journal of Practical Stomatology and analyzes it in terms of clarifying the direction of thematic publishing, deepening the content of thematic publishing, and expanding the publicity of thematic publishing, providing a reference for medical journals to improve the quality and effectiveness of thematic publishing.

Towards the paths to high-quality development of popular science journals in China: A case study of the journal Studies on Science Popularization

Zhuohan Shi — 2024-12-31

Science popularization research is a field of study that focuses on the theories and practices of science popularization. Academic journals in the field of popular science research not only serve as a bridge and link between scientific research and popular science but also an important driving force for the development of popular science research. This article takes Studies on Science Popularization as an example to explore the high-quality development path of academic journals in the field of science popularization research from three levels, namely the macro, meso, and micro levels.

The assessment of scholarly books in China: A short review

Lulu Wang — 2024-01-31

As a unique type of scientific production, the assessment of scholarly book has been recently revalued under the trending Chinese technology policy. This article performs a survey of different attempts applied to various assessment problems for scholarly book, such as comprehensive assessment framework, the localization of international impact measurements the improvement measures, and the theorical recognition from different angles. The paper analyzes the questions of what, who, and how to reach an eventual integration with scholarly book assessment platforms. The conclusions indicate that the exquisite categorization and the negotiated criteria framework are firstly needed to be studied in order to initiate an assessment project of scholarly book in China.