Submitting Papers to International JournalsSubmitting Papers to International Journals

Presented By: Kee Siaw Pae 紀曉貝Sales DirectorElsevier (Science & Technology) Taiwansp.kee@elsevier.com

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OutlineOutliness Elsevier Profile Overview of Scientific Publishing Trends and Developments in Scientific Publishing Preparations before writing a manuscript Paper Submission Process

The CompanyThe Company

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Global inputnetworks

7,000 editors70,000 editorial board members200,000 referees500,000+ authors

Global output networks15 million doctors, nurses and health professionals

10 million+ researchers in 4,500 institutes

5 million students NorthAmerica

47% Europe31%

Rest of World 5%

Asia Pacific16%

Global business

A Truly Global Network- A Very Valued AssetA Truly Global Network- A Very Valued Asset

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Our global presence across all subjectsOur global presence across all subjects

Source: ISI data

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The Prestigious PartnersThe Prestigious Partners

Gerhard ErtlWinner of 2007 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Roger D. Kornberg Winner of 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs, Richard R. SchrockWinners of 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Avram Hershko, Irwin Rose, Aaron CiechanoverWinners of 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Albert Einstein

Niels Bohr

Louis Pasteur

Madame Curie

Louis de Broglie

                 Alexander Fleming

Since the Nobel Prize began in 1901,

Elsevier has published more winners’ papers

than any other publisher

Overview of Scientific PublishingOverview of Scientific Publishing

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Why do Researchers Publish?Why do Researchers Publish? To register a discovery as made by them on a certain date

priority, who was first, I. P. registration To get their research (and by implication themselves) quality

stamped by publication in a journal of known quality you are what you publish

To let their peers know what they have done attract recognition, reward and collaboration

To leave a permanent record of research lasting recognition, immortality

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Role of the editor-in-chiefRole of the editor-in-chief Decides on acceptance of each paper (may overrule

reviewers) Decides on board members (together with the publisher) Decides on journal policy (together with board and

publisher): aims & scope, article types, reader- and authorship

Public face of the journal Active member of the research community (visits

conferences, solicits papers from best labs) Not an employee of the publisher!

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Role of the editorial boardRole of the editorial board Board members are chosen for their large

network and experience in important subjects within a research field

Advise the chief editor on specialized areas Arrange for review of papers Occasionally review papers Act as ambassadors for the journal, and attract

high-quality content

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Peer ReviewPeer Review A methodological check

soundness of argument supporting data and cited references

Done by two anonymous academics (“the reviewers”)

Reviewers peer review without payment costs of administering the selection of reviewers, postage and

document costs are borne by the journal On average 30% more papers are reviewed than

published

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Role of the PublisherRole of the Publisher Editorial management

acquisition of content monitor research trends monitor editorial office efficiency and efficacy monitor key success indicators editorial renewal

Business management Production and online hosting Sales and marketing

Solicit and manage

submissions Manage peer

review

Production

Publish and

disseminate

Edit and prepare

Archive and

promote

Trends and Development in Scientific Trends and Development in Scientific PublishingPublishing

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Taiwan Research Output for the last decade Taiwan Research Output for the last decade (Year 1997 to Year 2006)(Year 1997 to Year 2006)

119%

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5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

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Source:

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International Competition (2005 Output)International Competition (2005 Output)

Data Source:

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100,000

150,000

200,000

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SCImago. (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank.Retrieved March 20, 2008, from http://www.scimagojr.com

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International Competition (Number of Citations International Competition (Number of Citations per Document published in 2005)per Document published in 2005)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

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Data Source:

SCImago. (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank.Retrieved March 20, 2008, from http://www.scimagojr.com

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Digitizing the Science LegacyDigitizing the Science Legacy

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Books on ScienceDirectBooks on ScienceDirect

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eTransformationeTransformation

= print= print + electronic= eOnly

• In the 1990s, Elsevier made a huge technology investment to build ScienceDirect, launched in 1997

• Revolutionize the way researchers access information

•Desktop access•Articles in Press

• Change the traditional job scopes of libraries

•Usage analysis•Repositories•Interaction with users

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

2001, 2003 and 2005 include migrated Harcourt content

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Solicit and manage

submissionsManage

peer review

Production

Publish and disseminate

Edit and prepare

Archive and promote

• Organise editorial boards• Launch new specialist

journals

• Author Gateway and Elsevier Editorial Systems

• eJournal BackfileseReference Works

• Production Tracking System

• ScienceDirect, Scopus, Scirus, eNewsletters and alerts

Journal Publishing InvestmentsJournal Publishing Investments

Estimated cumulative investment since 2000

• Electronic Warehouse

Before you write a paper…Before you write a paper…

1. Originality of your Idea2. Type of Manuscript3. Who is your audience4. Choose the right journal5. Author Guides

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1. Check the originality of your idea at the very 1. Check the originality of your idea at the very beginning of your research.beginning of your research. Have you done something new and interesting? Is there anything challenging in your work? Is the work directly related to a current hot topic? Have you provided solutions to any difficult problems?

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Information You Need to Find the Answers (1)Information You Need to Find the Answers (1)

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Information You Need to Find the Answers (2)Information You Need to Find the Answers (2)

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2. Decide the type of your manuscript2. Decide the type of your manuscript

Full articles/Original articles: the most important papers; often substantial, completed pieces of research that are of significance.

Letters/Rapid Communications/Short communications: usually published for quick and early communication of significant and original advances; much shorter than full articles (usually strictly limited).

Review papers/perspectives: summarize recent developments on a specific topic; highlight important points that have been previously reported and introduce no new information; often submitted on invitation.

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3. Who is your Audience? 3. Who is your Audience? Topics of Topics of local or nationallocal or national relevance are sometimes not interesting for an relevance are sometimes not interesting for an international audienceinternational audience..

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4. Choose the right journal4. Choose the right journal

Investigate all candidate journals to find out:

Aims and scope Types of articles Readership Current hot topics

(go through recent abstracts)

Example

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Choose the Right Journal/ Know your CompetitorsChoose the Right Journal/ Know your Competitors

Journal of Organic Chemistry published the most work in Triethylamine

Ueda, M. has published the most work in Triethylamine

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Know Your CompetitorsKnow Your Competitors

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5. Read the ‘Guide for Authors’! Again and again!5. Read the ‘Guide for Authors’! Again and again!

Apply the Guide for Authors to your manuscript, even to the first draft (text layout, paper citation, nomenclature, figures and table, etc.). It will save your time, and the editor’s.

All editors hate wasting time on poorly prepared manuscripts.

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Language Editing ServicesLanguage Editing Services Elsevier negotiated competitive rates with the following service

providers for our authors: American Journal Experts (www.journalexperts.com) Asia Science Editing (www.asiascienceediting.com) Diacritech Language Editing Services (www.languageedit.com) Edanz Editing (www.edanzediting.nl) International Science Editing (www.internationalscienceediting.com) ScienceDocs Editing Services (www.sciencedocs.com) SPI Publisher Services (www.prof-editing.com)

provide language and copy editing services globally to authors will not guarantee acceptance or preference for publication in an

Elsevier journal. Please note: Elsevier neither endorses nor takes responsibility for

any products, goods or services offered by these vendors

Paper Submission ProcessPaper Submission Process

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Submit a paper

Basic requirements met?

REJECT

Assign reviewers

Collect reviewers’ recommendations

Make a decision

Revise the paper

[Reject]

[Revision required]

[Accept]

[Yes]

[No]Review and give recommendation

START

ACCEPT

Author Editor Reviewer

Who moved your manuscript?Who moved your manuscript?

Michael Derntl. Basics of Research Paper Writing and Publishing. http://www.pri.univie.ac.at/~derntl/papers/meth-se.pdf

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How to Submit Papers to Elsevier JournalsHow to Submit Papers to Elsevier Journals

www.sciencedirect.com

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Why Papers get Early Rejection (Part 1)Why Papers get Early Rejection (Part 1)

Aims and scope Paper is of limited interest or covers local issues only

(sample type, geography, specific product, etc.). Paper is a routine application of well-known methods Paper presents an incremental advance or is limited in

scope Novelty and significance are not immediately evident or

sufficiently well-justified

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Why Papers get Early Rejection (Part 2)Why Papers get Early Rejection (Part 2)

Preparation Failure to meet submission requirements Incomplete coverage of literature Unacceptably poor English

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Rejection: not the end of the worldRejection: not the end of the world Everyone has papers rejected – do not take it

personally. Try to understand why the paper was rejected. Note that you have received the benefit of the editors

and reviewers’ time; take their advice seriously Re-evaluate your work and decide whether it is

appropriate to submit the paper elsewhere. If so, begin as if you are going to write a new article.

Read the Guide for Authors of the new journal, again and again.

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Never treat publication as a lottery by resubmitting a Never treat publication as a lottery by resubmitting a rejected manuscript directly to another journal without rejected manuscript directly to another journal without any significant revision!!! It won’t save any of your time any significant revision!!! It won’t save any of your time and energy…and energy…

The original reviewers (even editors) may eventually find it, which can lead to animosity towards the author.

A suggested strategy In your cover letter, declare that the paper was rejected and name

the journal. Include the referees’ reports and a detailed letter of response,

showing how each comment has been addressed. Explain why you are resubmitting the paper to this journal, e.g.,

this journal is a more appropriate journal; the manuscript has been improved as a result of its previous review; etc.

Ethical Issues Ethical Issues

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Publish Publish ANDAND Perish! – if you break ethical rules Perish! – if you break ethical rules

International scientific ethics have evolved over centuries and are commonly held throughout the world.

Scientific ethics are not considered to have national variants or characteristics – there is a single ethical standard for science.

Ethics problems with scientific articles are on the rise globally.

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Deadly Sins – Deadly Sins – Unethical behavior “can earn rejection and even a ban Unethical behavior “can earn rejection and even a ban from publishing in the journal”from publishing in the journal” – Terry M. Phillips, Editor, Journal of Chromatography B

Multiple submissions Redundant publications Plagiarism Data fabrication and falsification Improper use of human subjects and animals in research Improper author contribution

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What gets you accepted?What gets you accepted? AAttention to details CCheck and double check your work CConsider the reviews EEnglish must be as good as possible PPresentation is important TTake your time with revision AAcknowledge those who have helped you NNew, original and previously unpublished CCritically evaluate your own manuscript EEthical rules must be obeyed

– Nigel John Cook, Editor-in-Chief, Ore Geology Reviews

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……and our publishing advice is as follows:and our publishing advice is as follows: Submit to the right journal (scope and prestige)

Submit to one journal only

Do not submit “salami” article

Pay attention to journal requirements

Pay attention to structure

Check the English

Pay attention to ethical standards

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For more information about Author SupportFor more information about Author Support

Website: http://www.elsevier.com/authors E-mail: AuthorSupport@elsevier.com

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For more information about Elsevier TaiwanFor more information about Elsevier TaiwanWebsite: http://taiwan.elsevier.com