Scholarly journals: What is next?
by Janet Salmons, Methods Guru for SAGE Methodspace
How are scholarly journals changing to meet today’s needs?
Publishing in scholarly journals is a requirement for many academic positions. Research articles in reputable journals build credibility as an expert. The most selective institutions spell out which journals must feature your work, while others simply want to see that the publication is peer-reviewed. Journals are, however, widely criticized for the very process that sets them apart from other publications: peer review. Peer review relies on the good will of volunteers, who can be constructive, or destructive. It is also time-consuming for both the writer and reviewer. A quote from a 2014 piece by Patrick Dunleavy is a brutal critique of the inherent delay involved with publishing in scholarly journals:
“[Journals have] bizarrely long-winded timescales. From submission to publication in some top economics journals now takes 3.5 years. At the end of such a process any published paper is no more than a tombstone marking where happening debate and knowledge used to be, four or five years earlier.”
Ouch! In current times we need to do better.
On one hand, when disinformation and misinformation are spread in an instant, can we wait for the labor- and time-intensive peer-review process? On the other hand, disciplined, careful scholarly research and fully-vetted discussions of findings are needed now more than ever. Scholarly journals are a primary channel for disseminating research. What are they doing to address these dilemmas?
To find out, I interviewed the editors of four SAGE journals: International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Big Data & Society, Social Media + Society, and Research Ethics. I specifically selected open-access journals, so that all Methodspace readers can view both current and archived writings. I’ve collected some of the most-read and -cited articles, see below.
I asked the same set of questions to all four editors:
1. Given the focus of your journal, what do you see as:
a. Problems and issues readers want to understand?
b. Methodologies, methods, theories that draw your readers’ attention?
c. Ways you use social media, blogs, or other approaches to reach new readers including those outside academia?
2. One of the challenges for scholarly journals is the time needed to complete rigorous peer review and revisions. Given the pressing need for findings to reach readers (including practitioners and the public) while they are still relevant, what do you suggest?
a. For researchers submitting articles?
b. For reviewers?
3. What does your journal have planned for 2022? Special issues, editorial priorities?
4. What tips can you suggest for new or emerging researchers who want to publish in your journal?
The editors offered encouraging directions for dissemination of scholarly work.
Some points stood out in this set of interviews:
Journals are working to expedite the review process, to avoid the kind of delay that Dunleavy (2014) observed.
Journals are including shorter pieces and un-reviewed editorial pieces as a way to get research findings and new ideas out to readers more quickly.
Journals are being more strategic with special issues that bring together a substantive collection of materials on a relevant topic.
Journals are expanding to include blogs, interviews, and media as alternate channels that can reach new readers, or engage readers unwilling to read a full research article.
Electronic journals include links to media and resources.
Journals are opening up tp more diverse and global voices.
Watch the interviews, read top articles, and learn about the journals!
How are scholarly journals changing? See interviews with editors and exemplary articles.