Publications

18 pages, 2268 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Citation Rate Challenges for a Small Journal Indexed in Scopus and WoS—Case Study from Central Europe (Croatia), Editorial View

by Tomislav Malvić, Željko Andreić, Uroš Barudžija, Gordan Bedeković, Lidia Hrnčević, Josip Ivšinović, Tomislav Korman, Zoran Kovač, Krešimir Pavlić and Borivoje Pašić

Publications 2022, 10(3), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030032 - 08 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2677

Abstract

The term “small journal” has been used for a journal published as a single journal or one of a few serials, mostly by an academic publisher. This case study showed the challenges that a journal must override to be indexed in Scopus and [...] Read more.

The term “small journal” has been used for a journal published as a single journal or one of a few serials, mostly by an academic publisher. This case study showed the challenges that a journal must override to be indexed in Scopus and WoS, especially if Q1/Q2 are targeted. The number of submissions, and especially of the published papers, are not the most critical variables for an increase of journal citations. The most important is the further activity of researchers included in the paper’s authorship, their future publication rate and continuation of similar research, which implies the citations of previous works belonging to the same authors and/or research groups. The larger the number of papers per issue, the increased probability of such an event, but there is no linear correlation. Moreover, the editorial work, especially during the initial editorial screening of received submissions, makes the consequent reviewer’s work easier, faster, and of higher quality, which certainly increases the quality of publications and their further citation life. The cited half-life vs. cited half-life ratio in small journals would need to be less than one (here 0.25), making the published papers fast cited, with first citations coming early enough that they could fit in a three-year window, and be countable for the calculation of indexing measures like Citescore or the Impact Factor. Full article

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36 pages, 4647 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Who Is the FAIRest of Them All?” Authors, Entities, and Journals Regarding FAIR Data Principles

by Luis Corujo

Publications 2022, 10(3), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030031 - 08 Sep 2022

Viewed by 2635

Abstract

The perceived need to improve the infrastructure supporting the re-use of scholarly data since the second decade of the 21st century led to the design of a concise number of principles and metrics, named FAIR Data Principles. This paper, part of an [...] Read more.

The perceived need to improve the infrastructure supporting the re-use of scholarly data since the second decade of the 21st century led to the design of a concise number of principles and metrics, named FAIR Data Principles. This paper, part of an extended study, intends to identify the main authors, entities, and scientific journals linked to research conducted within the FAIR Data Principles. The research was developed by means of a qualitative approach, using documentary research and a constant comparison method for codification and categorization of the sampled data. The sample studied showed that most authors were located in the Netherlands, with Europe accounting for more than 70% of the number of authors considered. Most of these are researchers and work in higher education institutions. These entities can be found in most of the territorial-administrative areas under consideration, with the USA being the country with more entities and Europe being the world region where they are more numerous. The journal with more texts in the used sample was Insights, with 2020 being the year when more texts were published. Two of the most prominent authors present in the sample texts were located in the Netherlands, while the other two were in France and Australia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Data and Data Papers)

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13 pages, 285 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

The COVID-19 Pandemic, Academia, Gender, and Beyond: A Review

by Pınar E. Dönmez

Publications 2022, 10(3), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030030 - 05 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2322

Abstract

This article aims to engage critically with the scholarly narratives and the emerging literature on the gender impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in academia. It outlines the key contours and themes in these scholarly discourses and conceptions, acknowledging their richness, depth and strengths [...] Read more.

This article aims to engage critically with the scholarly narratives and the emerging literature on the gender impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in academia. It outlines the key contours and themes in these scholarly discourses and conceptions, acknowledging their richness, depth and strengths especially given the short timespan within which they have developed since 2020. The article then suggests broadening and historicising the critique advanced by the literature further. In doing so, the hierarchies and vulnerabilities exposed in the academic domain by the pandemic are positioned within a holistic understanding of crisis-ridden characteristics of social relations under capitalism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Research at the Nexus of the Social Sciences and Humanities)

12 pages, 4312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustained Rise in Retractions in the Life Sciences Literature during the Pandemic Years 2020 and 2021

by Nicole Shu Ling Yeo-Teh and Bor Luen Tang

Publications 2022, 10(3), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030029 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2480

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to all human endeavors, and scientific research has not been spared. We queried how the retraction of publications might have been affected during the pandemic years 2020–2021. Searches performed with Retraction Watch Database (RWD) revealed that the [...] Read more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to all human endeavors, and scientific research has not been spared. We queried how the retraction of publications might have been affected during the pandemic years 2020–2021. Searches performed with Retraction Watch Database (RWD) revealed that the total number of retractions (as proxied by retraction-related notices) rose steadily from 2013 into the pandemic years 2020–2021. Interestingly, while retractions in the physical and social sciences tapered during 2020–2021, those of the basic life sciences and health sciences showed robust increases in 2020, with the former maintaining a steep rise in 2021. This rise in retractions belied a tapering of total relevant publications in the same year and is confirmed with a complementary search strategy in Scopus. The retraction rate in the medical sciences, particularly those relating to infectious disease, is clearly affected by the anomalous high retraction rate of COVID-19-related papers. However, the sustained increase in the retraction rate of the basic life sciences papers, could be due, at least partly, to retraction spikes in several journals. The rise in retractions in the life and medical sciences could be attributed to heightened post-publication peer review of papers in online platforms such as PubPeer, where numerous problematic papers have been revealed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Publication Ethics and Research Integrity)

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14 pages, 5771 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Malaria Publications before and during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Bibliometric Analysis

by Wanida Mala, Polrat Wilairatana, Apichai Wattanapisit, Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui and Manas Kotepui

Publications 2022, 10(3), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030028 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2035

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to affect malaria intervention strategies, the suspension of malaria elimination programs, and the publication of malaria research. We compared differences in authorship, affiliations, countries, funding sources, article types, keywords, languages, and citations between studies published before [...] Read more.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to affect malaria intervention strategies, the suspension of malaria elimination programs, and the publication of malaria research. We compared differences in authorship, affiliations, countries, funding sources, article types, keywords, languages, and citations between studies published before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The searches were performed online using the Scopus database on 8 April 2022. The searches were limited to two periods: before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018–2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). The information of authorship, affiliations, countries, funding sources, article types, keywords, languages, and citations between studies published before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were compared using frequency and percentage. The relationships between the most productive authors, countries, affiliations, journals, and frequently used keywords were visualized using the VOSviewer (version 1.6.18) software. A total of 2965 articles were identified in two periods and, among those, 1291 relevant studies were included. There was no difference in malaria publications before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (679 articles, 52.6% vs. 612 articles, 47.4%). Compared between the two periods, the preliminary trend of malaria publications in terms of authorship, affiliations, countries, funding sources, article types, keywords, languages, and citations were different. In conclusion, the current study showed the preliminary trends in malaria publications before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study would encourage researchers to perform a scoping review or systematic review to better understand the direction of malaria publications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Data and Data Papers)

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5 pages, 176 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Should the Use of Patient Medical Information in Research Require the Approval of Attending Physicians?

by Eisuke Nakazawa, Shoichi Maeda, Makoto Udagawa and Akira Akabayashi

Publications 2022, 10(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030027 - 12 Aug 2022

Viewed by 1559

Abstract

Retrospective observational studies using medical records require researchers to guarantee the right to opt out of the study. However, is it also necessary to confirm whether the medical professionals who created those medical records permit their use as well? In this article, we [...] Read more.

Retrospective observational studies using medical records require researchers to guarantee the right to opt out of the study. However, is it also necessary to confirm whether the medical professionals who created those medical records permit their use as well? In this article, we consider possible options based on a fictitious scenario. Based on our deliberations, we recommend that the information be disclosed on the hospital’s homepage or in leaflets (principal investigator: hospital director), and, similar to patients, attending physicians should be given the opportunity to opt out. We also recommend that an application be submitted to the hospital’s research ethics committee. In this paper, we address the public interest aspect of the use of patient information as a primary item for ethical scrutiny. In addition to research ethics, this particular point underscores the importance of public health ethics, particularly as they pertain to the conflict between individual freedom and public interest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Publication Ethics and Research Integrity)

22 pages, 4659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bibliometrics Evaluation of Scientific Journals and Country Research Output of Dental Research in Latin America Using Scimago Journal and Country Rank

by Gustavo Vaccaro, Pablo Sánchez-Núñez and Patricia Witt-Rodríguez

Publications 2022, 10(3), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030026 - 04 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2476

Abstract

Innovations in dental sciences are potentially disruptive; however, the language barrier in the case of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) limits access to scientific studies. There is a necessity to measure the development of dental research across the LAC region, where economic [...] Read more.

Innovations in dental sciences are potentially disruptive; however, the language barrier in the case of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) limits access to scientific studies. There is a necessity to measure the development of dental research across the LAC region, where economic power and postgraduate education access vary significantly. This article aims to analyze documents, citations, and journals and compare the SJR, H-Index, citation rates, and Co-occurrence Networks (Keywords) between dental journals published in LAC and the rest of the world, according to the report of Scimago Journal and Country Rank, between the years 1996 and 2020. Results show that Brazil leads dental research in the LAC, scoring the highest number of published documents, citations, and SJR metrics. The mean H-index and SJR of LAC dentistry journals are significantly lower than those of other regions (p < 0.03); however, there are no significant differences in the mean total citations in the last 3 years between LAC and other regions (p > 0.15). This suggests that the articles published in dentistry journals from LAC are being cited in similar proportions to the journals of other regions, but a large portion of these citations came from publications with low scientific impact. Full article

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1 pages, 172 KiB

Open AccessCorrection

Correction: Troncoso et al. Incentive Policies for Scientific Publications in the State Universities of Chile. Publications 2022, 10, 20

by Elizabeth Troncoso, Francisco Ganga-Contreras and Margarita Briceño

Publications 2022, 10(3), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030025 - 20 Jul 2022

Viewed by 1392

Abstract

Missing Acknowledgments [...] Full article

15 pages, 296 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Open Science Knowledge Production: Addressing Epistemological Challenges and Ethical Implications

by Bjørn Hofmann

Publications 2022, 10(3), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030024 - 14 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2618

Abstract

Open Science (OS) is envisioned to have a wide range of benefits including being more transparent, shared, accessible, and collaboratively developed than traditional science. Despite great enthusiasm, there are also several challenges with OS. In order to ensure that OS obtains its benefits, [...] Read more.

Open Science (OS) is envisioned to have a wide range of benefits including being more transparent, shared, accessible, and collaboratively developed than traditional science. Despite great enthusiasm, there are also several challenges with OS. In order to ensure that OS obtains its benefits, these challenges need to be addressed. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to provide an overview of one type of challenge, i.e., epistemological challenges with OS knowledge production, and their ethical implications. Based on a literature review, it (a) reveals factors undermining the envisioned benefits of OS, (b) identifies negative effects on knowledge production, and (c) exposes epistemological challenges with the various phases of the OS process. The main epistemic challenges are related to governance, framing, looping effects, proper data procurement, validation, replication, bias, and polarization. The ethical implications are injustice, reduced benefit (efficiency), increased harm (as a consequence of poor-quality science), deception and manipulation (reduced autonomy), and lack of trustworthiness. Accordingly, to obtain the envisioned benefits of OS, we need to address these epistemological challenges and their ethical implications. Full article

13 pages, 6843 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparison of Asian Law Journals Published in Asian and Western Countries

by Eun Sil Kim and Eungi Kim

Publications 2022, 10(3), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030023 - 07 Jul 2022

Viewed by 2217

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare Asian law journals published in Asia with those published in Western countries to determine the characteristics of the journals in relation to the geographic region in which they are published. In this study, Western countries [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study was to compare Asian law journals published in Asia with those published in Western countries to determine the characteristics of the journals in relation to the geographic region in which they are published. In this study, Western countries refer to the Anglo-Saxon English-speaking countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Using the Scimago Journal and Country Rank (SJR), 12 Asian law journals published in Asia and 8 Asian law journals published in Western countries were analyzed for performance, authorship, and topical research areas. Human rights issues affecting Asian countries were more prevalent in journals published in Western countries. In terms of journal performance, Asian law journals published in Western countries had a higher h-index, SJR, and citation rate than those published in Asia. Journals published in Western countries are published by reputable commercial publishers or university presses, and journals published in Western countries have longer coverage years. These reasons likely contributed to better visibility, which resulted in better performance. Full article

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18 pages, 3374 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Changing the Academic Gender Narrative through Open Access

by Katie Wilson, Chun-Kai (Karl) Huang, Lucy Montgomery, Cameron Neylon, Rebecca N. Handcock, Alkim Ozaygen and Aniek Roelofs

Publications 2022, 10(3), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030022 - 04 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4910

Abstract

In this article, we ask whether dominant narratives of gender and performance within academic institutions are masking stories that may be both more complex and potentially more hopeful than those which are often told using publication-related data. Influenced by world university rankings, institutions [...] Read more.

In this article, we ask whether dominant narratives of gender and performance within academic institutions are masking stories that may be both more complex and potentially more hopeful than those which are often told using publication-related data. Influenced by world university rankings, institutions emphasise so-called ‘excellent’ research practices: publish in ‘high impact’, elite subscription journals indexed by the commercial bibliographic databases that inform the various ranking systems. In particular, we ask whether data relating to institutional demographics and open access publications could support a different story about the roles that women are playing as pioneers and practitioners of open scholarship. We review gender bias in scholarly publications and discuss examples of open access research publications that highlight a positive advantage for women. Using analysis of workforce demographics and open research data from our Open Knowledge Initiative project, we explore relationships and correlations between academic gender and open access research output from universities in Australia and the United Kingdom. This opens a conversation about different possibilities and models for exploring research output by gender and changing the dominant narrative of deficit in academic publishing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Research at the Nexus of the Social Sciences and Humanities)

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10 pages, 245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research Questions with PICO: A Universal Mnemonic

by Andreas Nishikawa-Pacher

Publications 2022, 10(3), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10030021 - 22 Jun 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 12841

Abstract

A well-formulated research question should incorporate the components of a ‘problem’, an ‘intervention’, a ‘control’, and an ‘outcome’—at least according to the PICO mnemonic. The utility of this format, however, has been said to be limited to clinical studies that pose ‘which’ questions [...] Read more.

A well-formulated research question should incorporate the components of a ‘problem’, an ‘intervention’, a ‘control’, and an ‘outcome’—at least according to the PICO mnemonic. The utility of this format, however, has been said to be limited to clinical studies that pose ‘which’ questions demanding correlational study designs. In contrast, its suitability for descriptive approaches outside of clinical investigations has been doubted. This paper disagrees with the alleged limitations of PICO. Instead, it argues that the scheme can be used universally for every scientific endeavour in any discipline with all study designs. This argument draws from four abstract components common to every research, namely, a research object, a theory/method, a (null) hypothesis, and the goal of knowledge generation. Various examples of how highly heterogenous studies from different disciplines can be grounded in the single scheme of PICO are offered. The finding implies that PICO is indeed a universal technique that can be used for teaching academic writing in any discipline, beyond clinical settings, regardless of a preferred study design. Full article

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Publications, Volume 10, Issue 3 (September 2022) – 12 articles

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