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BioMed Central: The future Matthew Cockerill BioMed Central Editors Day 5 th May 2011. A growing portfolio. BioMed Central’s growing journal portfolio. More than 90,000 peer-reviewed OA articles published to date 215 open access journals Existing titles are growing ~20%/year
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BioMed Central: The future Matthew Cockerill BioMed Central Editors Day 5th May 2011
BioMed Central’s growing journal portfolio • More than 90,000 peer-reviewed OA articles published to date • 215 open access journals • Existing titles are growing ~20%/year • Growth via new launches and acquisition of existing titles is also accelerating • 11 titles added in 2010 • >20 journals will launch during 2011 • Publishing team responsible for journal development has been hugely expanded
Veterinary titles at BioMed Central 2005 2006 2011
Trend in submissions to BioMed Central’s existing veterinary titles Addition of new titles in 2011 has coincided with record submissions to existing titles
Impact factor tracking • 23 first impact factors expected in June 2011 • Latest journals to be accepted for tracking • BMC International Health and Human Rights • Diabetology and Metabolic Syndrome • Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine • Journal of Nanobiotechnology • Journal of Ovarian Research
Journals expecting first Impact Factors in 2011 • Frontiers in Zoology • Harm Reduction Journal • Human Resources for Health • International Journal for Equity in Health • Journal of Inflammation • Journal of the International Society for Sports Nutrition • Nutrition Journal • Particle and Fibre Toxicology • Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine • Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling • World Journal of Surgical Oncology • BMC Biochemistry • BMC Cardiovascular Disorders • BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine • BMC Medical Education • BMC Nephrology • BMC Ophthalmology • BMC Pediatrics • BMC Veterinary Research • Cardiovascular Ultrasound • Cell Communication and Signaling • Cell Division • Epigenetics & Chromatin
Thomson Reuters - SCI vs SCIE • All BioMed Central journals to date have been tracked in SCIE rather than SCI • Thomson Reuters initially denied it was meaningful • But many countries including South Korea deem SCI inclusion is deemed vital • Thomson has agreed to move the following journals to the SCI: • BMC Evolutionary Biology • BMC Systems Biology • Breast Cancer Research • Genome Biology • Further decisions pending… • Health and Quality of Life Outcomes • Malaria Journal • Neural Development • Retrovirology
Manuscript transfers • Ability to efficiently transfer manuscripts and reviews between journals • Avoiding wasting reviewer and author time/effort • Solves dilemma for editors seeking to improve impact factor of journal, but also wanting to deliver good service to authors • Allows publishable research to be redirected to a more suitable outlet
Manuscript transfers (contd...) • Model plays an important role at BioMed Central • Especially valuable for high-end titles • Several hundred authors offered transfers each month (over half accept) • PLoS One has brought model to wider attention • Many other publishers now operating similar systems
Manuscript transfers (contd…) Possible uses • Transfer less interesting research to BMC Research Notes • Transfer case reports to Journal of Medical Case Reports • Transfer out of scope research to another independent title, or to a BMC series journal
Manuscript transfers (contd...) Current model • BMC staff use in house tool to offer transfers, and to action the transfer if the author accepts the offer • Correspondence with independent journal editors re: transfer recommendations is ad hoc, via email Future model • Manuscript decision page used by editors will include option to highlight a rejected manuscript as suitable for transfer (and optionally to recommend a possible title for the transfer) • Increased convenience for independent journals which choose to offer or receive transfers
Springer’s strategy for growth • Open Access • Growth in emerging markets • eBooks
Operates on BioMed Central platform • Launched mid-2010 • Portfolio already includes 45 journals • New launches • Conversion of existing Springer titles • 11 titles acquired from Hindawi • Reflects Springer’s strategic commitment • to open access model • to ongoing development and improvement of BioMed Central platform
Technical development: new journal websites • More than 100 BioMed Central journals and 45 SpringerOpen titles are now on new journal platform • Remaining journals and BioMed Central / Chemistry Central portals are in final stages of testing • Additional performance tuning being done to ensure optimal site performance
Technical challenges • Complex technical projects are tough to manage • Also note easy to recruit/retain developers in UK • Timezones/language barriers can make it difficult to work with remote development teams
Two key new hires • Chief Technical OfficerMike Nuttall (doctors.net) • Head of Publishing TechnologyDuncan Fraser (IHS,Elsevier)
Reliability and performance • Just as important as developing new features, is to ensure existing sites are • Reliable • Fast • Scale to cope with major increase in volume • Dedicated IT Ops team focused on these goals • Automated tests and metrics give good data on progress in this area
Improving performance for international downloads Download time for 8MB PDF file, measured from New York Improved config rolled out on May 3rd 2011
Workflow 2.0 project Major improvements to the back end tools used by BioMed Central and its editors to manage journals
Workflow 2.0 - Why? • Reduce the need for training • make systems more intuitive • Simplify user journeys • information presented on fewer pages • multiple entry points to the same information • Improve efficiency of tools to cope with growing journals • more manuscripts, more journals, more people • Highlight manuscripts needing attention • Incorporate suggestions from editors • Including both independent journal editors, BMC series section editors, and in house editors
Workflow 2.0 - How? • Draw on internal expertise and with the external design agency with expertise in “information architecture” • Use a single point of contact, Product Manager • Look at information architecture and design/usability of entire system, from the ground up • Invite feedback from Editors early and often
Workflow 2.0 - Who? • Agency – Mark Boulton Design • Workflow design group • Technical implementation group • Internal stakeholders • External Editors
New functionality • Editor’s dashboard • Flexible task lists • Watched manuscript lists • Improved handling of notes • Email authors / editors directly from Workflow • Editor’s reports • Editor’s administration area • Enhanced peer-reviewer database
Timeframe • Design phase • Due to be complete by end of Q2 2011 • Implementation phase • Planning has already commenced • Implementation to commence at end of Q2 • Iterative approach to development and user testing • Define phased implementation plan, to realize key benefits as early as possible • Initial release early 2012
Making the most of Springer’s global presence China/Hong Kong • Three BioMed Central staff focused on marketing/advocacy • Additional editorial acquisitions/development editor position now being recruited Japan • Newly hired BioMed Central staff member focused on marketing/advocacy Additional hiring planned: • India • South Korea • Singapore (new Springer office) • USA
Journal projects in China • Cell and Bioscience(Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America)www.cellandbioscience.com • Cell Regeneration(Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health) www.cellregenerationjournal.com • Gigascience(BGI data-driven journal) • And more in discussion…
