Report
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY'S Authors: The authors of articles in ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y , an international
broad-based journal, represent a wide variety of interests and specialties. Since the publication of research results is a key element in the research process, it is important to understand the many factors involved in journal/ author relationships. Information from our authors on these facets of analytical publication is likely of wide interest because of the unique role the JOURNAL plays in its discipline. Where do the authors of papers in ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y work? What are they trying to accomplish in their reported work? Where do they publish and why? What journals are important to them? To answer these and other questions we sent a survey questionnaire to a group of ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY'S authors.
There were 282 papers published from January through June 1977. We sent a total of 253 questionnaires to all unduplicated corresponding authors of these articles. By our cutoff date for returns, we had received 210 replies for a response of 83%. After the cutoff date, we received nine more responses for an overall response rate of 87%. The data given in this survey report are based on the 210 replies received before the cutoff date.
Publication Practices
authors in the current survey along with data collected earlier (7). Reasons for Work
We asked the authors to give the single most important reason for undertaking the specific work published in ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y . All of
Josephine M. Petruzzi, ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Demographic data on the respondent authors are shown in Table I. The percentage of non-U.S. authors who publish in ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY doubled in the last eight years. Foreign authorship increased overall from 13% in 1969 to 19% in 1974, and to 26% for the current respondent sample. This sample, which includes 54 foreign authors, nearly duplicates the percentage of foreign authors (27%) found in a survey of 220 authors conducted in 1975 (i). It is interesting to note from Table I the relatively low number of authors from foreign industry and the contrasting larger percentage from foreign governmental institutions. Table II presents data on institutions represented by the respondent
the authors responded, and 16 gave mixed reasons. The responses are summarized in Table III. Nearly a third of all authors undertook the reported work "to expand the capabilities of a particular analytical technique". More authors from universities, 18%, were seeking "basic information on some part of an analytical operation", contrasted with 8 and 4%, respectively, from authors in government or industry. In addition, three academic authors indicated in the "other" column that they were doing "theoretical" work and/or basic research of more "fundamental interest". In contrast, university authors were less likely to be developing a specific analytical determination than their counterparts in government or industry. Not surprisingly, only industrial authors were interested in "product quality". Other reasons given included a "safety investigation" (government), defending a previous publication (in-
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 49, NO. 14, DECEMBER 1977 • 1217 A
Most Likely Medium to Reach Interested Audience
(54%) dustry), answering a previous author (university), and evaluating a previously proposed analytical method (university). One academic author performed his work "to explore the analytical utility and develop any promising aspects" of a new class of reagents. Another university author was working "to develop a tutorial program by which metallurgy students could simulate and study the effects of changes in steel properties".
Previous Publications on This Subject
(24%) Prestige
i
"*"* (10%)
(10%)
Figure 1. Reasons for publishing in ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Journal Selection and Presubmission Review
Two out of 210 authors did not answer this question
Table III. Reasons for Doing Reported Work % Reason
University
a
Government
b
Industry
Solve a methodology problem
17
18
18
Obtain basic information on some part of an analytical operation
18
8
4
Expand the capabilities of a particular analytical technique
34
31
31
Develop a specific analytical determination
12
28
22
Ascertain instrument capability
2
3
4
Develop an instrument design
5
0
2
Meet Federal, state, or local regulations
2
0
2
Determine product quality
0
0
11
Other, please explain
5
5
2
Mixed reasons'*
6
Total
8
101
e
101
c
2 0
98e
* 124 Respondents. " 39 Respondents. c 45 Respondents. " Authors who indicated more than one reason. • Figures do not add to 100 because of rounding.
A majority (54%) of the authors said they submitted their work to ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y because it was the most likely medium to reach an interested audience (Figure 1). Twenty-three percent chose the JOURNAL for its "prestige". Ten percent were attracted because of previous publications in their subject matter in the JOURNAL, and 10% because of its large circulation. Impressive differences between the three groups are manifest in answers about manuscript review prior to submission to ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y (Table IV). These data certainly support the concept of academic freedom since two-thirds of university authors submitted papers to the JOURNAL without review. Only 6% of the papers from academic institutions had gone through a formal review process, contrasted with 64% of authors from government and 56% from industry. Fifty-six percent for industry does not seem overly large considering the concern with proprietary information and general secrecy in many commercial companies. Benefits of Publication
Table IV. Manuscript Review Prior to Submission to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY?
% Answer
No Yes Informal review only Formal internal review Other, please explain d Total
University °
Government *
Industry
67
18
11
25 6 2
18 64 0
33 56 0
100
100
100 c
c
* 123 Respondents. One did not answer. * 39 Respondents. 45 Respondents. * Other: "I don't know how it was reviewed." "Widely reviewed by users here and abroad as part of a field test program."
1218 A • ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 49, NO. 14, DECEMBER 1977
In analyzing the responses to the chief benefits of publication, it was necessary to weight the answers and normalize for sample size. The data were analyzed according to authors' affiliations. We also analyzed the data for domestic vs. foreign authorship, but did not find any significant differences based on this. The most important single benefit of publication was to communicate information. Nearly as important was the self-satisfaction gained from having accomplished recognized work of significance. University authors showed a slightly more pronounced wish to communicate information. Government authors were significant-
ly more aware of the need to meet job requirements than authors from industry or universities. Enhancement of the reputation and visibility of the author placed third. However, governrnent authors attached significantly more importance to this. Following closely in fourth place and given about equal importance by all is the view that publication is a professional obligation. Some particularly interesting answers about the benefits of publication included: "keeps our country from being buried by the progress of other countries" (U.S. author); "organizes one's work into a coherent whole as it is completed"; "stimulates more work in this field in the chemical community"; "helps to influence the direction of research and views on the reported topic"; "completes the fundamental trinity of research: work, write, publish" (university author). A government author volunteered that
meeting job requirements and securing a promotion or advancement in work activities were virtually synonymous—"these motivations are not insignificant in view of our 'publish or perish' attitude in most government and university organizations, and this attitude leads to excessively fragmented publications". Two authors indicated that the self-satisfaction was derived from doing the work, not from publication. Important Journals The authors were asked to list the five most important journals in which they publish and/or which publish material most useful in their work. We analyzed only the first three listed journals by weighting data according to rank in order of the authors' responses. Table V lists the journals in order of decreasing importance. Ten journals are listed from the universityaffiliated authors since this group was
Table V. Most Important Journals University a
Government b
Industry c
A N A L . CHEM.
A N A L . CHEM.
A N A L . CHEM.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. Anal. Chim. Acta J. Phys. Chem. J. Chromatogr. J. Chem. Phys. Appl. Spectrosc. Inorg. Chem. Clin. Chem. Talanta
J. Chromatogr. Environ. Sci. Technol. J. Am. Chem. Soc. J. Phys. Chem.
J. Chromatogr. J. Am. Chem. Soc. Anal. Chim. Acta J. Chromatogr. Sci.
Table VI. Number of Articles Published (Excepting Reported Article in ANAL. C H E M . ) Since January 1974 No. of
0 1-2 3-5 6-10 More than 10 Total
ety in interests of ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y ' S contributors and the
key role the discipline and JOURNAL play in other disciplines. Other data showing journal links are regularly compiled by the Institute for Scientific Information and published in their annual "Journal Citation Reports". Some of this information relating to analytical journals was presented in an abbreviated form in A N A L Y T I C A L C H E M I S T R Y (2).
Numbers of Publications Our authors were asked to indicate the number of articles (other than the o n e i n ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y )
" 120 Respondents, 102 different journals, * 35 Respondents. 52 different journals. c 43 Respondents. 50 different journals.
articles
more than twice as large as the industry and government groups. Expectably, ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY was named first by a comfortable majority of the three groups. However, in each group the next journal most frequently cited for first place received relatively few mentions. For academic authors, J. Am. Chem. Soc. received seven listings for first place. No other journal received more than one mention for first place from government authors. The industrial group gave three mentions to J. Am. Chem. Soc. for first place. Most striking was the very large number of journals important to authors, especially notable with those in industry and government when the number of respondents was compared with the number of different journals included among the first three in importance. This suggests the wide vari-
% Respondents University
Government
Industry
7 8 17 25 43
18 8 24 24 26
20 25 25 20 9
100
100
99 a
* Figure does not equal to 100 because of rounding.
that they had published since January 1974. These data show marked differences according to the employing institutions of the authors (Table VI). Over 40% of the university authors had 10 or more publications in this period, in contrast to 26% in government and fewer than 10% in industry. Nearly three-quarters in government had more than three publications in this time period, compared to a little over half in industry. Apparently, there is a greater drive for government and university authors to publish. The idea of more publications from university authors was reinforced by the answers given to the question of whether a future publication was planned and the journal to which the manuscript would be sent. One university author had seven manuscripts in various stages of preparation. Another had three under review at ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y .
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 49, NO. 14, DECEMBER 1977 • 1219 A
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The data collected in this survey offer concrete evidence that some commonly held ideas about publication practices of authors are valid. For example, our data on ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y show that academic authors outnumber governmental and industrial authors by three to one, publish more papers, and are less apt to have their manuscripts reviewed before submission. The percentage of foreign authors has doubled in the last eight years. Three-quarters publish in ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y to reach its audience and because of its prestige. Half are working at solving methodology problems or expanding the capabilities of analytical techniques. Although the desire to communicate information and the satisfaction gained from publication of recognized work are seen as major benefits, our authors are aware of the increased visibility and enhanced reputation that come from publication. The authors of papers in ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY have a diversity of interests as reflected in the variety of journals that are important to them.
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Our authors were also asked where they had last published an article other than in ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. Interestingly, responses to this question and the one discussed in the preceding paragraph on future publications elicited somewhat contradictory information. Fifty-nine (30%) respondents answered one or both questions with names of journals they had not listed among the five most important journals in which they publish and/or which publish material useful to their work. In the contradictory cases, the journals listed as important were more apt to be large, well-known, and widely distributed journals, whereas those listed as last published in and under consideration for future articles were smaller, less widely circulated, and lesser-known journals.
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1220 A • ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 49, NO. 14, DECEMBER 1977
The author is indebted to Lorrin R. Garson of the Research and Development Department, Books and Journals Division of the American Chemical Society for his aid in preparing the questionnaire and especially for his help in the data analyses. The author is also indebted to the ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y authors who answered the survey questionnaire promptly and carefully. References
(1) Petruzzi, J., Anal. Chem., 47 (14), 1277A (1975). (2) Petruzzi, J., ibid., 49 (8), 741A (1977).
