Editorial pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Moving Ahead with New Colleagues and Journal Changes Norbert J. Pienta* Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1294, United States ABSTRACT: This issue introduces three Associate Editors: Deanna Cullen (Precollege), Greg Rushton (Precollege), and Marcy Towns (Chemical Education Research); new information to be provided to authors by reviewers; and a modification of a manuscript type, now to include various kinds of practical applications. KEYWORDS: Elementary/Middle School Science, General Public, High School/Introductory Chemistry
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implement comments from reviewers for producing higher quality content. To better inform our authors and provide extra information with which associate editors can make better decisions, criteria-matched reflection prompts are being added to the review portion of the ACS Paragon Plus submission system. Currently, we request that reviewers make an overall recommendation (“publish as is”, “major revision”, “minor revision”, “do not publish”), provide text with comments and suggestions, and explain their views. When the forthcoming technical implementation is in place, we will also solicit reviewer scores for five criteria that are part of our guidelines. Each reviewer will be asked to rate a manuscript with respect to these criteria: • SCHOLARSHIP (scientific and scholarly rigor; claims supported by evidence, argument, literature) • NOVELTY (original scholarship or innovative practice) • PEDAGOGY (educational relevance; insight into teaching and learning) • UTILITY (relevance; usefulness to our readers) • PRESENTATION (clear, concise writing that is logically organized; effective use of nontextual components) Thus, reviewers will be required to assign a score (1 to 5; 5 is high) for each criterion. In turn, those scores will be provided to the authors with the overall evaluation recommendation and the textual comments, which will be expected to include the reviewers’ integrated comments concerning these specific criteria. Many reviewers already provide this information, yet we believe that explicit ratings will help the associate editors and authors better understand a reviewer’s intentions. For example, a manuscript might be well written and yet all of the reviewers might have concerns about its novelty and usefulness. We want to be able to identify and publish the highest quality content. Another way to ensure that we consider the best content for publication is to help authors, editors, and staff identify and characterize the purpose and goals for a submission. By codifying manuscript types and creating appropriate author guidelines to match each type, we expect to get better-written submissions. Everyone is happier when expectations are appropriately managed. To this end, we have carefully evaluated contributions and are developing descriptions and guidelines
he promise was made to me for certain, although the circumstances and the exact words are shrouded in the fog of the Journal’s transition to copublication with the American Chemical Society (ACS). An ACS Publications administrative team member told me that in two years everything would be in place and running smoothly. In fact, my recollection was that she emphatically assured me. Unlike the impending predictions of doom associated with an Aztec calendar about to expire, my transition calendar had a reasonable time frame and cheerful ending. That second year of transition ended last October. For a scientist with quantitative leanings, that transition became two years plus an extra six months, just to be certain. Although the Journal, its editors, and its staff have made tremendous progress, the formative process continues, both with respect to my colleagues and to the content and procedures of the Journal itself. In this issue, two new associate editors introduce themselves and their expectations for the precollege content for which they have primary responsibility.1,2 Thus, the Journal welcomes Greg Rushton and Deanna Cullen and invites readers to look for Greg and Deanna’s editorials and to the content that they will manage. We hope to expand the scope and the amount of precollege material that appears in print and online, and better serve K−12 teachers and those who work with them in various capacities. Also joining the ranks of associate editors is Marcy Towns (professor at Purdue University), who takes over responsibility for chemical education research (CER) contributions. In the near future, the Journal will provide additional updated information for both authors and reviewers of chemical education research articles. Well known and recognized internationally in this area, Marcy Towns takes up this role following the departure of Diane Bunce, who stepped down at the end of 2011 after having served the Journal since the inception of CER as a feature under John Moore’s editorship. We are grateful to Diane for her years of service in this topical content area and in several roles involving Journal administration. Recognizing her various activities in the area, ACS recently announced Diane Bunce as the winner of the 2012 ACS George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education for “outstanding contributions to chemical education”.3 The associate editors, editorial staff, and Editorial Advisory Board members are regularly asked to consider and suggest ways to improve the Journal. One continuing issue for a peerreviewed journal concerns how to solicit and optimally © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
Published: March 16, 2012 561
dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300160p | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 561−562
Journal of Chemical Education
Editorial
for an additional manuscript type, called “Application”. This manuscript type is new in some respects but is a modified category that includes the “practical applications” of teaching and learning. Currently, authors may be submitting their scholarly work in this area as an Article manuscript type. While the form and format of the Application may be similar to the Article, by presenting this content using the Application manuscript type, the applied nature of the content will be easier for readers to identify and use. The Application manuscript type will soon be available for authors to select in ACS Paragon Plus; updated descriptions of all Journal manuscript types will be disseminated in the near future.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected].
REFERENCES
(1) Rushton, G. T. What Do You Do? I Teach Chemistry! J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89 (5); DOI: 10.1021/ed300019g. (2) Cullen, D. Model Engagement for Your Students. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89 (5); DOI: 10.1021/ed300138w. (3) ACS 2012 National Award Winners. http://cen.acs.org/articles/ 89/i36/Awards.html (accessed Mar 2011).
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dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300160p | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 561−562
