Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences: A Step Forward ...journal.usm.my/journal/1EDmjms226.pdf ·...
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www.mjms.usm.my © Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2015 For permission, please email:[email protected] Introduction The year 2014 marked the substantial growth of the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences (MJMS) as one of the emerging journals in Malaysia as well as internationally. MJMS began publication in 1987 with one issue per year (1). The number of issues per year, as well as the number of articles, has since gradually increased from one year to the next. Therefore, we take justifiable pride in the achievements demonstrated by MJMS. Furthermore, we receive hundreds of articles each year reporting varied findings and new discoveries from all over the world. The publication of novel findings will, we expect, attract more readers and researchers to MJMS and stimulate them to cite MJMS articles in their own work. Such discoverability can increase and enhance the visibility and citability of our journal. In the SCI Imago Journal and Country Rank public visibility-discoverability marketplace, MJMS was ranked sixth of 15 medical journals in Malaysia (2). Each year, we work unceasingly to ensure that MJMS will remain competitive with other Malaysian and international journals. Editorial New Citation Index: Emerging Sources Citation Index The Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) was launched by Thomson Reuters (TR) as a new collection of journals that extends and deepens the coverage provided by the publications traditionally embedded in the TR Web of Science product. The new product was created to ensure that Web of Science covers emerging high-quality scientific publications even if they have not yet garnered international impact status (3). The Malaysian Citation Centre has proposed 50 local journals that meet the publication criteria, procedures, policies and standards of the Thomson Reuters (TR) family of companies. It is fervently hoped that these journals will be admitted to membership in an ISI database. In this context, TR has agreed to index the selected journals in the ESCI database. ESCI certification is provided by TR to a journal before it is indexed in the Web of ScienceTM Core Collection. MJMS is honored to be included among the 23 local journals (46% of the 50 seeking to qualify) that been accepted and listed in ESCI. Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences: A Step Forward toward an International Journal Nur Farahin Ghazli 1 , Norfatiha Che annual 1 , Jafri Malin abdullah 2 1 Production Editor, Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia 2 Chief Editor, Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia 1 Malays J Med Sci. Nov-Dec 2015; 22(6): 1-4 Abstract In 1986, the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences (MJMS) began as the small and newly established journal Diagnosa, established by the Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Medicine. After 28 years in the publishing industry, we have received the honor of a listing as a local journal in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) created by Thomson Reuters (TR) to spotlight emerging high-quality scientific publications. The editorial team of MJMS looks forward to the next step in the march of progress toward the status of an international journal. Keywords: Thomson Reuters, audit, international, journal, plagiarism Submitted: 20 Oct 2015 Accepted: 24 Oct 2015
Transcript of Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences: A Step Forward ...journal.usm.my/journal/1EDmjms226.pdf ·...
www.mjms.usm.my © Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2015For permission, please email:[email protected]
Introduction
Theyear2014markedthesubstantialgrowthof the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences(MJMS) as one of the emerging journals inMalaysiaaswellasinternationally.MJMSbeganpublicationin1987withoneissueperyear(1).Thenumberofissuesperyear,aswellasthenumberofarticles,hassincegraduallyincreasedfromoneyear to the next. Therefore, we take justifiablepride in the achievements demonstrated byMJMS. Furthermore, we receive hundreds ofarticles each year reporting varied findings andnew discoveries from all over the world. Thepublication of novel findings will, we expect,attract more readers and researchers to MJMSandstimulatethemtociteMJMSarticlesintheirownwork.Suchdiscoverabilitycanincreaseandenhancethevisibilityandcitabilityofourjournal.In the SCI Imago Journal and Country Rankpublic visibility-discoverability marketplace,MJMSwasrankedsixthof15medicaljournalsinMalaysia(2).Eachyear,weworkunceasingly toensure thatMJMSwill remain competitivewithotherMalaysianandinternationaljournals.
Editorial
New Citation Index: Emerging Sources Citation Index
TheEmergingSourcesCitationIndex(ESCI)waslaunchedbyThomsonReuters(TR)asanewcollection of journals that extends and deepensthe coverage provided by the publicationstraditionallyembeddedintheTRWebofScienceproduct.ThenewproductwascreatedtoensurethatWebofSciencecoversemerginghigh-qualityscientific publications even if they have not yetgarneredinternationalimpactstatus(3). TheMalaysianCitationCentrehasproposed50 local journals that meet the publicationcriteria, procedures, policies and standards oftheThomsonReuters(TR)familyofcompanies.It is fervently hoped that these journals will beadmitted tomembership in an ISI database. Inthiscontext,TRhasagreedtoindextheselectedjournalsintheESCIdatabase.ESCIcertificationisprovidedbyTRtoajournalbeforeitisindexedintheWebofScienceTMCoreCollection. MJMS is honored to be included amongthe 23 local journals (46% of the 50 seeking toqualify) that been accepted and listed in ESCI.
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences: A Step Forward toward an International JournalNur Farahin Ghazli1, Norfatiha Che annual1, Jafri Malin abdullah2
1 ProductionEditor,MalaysianJournalofMedicalSciences,UniversitiSainsMalaysiaHealthCampus,16150KubangKerian,Kelantan,Malaysia
2 ChiefEditor,MalaysianJournalofMedicalSciences,UniversitiSainsMalaysiaHealthCampus,16150KubangKerian,Kelantan,Malaysia
1Malays J Med Sci. Nov-Dec 2015; 22(6): 1-4
Abstract In1986,theMalaysianJournalofMedicalSciences(MJMS)beganasthesmallandnewlyestablishedjournalDiagnosa,establishedbytheUniversitiSainsMalaysiaSchoolofMedicine.After28yearsinthepublishingindustry,wehavereceivedthehonorofalistingasalocaljournalintheEmergingSourcesCitationIndex(ESCI)createdbyThomsonReuters (TR) tospotlightemerginghigh-qualityscientificpublications.TheeditorialteamofMJMSlooksforwardtothenextstepinthemarchofprogresstowardthestatusofaninternationaljournal.
Keywords:ThomsonReuters,audit,international,journal,plagiarism
Submitted:20Oct2015Accepted:24Oct2015
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Malays J Med Sci. Nov-Dec 2015; 22(6): 1-4
Thejournalisrequiredtomaintainperformanceandmanagementquality incompliancewiththeethicsofscientificpublishingtoremainintheSCIdatabase for at least onemore year before it isgrantedindexingstatusintheWebofScience™CoreCollection.
Manuscript Submissions 2011–2014
Every year, MJMS receives hundreds ofmanuscripts to be process prior to publicationin the journal, which appears 6 times per year.Thesubmissionpatternfrom2011through2014showsthatthenumberofmanuscriptssubmittedtothejournalhasgenerallyincreasedfromyeartoyear(Table1).In2013,however,totalmanuscriptsubmissions decreased 8% from the previousyear (4). Although the number of submissionsdecreasedin2013,MJMSstillproduced6issuesperyearwithinthetimespecifiedbythejournal’sprocedures, standard,s and governing businessplan. In all, 264 manuscripts were received bythe journal during calendar year 2014. As inthe previous year, the majority of submissionswere original articles rather than other typesof manuscripts. Table 1 shows the breakdownof these submissions by category. A total of136 (51.51%) original articles were submitted,followed by 81 (30.68%) case reports, 22(8.33%) review articles, 11 (4.16%) editorials,10 (3.79%) brief communications, and 4 (1.51)special communications. The highest numberof submissions per month was the 38 articlesreceivedinSeptember2014(Figure1).Onaverage,MJMSreceived22articlespermonthin2014.Inaddition,MJMS strongly encouraged authors tosubmitoriginalarticlesandreviewarticlesratherthancasereports,asanoverwhelmingnumberofcasereportswerebeingsubmitted.
AsshowninTable2,authorsfromMalaysiacontributed a higher number of submissionsin 2014; other countries offered a total of 102(38.63%) submissions. Malaysia was followedby India with 67 (25.37%) submissions, Iranwith 42 (15.9%) submissions, and Nigeria with11 (4.16%) submissions. Surprisingly, in 2014MJMSreceivedsubmissionsfromnewcountries,including Ireland, Denmark, Indonesia, andNew Zealand. The pattern of submissions bygeographical region remained unchanged from2011through2014(4–6). MJMS is pleased to receive increasingnumbers of articles from researchersworldwidewhotherebyoffertheirexpertise,skills,andnewdiscoveries. As medical science and technologydevelop, they offer the hope of improving thehealth of people in specific countries wherethereisaneedformedicalattention.Hence,thesharing of information via the readingmaterialpublished by MJMS will also help improve the
Figure1:Numberofsubmissions,2014,groupedbymonth.
Table1:NumberofManuscriptsSubmitted,2011through2014ManuscriptType Year
2011 2012 2013 2014BriefCommunications 8 9 7 10CaseReports 53 71 63 81Editorial 3 5 5 11OriginalArticles 117 123 115 136ReviewArticles 10 9 13 22SpecialCommunications 4 6 2 4Total 195 223 205 264
Editorial |AStepForwardtowardanInternationalJournal
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qualityandexpertiseofthehealthproductinthefieldsofbiomedicineandalliedhealthandclinicalsciences.
Table 2: Distribution of ManuscriptSubmissions by GeographicalRegion,2014
Region n %SoutheastAsia
Malaysia 102 38.63Thailand 1 0.378Indonesia 8 3.03
EastAsiaJapan 1 0.378China 1 0.378
SouthAsiaIndia 67 25.37Bangladesh 5 1.89Pakistan 3 1.13EuropeUnitedKingdom 1 0.378Denmark 1 0.378Greece 1 0.378Ireland 1 0.378
NorthAmericaUnitedStates 2 0.75
SouthwesternPacificNewZealand 1 0.378
MiddleEastTurkey 5 1.89SaudiArabia 5 1.89Iran 42 15.9Iraq 1 0.378
AfricaEthiopia 2 0.75Nigeria 11 4.16Libya 1 0.378
SouthAmericaBrazil 1 0.378Colombia 1 0.378
Total 264 100
Table 3: Number of Manuscripts and theirStatus,2014
ManuscriptStatus
#Manuscripts Percentage
Accept 11 4.2%MajorRevision
81 30.7%
MinorRevision
31 11.7%
Reject 79 29.9%Reject-Inappropriate
7 2.7%
Withdrawn 55 20.8%Summary 264 100.0%
Editorial Decisions on Articles, 2014
Acceptance-Rejection-Revision-Manuscript Table 3 shows that 7 articles received byMJMSwererejectedduetoinappropriatecontent.Inappropriatecontentreferstoahighpercentage(>50%)ofplagiarismdetectedinthemanuscript.It is known that more than 70% of submittedmanuscripts containing plagiarizedmaterial aredetected with plagiarism software. Accordingly,weimmediatelyrejectsuchmanuscriptsthroughScholarOneManuscript Central, and we do notgivenoticetotheauthorsinsuchcases. High-quality writing is the key to earlypublication; problematic (poor) writing inmanuscripts serves no one’s interests. Prior toan editorial decision, manuscripts must also besubjected to peer review for content, statisticaland data analysis, and results credibility. TheMJMSrateofmanuscriptacceptancein2014was4.2%;in2013,therateofacceptancewas1.46%.
Plagiarism and its avoidance; rejected articles
Manuscripts submitted to MJMS undergoa pre-review process in which the productioneditor checks the format of themanuscript andchecks the content for plagiarism. MJMS hasreceived a substantial number of articles whosecontent ismore than50%similar to thatofoneormorepaperspreviouslypublishedinjournals.We,ofcourse,appreciatethatwritingascientificpaper is difficult. However, wemust emphasizethat, although such duplication of content maybe culturally acceptable at present for within-
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country publication in certain jurisdictions, theinternational standard is that using contentpublishedelsewherewithoutpropercitationandattributionviolatesoneofthemostfundamentalprinciples of international scientific ethics.Therefore, any individual or nation seekinginternational recognition and visibility for itsresearchersandresearchwouldbewelladvisedtoacknowledge thekeyguidingsignificanceof thistraditional and near-universal ethical standard,which has existed for centuries precisely tofacilitateharmonyandbalanceintheinternationalscientificenterprise.Articlesfoundbytheeditorsof MJMS to show at least 50% similarity topreviously published material are automaticallyrejectedwithout anynotification to the authors.In these cases, the authors must rewrite theliteraturereviewandallotherapplicableportionsofthemanuscriptbeforeresubmission. Toavoidrepeatedrejectionsandtheneedforrepeated resubmissions, authors must read theGuidelinesforAuthorsandfollowallrequirementsstated in the guidelines. In the past, mostauthorshavenotfollowedtherequestedformats,especiallyforfigureandimagesubmissions.Suchflawedmanuscriptswill delay the completionoftheeditorialchecklistandimpedetheassignmentof the manuscript to reviewers. We hope toreceivemoreinterestingarticlesinthefuture.
Correspondence
MsNurFarahinGhazliBScBiomedical(UPM)MalaysianJournalofMedicalSciencesUniversitiSainsMalaysiaHealthCampus16150KubangKerianKelantanMalaysiaTel:+609-7676972Fax:+609-7672359Email:[email protected]
Refrences
1. Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences. About Us[Internet]. Malaysia (MY): USM Press; 2009 [cited2015Oct1].Available from:http://www.mjms.usm.my/default.asp?
2. SCImago. SCImago Journal & Country Rank[Internet].ScimagoLab;2007–2015[cited2015Oct3].Availablefrom:http://www.scimagojr.com.
3. ThomsonReuters.EmergingSourcesCitationIndex,AnewEditionofWebofScienceTM[Internet].NewYork (NY):Thomson Reuters;2015 [cited 2015 Oct3]. Available from: http://wokinfo.com/media/pdf/S024651_Flyer.pdf.
4. Ghazli NF, Abdullah JM. Malaysian Journal ofMedical Sciences striving towards visibility.MalaysJMedSci.2013;20(4):1–4.
5. AbdulLatiffD,IrfanM,JafriMalinA.TheMalaysianJournal of Medical Sciences in its 18th year: alook at the journal’s growth. Malays J Med Sci.2012;19(2):1–4.
6. Ghazli NF, Abdullah JM. Breaking into theInternational Arena: Malaysian Journal of MedicalSciencespublishingReport2013.MalaysJMedSci.2013;21(3):1–3.
