Volume 196 - Issue 1
Resolutions for 2012
Author: Annette Katelaris
Med J Aust 2012; 196 (1): 8. || doi: 10.5694/10.5694/mja11.11611
Published online: 16 January 2012
Published online: 16 January 2012
Highest quality research, faster publication and easier access
Einstein noted that we go beyond our limits once we recognise what they are. At the MJA, we recognised that we could go further as a journal of scientific record in this country and as a means of communication within the medical profession, and this led to a year of change in 2011. Revitalising internal processes for the handling of research manuscripts, developing new content and relaunching the print journal were the key changes. In 2012, there will also be considerable development, much of it focused on changes in our web-based platform.
Our new website, soon to be launched, is benchmarked against industry (not medical journal) standards and will feature markedly improved functionality, including ease of login (we have heard you!) and a world-class search function that is fast and discerning. It will offer increased capacity for timely publishing of research and educational content (including rapid online publication and publication ahead of print). In the print journal, this will allow more logical grouping of related material and topics.
The MJA is primarily a vehicle for the dissemination of high-quality medical research and information, and it is differentiated from other publications by this focus, by detailed peer review of submissions, by the active involvement of an experienced team of medical editors and by a stringent and careful editing process that is free from commercial influence. We highly value good research, and we are keen to nurture our position as Australia’s premier general medical journal and to further improve the dissemination of research to benefit researchers, clinicians and patients. To this end, we have revised our access policy to make all research articles freely available online, with full and continuing open access from the time they are first posted online.
In 2011, a record number of submissions allowed us to be more selective in what we published and to focus on material of higher quality — an important benefit for readers. For authors, we reduced the time taken to reach a decision about publication through our new manuscript handling processes. In conjunction with our new open-access policy for research articles, this means important research findings will be published faster and be immediately available to an unlimited national and international audience.
We are planning to launch MJA Open for other material, such as individual research articles or clusters of articles on specific topics, similar to our previous Supplements.
New content was a significant feature of the MJA in 2011 — for example, our Practical Neurology series, which has been very well received. As doctors, we don’t lack information, but what we really need is relevant information that we can trust. Little in the medical press is as thoroughly researched and reviewed, and as meticulously cross-checked, as the MJA’s clinical series. Later this year, we will be publishing further series on medical education and ethics, with more in the pipeline. We plan to cluster Journal content throughout the year, and to work closely with the various Colleges to offer publication of important research to coincide with its presentation at major conferences.
An expanded web presence will also offer the ability to present material in new ways. We will be able to receive and post your comments, to allow immediate debate of important issues. We are also keen to utilise the multimedia capability of the new website and we will provide peer review for multimedia material, just as we do for written material. We want to expand the role of the MJA as a provider of medical education, and we see an increasing need for recognition of the work of good medical educators. While researchers are able to gather citations for excellent research, educators have difficulty proving their worth in the same way. To this end, we will offer the option of submitting educational material, including tutorials and lectures, in a multimedia format for posting on the MJA website. Presentations will be peer reviewed before acceptance and, once posted, will be accompanied by a précis in the MJA, so that the presenter’s work is citable.
Our goal is to provide an inclusive, interactive forum for the best medical information and research in this country. Changes in the MJA are all designed to meet this goal, each establishing a platform for further development. As Einstein emphasised, all effective change begins with knowing who you are. The MJA is Australia’s premier general medical journal, and our aim is to be your preferred choice for medical information and communication.