Publishing in Publishing in Science:Science:Outliers, Outliers,

Closers, & Closers, & LeadersLeaders

Publishing in Publishing in Science:Science:Outliers, Outliers,

Closers, & Closers, & LeadersLeaders

Pamela J. Hines, Ph.D.Pamela J. Hines, Ph.D.Senior EditorSenior Editor

SCIENCE, AAASSCIENCE, AAAS

Washington DCWashington DC

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WHO publishes in and reads Science

WHERE are authors and readers

WHAT to publish in Science

WHEN is the research ready

HOW to publish in Science

WHY is it worth the effort

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Content from a variety of sources

Content usually - but not always - invited by the editors

Perspectives

Review Articles

Special Issues

Editorials

Book reviews

Content welcome

- from anyone, anywhere, of any age, without any previous agreement Research papers

Research ArticlesReportsBrevia

Letters to the Editor Technical Comments

WHO publishes in and reads Science

Content usually written by staff

The news pages

.

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Professional sectors: Readers: All AAAS members get Science

Academia

Non-profit

Industry

Teaching

Policy

Other6%

Independent consult.

4%Nonprofit org.6%

Government8%

Health care8%

Industry18%

Academic50%

Crossover rate: 42% of non-industry readers are nonetheless involved with industry

WHERE are authors and readers

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19%

81%

non-US

US

Geographical locations: Readers: All AAAS members get Science

4%

9%

29%

50%

1%0.1% 2%

3%2%

West Indies

Africa

Central America

Middle East

South Pacific

South America

Canada

Asia

Europe

~ 20% non-US

Of non-US subscribers,~ 50% in Europe

WHERE are authors and readers

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Research papers are submitted from all around the worldAuthors need not be subscribers or AAAS members

Africa

Central America

South America

Australia

Middle East

Scandinavia

Canada

China

UK

Other Asia

Europe

USA

WHERE are authors and readers

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Research papers are published in all topics

WHAT to publish in Science

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What helps

Work that represents a large step forward

Solution to long-standing problem

Broad implications

Overturns conventional wisdom

Clear presentation

Interesting to specialists

Accessible to non-specialists

Optimizes the use of Science formats

WHAT to publish in Science

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What doesn’t matter The eminence of the authors

The age of the authors

The prestige of the institution

Whether you contacted Science before submitting

Whether you are from the USA

Whether you are a member of AAAS

The field of inquiry

WHAT to publish in Science

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What hurts The LPU Excessive or unfounded speculation Repeat examples of a known phenomenon Insufficient advance over previously published work

WHAT to publish in Science

Topic is not of broad interest

Result is too small of an advance

Conclusions are not convincing

Interpretations are poorly supported

Insufficient mechanistic insight

Insufficient evidence of relevance

Common reasons for manuscript rejection

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Papers in Science are or are not like other papers in Science?

Features of papers that might be similar Importance

Impact

Clarity

Language

Text length

Format

Supplements exist

Features of papers that might be different Topic

Technology

Methods

Domain

Authors

Locations

Country

Research sites

WHAT to publish in Science

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How to define quality?

Science looks for

Outliers

Closers

Leaders

WHEN is the research ready

Common reasons for acceptance

Important question

Interesting or unexpected answer

Great science!

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Think like reviewers and editors: The importance

If the interpretation is correct, would this paper be interesting enough?

The data Robust data?

Appropriate controls?

Original approach?

The presentation Well written text?

Well organized argumentation?

Thoughtful discussion?

Formats suitable for the journal (length, figures, references, sections) ?

HOW to publish in Science

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“Learning the Ropes of Peer Reviewing” by E. Pain, in Science Careers web site, August 15, 2008

Assess scientific rigor, significance, relevance, originality Confirm that you -

Have the relevant technical knowledge Can meet the time limit Are free from conflicts of interest

Support your opinions with evidence and clear arguments Offer advice for improvement Clarify which improvements are necessary, and which are optional Be kind and gracious to the author

HOW to publish in Science

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“What Editors Want”by L. Worsham, in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Sept. 8, 2008

Only submit work appropriate for that journal.

Replicate the style and tone of work from that journal in your own article.

Follow the journal’s style guide and submission rules.

Submit content free of errors.

Place your work in the context of articles in the field.

Accept rejection: “Competition is fierce, so maintain a positive attitude.”

L. Worsham is a professor of English.

HOW to publish in Science

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Submitting a manuscript to Science

Should you enquire before? (“presub inquiry”)

Submit the manuscript

Through Science’s web site

Instructions to Authors, length limits, & SOM

If manuscript is rejected, should you appeal?

If manuscript is viewed favorably, should you revise?

HOW to publish in Science

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Over 200 manuscripts submitted each week

Editorial and BoRE analysis

Advice from reviewers

Editorial analysis, revisions, re-review, & editing

Publication in Science

25% 75%

7% 93%Manuscript

rejected

HOW to publish in Science

What happens to your manuscript?

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About Science and AAAS AAAS, founded in 1848 in Philadelphia with about

400 initial members.

AAAS: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Science, founded in 1880 by Thomas Edison, became the official journal of AAAS in 1900.

Science retains editorial independence.

AAAS is a non-profit organization (www.aaas.org).

AAAS goals are to advance science and serve society through initiatives in:

science policy

international programs

science education

WHY is it worth the effort?

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The rejection rate is tough:

WHY is it worth the effort?

~3%

75%

18%

~4%

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Science is in over 1400 libraries and universities around the world

Site licenses make the journal broadly available online Over a hundred thousand individuals have personal

subscriptions And they usually pass their copy on to on average 7

other people

Total readership, print plus on-line,

~1 million people every week

Rapid targeted international growth About 28,000 subscriptions outside the US Subscriptions doubled in the past ten years Fastest growth in Asia and South America

But the visibility is great:

WHY is it worth the effort?

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Access to Science papers

Original research is freely available with registration 1 year after publication

Self-archiving: If an author’s grant agency or institution requires deposition after 6 months in a public repository (such as PubMedCentral) the accepted version can be posted with a link to the final version of the paper in Science

Authors can link to the final version from their website for free access

WHY is it worth the effort?

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The Science family includes: Science Signaling

Science Translational Medicine

Science Careers

New

WHAT to publish in Science et al.

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The editors at Science

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science

AAAS seeks to advance science and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people.

http://www.aaas.org/

Future meetings

Washington, D.C. 17-21 February 2011

Vancouver, Canada 16-20 February 2012

Boston, MA 14-18 February 2013