How to Turn a New Journal into a Trusted Voice in Your Field

As the Editor-in-Chief of a new academic journal in a specific domain, building a strong reputation and becoming an authority in the field is a crucial undertaking. Drawing on the provided sources and our previous conversation, here are the key factors you need to take into account:

1. Upholding the Highest Standards of Publication Ethics and Transparency

A strong reputation is fundamentally built on trust and integrity within the scholarly community. Adhering to established ethical guidelines is paramount.

You should immediately assess current practices using tools like the COPE Journal Audit to ensure adherence to COPE's Core Practices on publication ethics.
Journal policies and procedures must be transparent, clearly published on the journal's website. This includes policies on authorship, peer review, conflicts of interest, data availability, ethical oversight, intellectual property, and handling complaints and misconduct allegations.
The journal website itself must be properly supported, maintained, and secure (using HTTPS).
Clear information about the journal's ownership, management, aims, scope, and contact details must be readily available. The journal name should be unique and not misleading.
Consider applying for membership in organisations like COPE, which signals an intent to follow the highest standards of publication ethics. Membership requires adherence to the COPE Core Practices and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

2. Ensuring the Quality and Relevance of Published Content

The quality of the research published is a direct reflection of the journal and a primary driver of its reputation.

As the editor, you are responsible for everything published and should take reasonable steps to ensure the quality of the material.
Decisions to accept or reject a paper should be based only on the paper’s importance, originality, clarity, and its relevance to the remit of the journal. Ensure submitted manuscripts are within the journal's scope.
Maintain the study's relevance to the journal's aims and standards.
For new journals, consistent output with high quality is important. You should regularly monitor and manage papers through the review process to ensure timely publication.
Develop clear guidelines for authors, including definitions of authorship, responsibilities, how contributions should be declared, and how authorship disputes are managed. Adopting an authorship policy appropriate to the field that encourages appropriate attribution is important.

3. Building and Leveraging a Strong Editorial Board

The expertise and standing of your editorial board members significantly contribute to the journal's credibility and ability to attract high-quality submissions.

Building a solid Editorial Board is fundamental to establishing a successful journal.
Board members should be recognised experts in the subject areas stated in the journal’s aims and scope and meet specific scholarly criteria (e.g., h-index).
Scholars may trust a journal more when distinguished scholars and recognized experts are on the Editorial Board.
Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all editors and board members.
Maximize the full potential of the journal’s Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members (EBMs). Encourage them to contribute by inviting high-quality feature papers, recommending other board members and guest editors, and helping to attract suitable expert authors and prominent scholars.
EBMs can also help promote the journal among their peers or at conferences.
Ensure chief editors are free of any questionable affiliations, screening potential and existing members using criteria inspired by Think.Check.Submit..

4. Implementing Robust and Transparent Peer Review Processes

A well-managed and ethical peer review process is a hallmark of a reputable journal.

Adopt a peer-review process that is appropriate for your journal, field, and resources.
All peer review processes must be transparently described and well managed.
Reviewers should be asked to address ethical aspects of the submission, such as potential prior publication, plagiarism, ethical conduct of the research, data integrity, and competing interests.
Ensure that material submitted remains confidential during review.
Peer review should be undertaken in a timely fashion.
If editors publish in their own journal, a procedure must ensure peer review is handled independently of the author/editor, and the process should be described upon publication.

5. Pursuing Indexing and Enhancing Discoverability

Being indexed in reputable databases is crucial for visibility and signifies a certain level of quality and adherence to standards.

Getting the journal indexed by major databases (like Web of Science SCIE/SSCI, ESCI, Scopus, EI) should be a goal. Let the Editor-in-Chief and EBMs know these goals.
Understand and meet the indexing criteria, which include both quality criteria (ISSN, clear name, proper website, content access, peer review policy, ethics statements, Editorial Board composition, etc.) and impact criteria (citation analysis, content significance).
Citation activity is important for SCIE/SSCI indexing. Attract papers of good quality, hot papers, and papers from distinguished researchers to aid in indexing.
Ensure papers are archived in recognized databases as part of preservation plans.
Using functioning DOIs is also a criterion for trusted journals.

6. Engaging in Strategic Development and Promotion

Proactive strategies are needed to grow the journal and make it known.

Suggesting and supervising Special Issues on hot/highly cited topics with active and well-regarded Guest Editors can significantly benefit the journal by attracting submissions. Encourage EBMs to set up or contribute to Special Issues.
Attract high-quality feature papers.
Any direct marketing activities, including soliciting manuscripts, should be appropriate, well-targeted, and unobtrusive, providing truthful information. Regular promotion using covers, newsletters, and awards is also beneficial.
Attending relevant conferences recommended by EBMs can enhance communication and visibility.
If the journal is Open Access, membership in DOAJ and OASPA can enhance credibility and discoverability.

7. Maintaining Editorial Independence

While working with publishers or owners, maintaining control over editorial decisions based on quality and relevance is key to academic integrity.

The relationship between editors and publishers/owners should always be based on the principle of editorial independence.
Select submissions based on their quality and suitability for readers, rather than for immediate financial, political, or personal gain. Ensure your appointment terms are clearly spelled out in a written agreement.

By diligently focusing on these factors – ethical integrity, content excellence, a strong editorial team, effective processes, strategic visibility, and independence – you can build a strong reputation for your new academic journal and establish it as an authoritative voice in its specific domain.