Abstract

This paper has as its starting point the premise that it is useful for the Spanish research ecosystem to have consolidated, open journals with international influence. Evaluation of journals is important because of the role of publications in establishing research credentials. Features required to achieve a balanced and fair evaluation system are described. The tools currently available to this purpose in Spain have major limitations. A proposal based on the ISOC database is presented, providing new assessment criteria that combine the trajectory or track record, openness and internationality of the Spanish humanities and social sciences academic journals.

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of the critical aspects that editors must consider when managing the peer-review process. While the evaluators assure the quality of a journal, the editor(s) must take steps to improve the process with two main objectives: promoting academic recognition and establishing communication and training tools. In this paper the authors offer concrete recommendations for pursuing these objectives.

Abstract

In the academy, Altmetrics has raised the need to describe the dynamics of disseminating research on social media. In order to disseminate research and obtain the best results on social media, academic journals are using digital and content marketing techniques. In this text, the characteristics of social media are analyzed and several digital marketing techniques for academic journals are suggested, based on the experiences of the journal El profesional de la información.

Abstract

Scientific communication faces a number of challenges, many of them not solved by the rise of the Internet: use and presence in social media networks, publication as a measur eof research, open access and its evolution, quality validation, academic marketing and audiovisual content. These challenges are discussed, together with some trends and developments, concluding with the importance of Information Science to solving some of the problems and answering the questions that are generated.

Abstract

Among the best practices of academic journals publishing, this note focusses on the NISO recommendation about the inclusion of supplemental materials. The paper justifies the need to give special treatment to these materials, which require specific metadata. Finally it relates these practices with the deep indexing trend among bibliographic database producers such as ProQuest.

Abstract

The current ease of online publishing has led to an excess of e-journals, all struggling to attract manuscripts and to survive, and most often without success. This fragile situation for journals means that when one of them does climb up in the quality rankings it is likely to be absorbed by a large foreign publisher. The article reflects on the academic world's dependence on international commercial databases, and questions the Spanish government's expenditure on subscriptions to them. Finally, a recent campaign conducted against Elsevier is described.

Abstract

This note aims to highlight the expanded use of the Digital Object Identifier by Spanish journals, which despite its implementation is still a pending course. The doi is a basic tool for digital document control, allowing secure permanent citations between documents. Therefore it should be considered a quality publishing factor for electronic journals. The doi system has been adopted as ISO 26324:2012, and more than 200 Spanish journals are applying it via the CrossRef consortium. Its extension affects bibliographic citation practices and several documentation areas should be interested in it.

Abstract

Aproximately twenty years ago the electronic journals appeared. Since then, scientific publication system has been undergoing a slow transition, though it seems that its destiny is not exactly what was predicted. Now that social sciences are changing the way they disseminate knowledge, becoming increasingly similar to the basic and applied sciences, it is important to consider whether all of those sciences publish in the same way. To answer this, various parameters related to Open Access (OA), e-journals and repositories are studied related to Physics and Chemistry, two disciplines with differences in their publication behaviour and use. From the results, it can be concluded that what differentiates Physics from Chemistry is mainly the success and functionality of their digital repositories, rather than their OA journals.

Abstract

During the last decade, a growing number of scholars have evaluated the scientific progress of communication studies from a longitudinal and descriptive perspective, preventing a holistic understanding of the most relevant associations occurred in the discipline. Through a content analysis of 11 Spanish journals in communication, this article explores the probability of producing empirical science according to seven criteria: number of years, public funding, the journal, and the research topic, the number of authors and the gender and geographical origin of the authors. In general, the findings demonstrate a slow but continuous process to rule out non-evidence-based research from the most important spaces for academic diffusion and the growth of empirical research, especially through techniques such as content analysis. In conclusion, the culture and research practice in communication in Spain evolves towards international standards.

Abstract

Spanish research in Documentation (or Library and Information Science, LIS) began to stand out in the 1980s, in parallel with the creation of university studies in Library and Information Science, and it increased its activity significantly until the year 2000. In this period, research in Documentation was oriented to disseminate rather than innovate, and also had a low international impact, shortage of economic and human resources, and poor methodological quality. In the first 20 years of the 21st century, we have witnessed an outstanding growth and diversification of this research activity, which has led to the overcoming of most of the problems mentioned before. The objective of the text is to present a general overview of the development of Documentation research in Spain in the last 20 years based on the analysis of five fundamental aspects: publications (articles and monographs), topics and methodologies, scientific journals, research projects and doctoral theses. General descriptive data from public statistical sources and comments from a bibliographic review are provided for each of them. As a conclusion, a very positive global balance of Spanish research in Documentation in the last 20 years stands out, not only a quantitative increase (in publications, theses, research projects, etc.) but also a qualitative improvement in the use of research methods and techniques, as well as a diversification of the research topics. In any case, internationalization (collaboration with foreign authors) and the presentation of international projects could be improved. Finally, there is a risk in near future related to aging and the absence of generational renewal of the research staff that can will slow down this growth.