1. Best Practices for Journal Web sites Peggy L Chinn - INANE 2015

2. Objectives  Identify features that need to be easily accessed on a journal web site  Explore key elements that should be included in all Author Guidelines  Develop a statement of Best Practices that can be published on the INANE web site

3. Process  I will summarize issues we found in developing the Nursing Journals Directory (joint project of “Nurse Author & Editor” and INANE), followed by …  Discussion of key elements that need to be easily discoverable on a journal web site, and  Discussion of key elements that need to be included in all author guidelines.  Finally, we will develop together “best practices” to be posted on the INANE web site

4. Directory Purposes  Provide resource for nurse authors seeking an appropriate and reputable journal in which to publish their work  Provide a listing of reputable journals that adhere to publishing standards  Build a world-wide nursing journal community  Maintain accurate and current journal information for readers, authors and publishers

5. Directory History & Management  Leslie Nicoll negotiated the move of the Directory from the “Nurse Author & Editor” web site when she assumed that editorship  Peggy Chinn set up the initial Directory on the INANE web site, then filled in the essential elements  Peggy and Leslie verified the essential Directory information by fact checking with the web and email contact with individuals associated with journals  Charon Pierson, member of the Cope Council, came on board to oversee the vetting process for new journals.

6. Elements posted in Directory  Journal title with link to web site  Name of Editor-in-Chief with link to contact information  Publisher  Affiliated association with link to web site  Link to author guidelines  Brief description of journal purpose, mission

7. Additional Vetting Elements  COPE membership or eligibility  Unique journal identity and purpose  Publisher reputation and adherence to ethical standards:  Advertising & Marketing  Transparent copyright and licensing policies  Assurance of accessibility and archiving  Acceptable qualifications of Editor who provides editorial leadership, and editorial advisory board members

8. Why “Best Practices” Part I  Much of the information needed for the existing Directory was very difficult to find, even for the most reputable nursing journals!  Contact information for the Editor-in-Chief typically missing or hard to locate  Author guidelines are hard to find, or require more than 2 clicks to reach; some are only in the paper volume which is behind a paywall  Descriptions of the journal purposes are often vague; there are no standard elements across journals

9. Why “Best Practices” Part II  Additional information for vetting process is equally difficult to find  Qualifications of Editor-in Chief and Board members (missing or hard to find)  Archiving provisions are difficult to determine (ISSN & DOI numbers)  Indexing information (missing or difficult to find)  Advertising and marketing policies (obscure)  Journal metrics (difficult to find and often misleading)  Ethical standards (vague or missing - should be in author guidelines)

10. Discussion  Which of the elements we mention are your biggest challenges?  Are there pros and cons related to website features we have identified?  What improvements do you want to make in your own journal’s website?  What are the essential elements that should be on a journal website?  Which of the essential elements that should require one- click access?

11. “Live” record of ideas for draft:  To be entered on site as outcome of discussion