1. Scientific Publishing Joanne Thomson Imperial College London 4 th February 2010

2. Outline Who am I? RSC Publishing General chemistry journals How to get published

3. Who am I? Joanne Thomson Deputy Editor ChemComm, Chemical Science & Chem Soc Rev

4. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Learned Chemistry Society with 46,000 members Professional body and charity (not-for-profit) International not-for-profit publisher since 1841

5. RSC Publishing Based in Cambridge ~250 staff All editorial staff trained: –Scientists –Professional editors Technical editing Quality of service

6. RSC Publishing 27 Journals –>10,000 articles published (09) – Online journal archive Databases Chemistry World Library & Information Centre (London)

7. General Chemistry Communications Impact factor 5.34 Reviews Impact factor 17.4 ?

11. Chemical Science has the Edge! All original research published in one format: Edge Article Flexible - >3 pages but no upper page limit Novel research findings presented in a succinct and exciting way No lengthy introductions/discussion, extensive data, excessive experimental details and non- experiment-based conjecture Two review types: Mini Reviews and Perspectives http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/chemsci

12. International Symposia on Advancing the Chemical Sciences (ISACS 1-3) Visit: www.rsc.org/isacswww.rsc.org/isacs A new generation of global conferences Challenges in Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology (ISACS1) 6-9 July 2010, San Francisco, USA Challenges in Physical Chemistry and Nanoscience (ISACS2) 13-16 July 2010, Budapest, Hungary Challenges in Inorganic and Materials Chemistry (ISACS3) 20-23 July 2010, Hong Kong, China

13. How to get published

14. Outline Requirements of a scientific article Choice of journal Writing a paper Submission Revision Top Tips

15. Requirements of a scientific article Articles should be: –within journal scope –interesting to readership –the appropriate scientific quality –novel and advance existing knowledge of subject

16. Choosing a journal Journal scope – website; ask the Editor!website Articles from others in your subject area? Specialised or General journal? Communication or a full paper? Impact factor Publication times Society Publisher?

17. How to write… Emphasise the novel aspects Emphasise the impact Compare with existing work Reference related articles Avoid personal criticism

18. Writing the paper Think about audience Keep the language simple Use short sentences and short words Use spell and grammar check Proof read before submission

19. Sections of a Manuscript Title Abstract Introduction Results and Discussion Conclusion Experimental References

20. Introduction – what to include Set the scene for the reader –Why is the area important? –What has been done in the past? Justify why you have done the work –What advantages will it have? Outline your objectives –What do you plan to achieve?

21. Results and Discussion Present your results –Write in a logical order –Describe key processes, results and data –Make reference to tables, schemes, figures Discuss the meaning of the results –Unexpected / expected? –What conclusions can you draw? (e.g. mechanism) –Are further experiments necessary?

22. Conclusions A short summary of your achievements and conclusions –Write in a factual style –Emphasise the most important and novel findings –Include a sentence about current or future work, if appropriate

23. Experimental A detailed account of what you did General info –Equipment type/brand; source of chemicals Synthetic procedures –For all unique compounds –Include quantities and moles in brackets Characterisation data –Check journal guidelines –Assign spectra where possible Make use of the ESI where appropriate

24. References Ensure that any work referred to in the article is cited in the order they appear in the text Check the journal’s reference style

25. Title Along with the abstract, this should be written last Short, concise and descriptive Include keywords (e.g. “organocatalysis”, “natural products”) to aid database searching

26. Abstract Summarise what you are going to present Emphasise the most important and novel aspects of the work Keep it factual Graphical abstract

27. Submission Cover letter Declare in-press papers Journal guidelines Files and formats Ethical statements

28. Cover letter To include: –Summary of work –Statement of importance –Impact on community –Future potential Address to the Editor Ensure all facts updated –Article type –Journal Suggested referees

29. Manuscript Life Cycle - RSC Receipt of manuscript Initial Assessment by Editorial Office REJECTION ACCEPTANCE PEER REVIEW (2+ reports) Evaluation by Editors Appeal 65% 35% 20% 4% (30% of which successful) Author revisions Editorial Board “Rejection without external review” “Pre-screening”

30. Revision Respond to all reviewer comments Give details if you disagree Ensure answers are included in article Itemise all changes in your letter Rejection Consider referee comments Learn from the experience Appeal if appropriate

31. Acceptance On acceptance: –Edited by a team of professional staff –Help with English language –Proofs Check meaning and understanding Check references, figures and content –Publication on web as soon as possible

32. Tips to get published Ensure your work has novelty and impact Provide a clear statement of novelty/impact Read and follow the Guidelines for Authors and the Ethical Guidelines Perform thorough literature search Keep the language simple, short sentences Proof read before submission Suggest referees On revision, address all reviewer comments

33. How to write…. ‘Tips for Writing a Journal Article’ Chem. Eng. News, 2007, August 13, p46. For a copy of today’s slides: e-mail thomsonj@rsc.org Thank you