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Vol.
25 No. 5
September-October 2003
A
New Look at Special Topics and an Evolving Policy for Pure
and Applied Chemistry
In 2002,
the Bureau approved the position of a scientific editor of
Pure and Applied Chemistry with the specific mandate to
ensure maintenance and improvement of scientific standards,
and to seek ways of shaping a publication policy that will
enhance the international profile of the journal. After having
served as IUPAC Special Topics editor since 1999, Prof. James
Bull was appointed as scientific editor. Chemistry International
asked James Bull to review the Special Topics project and
his ideas for the future of PAC.
by
James Bull
Introduction
and Overview
An
early initiative to devote occasional issues of Pure and
Applied Chemistry (PAC) to projects outside the
scope of normal publication was formalized in 1999 with implementation
of the Special Topics project.1,2
This has resulted in the publication of a number of
issues and collections of works on topics that are deemed
to be of sufficient public interest to warrant comprehensive
coverage. The following topics have received Special Topics
coverage in PAC:
-
Nanostructured Systems
- Green
Chemistry
- Quantum
Chemistry in the 21st Century
- Electrochemistry
and Interfacial Chemistry for the Environment
- Medicinal
Chemistry in the New Millennium
- The
Science of Sweeteners
- Nanostructured
Advanced Materials
- Reviews
by winners of 2002 Prize for Young Chemists
- Natural
Products
>
link to PAC special topics
issues
The
goal of the Special Topic project was to improve and extend
the service that PAC offers to readers and authors,
and thereby to strengthen IUPAC's ability to serve its membership
and the international scientific community. Have we succeeded
in meeting these goals? A measure of success would be improved
readership and impact, and preliminary findings do suggest
that special topic issues enjoy more visibility and citations
in other publications.3
It
follows that the project has also sought to strongly identify
IUPAC with the forefront of pure and applied chemistry, in
a way that adds value and secures a distinctive publication
niche for the journal in the competitive milieu of the international
review literature. This implies in turn that candidate themes
for special topics need to be rigorously screened in order
to ensure that they meet essential criteria of mainstream
currency and relevance. In practice, such projects have hitherto
relied largely on individual initiatives in deciding what
is appropriate and feasible. This approach, however well intentioned
and well informed, is not ideal for realization of strategic
goals.
At
first sight, special topics are merely an extension of the
core business of PAC, which is to publish outputs of
IUPAC-sponsored conferences and of IUPAC reports and recommendations,
but it could be argued equally well that the concept points
a way forward for an evolving scientific role for IUPAC. Why
not consider all publishable outputs as prospective "special
topics"? After all, applications for IUPAC sponsorship of
international events are subjected to critical evaluation,
as is the pre-publication approval of reports and recommendations.
The consequent outputs are therefore eligible for special
topic characterization, and need only be optimized and amplified,
where appropriate, to realign PAC more purposefully
with the recent and ongoing policy changes within IUPAC.
In
fact, the Special Topic projects of recent years reveal much
potential for providing in-depth coverage and attracting more
representative authorship arising from IUPAC-sponsored events.
Apart from the biennial Congress, IUPAC sponsors about 20
international conferences that take place at 2- to 5-year
intervals and have a record of publication in PAC.
However, a significant number of these conferences have not
consistently published proceedings in recent years. Furthermore,
the participation levels of main lecturers in publishing their
papers varies greatly from a very occasional 100% to less
than 50%.
Established,
biennial events that are regularly published:
Chemical
Thermodynamics: 96, 98, 00, 02
IUPAC
Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics, ICCT
Natural
Products: 96, 98, 00, 02
International
Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Products (ISCNP)
Organometallic
Chemistry directed toward Organic Synthesis: 97, 99,
01
International
Symposium on Organometallic Chemistry directed toward
Organic Synthesis (OMCOS)
Organic
Synthesis: 96, 98, 00, 02
International
Conference on Organic Synthesis (ICOS)
Photochemistry:
96, 98, 00, 02
IUPAC
Symposium on Photochemistry (ISP)
Physical-Organic
Chemistry: 96, 98, 00, 02
International
Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry (ICPOC)
Plasma
Chemistry: 97, 99, 01
International
Symposium on Plasma Chemistry (ISPC)
Solubility
Phenomena: 96, 98, 00, 02
International
Symposium on Solubility Phenomena (ISSP)
Less
frequent events or those recently initiated that are
regularly published:
Biodiversity:
97, 99, 01
International
Conference on Biodiversity (ICOB)
Carotenoids:
96, 99, 02
International
Symposium on Carotenoids (ISC)
Advanced
Materials: 99, 02
IUPAC
Conference on New Directions in Chemistry, Workshop
on Nanostructured Materials (WAM)
Sweeteners:
96, 01
International
Symposium on Sweeteners (ISS)
Established
events that are or have been published (lapses in parentheses):
Bioorganic
Chemistry: 97, 00, (02)
International
Symposium on Bio-Organic Chemistry (ISBOC)
Carbohydrate:
96, 98, (00), (02)
International
Carbohydrate Symposium (ICS)
Chemical
Education: (96), 98, (00), (02)
International
Conference on Chemical Education (ICCE)
Coordination
Chemistry: 96, 97, (98), (00), (02)
International
Conference on Coordination Chemistry (ICCC)
Chemistry
Conferences in Africa: (95), 98, 01
High-Temperature
Materials Chemistry: 97, 00
International
Conference on High Temperature Materials Chemistry (HTMC)
Organometallic
Chemistry: (96), (98), 00, 02
International
Conference on Organometallic Chemistry (ICOC)
Solution
Chemistry: (97), 99, 01
International
Conference on Solution Chemistry (ICSC)
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This
record can best be characterized as inconsistent, which invites
consideration of ways to stimulate more complete participation
of lecturers in publication efforts. Those with a sound publication
record deserve to enjoy priority as the most appealing candidates
for more in-depth publication coverage. In fact, past conference
organizers have frequently seized the initiative to extend
publication coverage of established events beyond the main
lecture program, resulting in more definitive "symposia-in-print."
This approach offers a model for more direct and active IUPAC
engagement with event organizers in soliciting contributions
and in managing peer review, revision, and subsequent publication.
Furthermore, it has become evident that many editors and organizers
would welcome such intervention. Not only would this diminish
their sometimes onerous task of negotiating with prospective
authors in the face of competing organizational responsibilities,
but could contribute to greater efficiencies and consistency
in the overall process.
This
new dispensation will also need to accommodate the large number
of one-time and occasional IUPAC-sponsored events and the
occasional projects that result in publishable compilations.
During the past 6 years, more than 20 one-time and occasional
events have resulted in PAC coverage. This practice
will continue in accordance with the criteria stipulated in
the new guidelines for IUPAC sponsorship of conferences.
The
Way Forward
Two
striking features have emerged from the Special Topics initiative.
By opening up and actively encouraging the publication option
for categories other than plenary lecturers, these projects
have enjoyed significant support from other active delegates
and particularly from the younger generation of chemists.
Secondly, peer evaluation is not only accepted by authors,
but appears to be welcomed as a familiar and reassuring prerequisite
for publication.
The
customary practice of delegating the responsibility for peer
evaluation, if any, and scientific editing of manuscripts
to designated conference editors has served PAC more
or less satisfactorily for many years. However, it is subject
to the inevitable inconsistencies arising from differing interpretations
of appropriate scientific and editorial requirements for publication,
and will now be phased out in favor of a more centralized
approach designed to achieve a more uniform standard.
This
new approach merely extends the editorial policy that has
been successfully applied in promoting special topics. The
practical effect of the change will be to facilitate publication,
either by offering support and mediation in those cases where
event organizers prefer to retain the responsibility for standards,
or by engaging more directly with authors and referees where
necessary. In either case, an important feature of the task
will be to urge all eligible presenters to contribute manuscripts,
thereby ensuring that successful IUPAC-sponsored events are
faithfully captured in the publication record. The ensuing
guideline attempts to summarize the approach that will be
adopted for different classes of material, and suggests a
timetable for implementation.
- IUPAC
normally has the first option of publishing in PAC the
papers from lectures delivered at its sponsored conferences.
Exceptions include events whose outputs are customarily
published in Macromolecular Symposia, and those co-sponsored
events for which alternative publication arrangements are
deemed to be more appropriate.
- The
core business of PAC comprises conference proceedings
of established series, and the aim is to publish
a representative collection of papers based upon the main
lectures of all such events. Other one-time or occasional
conferences and workshops are similarly eligible but,
in practice, the publication option may be waived for those
that are deemed to cover very restricted areas of specialization
or regional interest. Furthermore, space constraints in
PAC may preclude publication of papers from all IUPAC-sponsored
events, and it may be necessary to give priority to established
series.
- All
the main lecturers at eligible IUPAC sponsored events are
expected to contribute manuscripts to PAC for consideration.
The scientific editor will work closely with the conference
editor in negotiations to improve the response level of
prospective authors.
- Conference
organizers may propose or be invited to consider extending
the scope of publication to include other parts of the scientific
program. This option requires prior negotiation about issues
such as journal space. If such an event is deemed particularly
interesting and topical it may be considered for special
topic status.
- Wherever
possible, a special topic feature will aim to occupy an
entire issue of PAC. It is thus necessary to ensure
that the topic warrants such exposure. Practical considerations
are likely to limit special topic features to no more than
three or four annually.
- All
manuscripts originating from conference proceedings and
submitted for publication in PAC will be subject
to peer review. The customary practice of accepting manuscripts,
subject only to approval by conference organizers, will
be discontinued. Instead, the scientific editor will invite
the conference editor and authors to nominate referees,
who may be consulted as individuals or as a panel constituted
by conference organizers. This process, and attendant author-referee
mediation and management of manuscript revision, will be
conducted by the scientific editor in consultation with
conference organizers. The aim is to normalize an independent
publication standard for PAC and, at the same time,
to relieve conference organizers of an additional responsibility
whilst retaining access to their specialized expertise during
peer review.
- A
new Editorial Advisory Board will be appointed to assist
IUPAC in shaping and implementing publication policy and
practice. Board members will be consulted regularly on publication
policy and procedures, and invited to participate in peer
review and to offer critical feedback on completed projects
and suggestions for new initiatives. The overall responsibility
for monitoring the performance and scientific standards
of PAC remains with the IUPAC Committee for Paper
and Electronic Publications, and a mechanism will be formulated
to ensure effective communication between this body and
the Editorial Advisory Board.
References
1
Bull, James R, Chem.
Int.,
22(4), 105, Jul 2000
2
Bull, James R, Chem.
Int.,
24(5), 7, Sep 2002
3
Unpublished observations. Detailed analysis of citation data
for Special Topics is in progress and will be published in
a future issue of CI.
James
R. Bull <[email protected]>
is a professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa,
and now scientific editor of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
www.iupac.org/publications/pac
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last modified 3 September 2003.
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