Evaluating the Scientific Significance of One’s

Findings and Strategy for Selecting the Appropriate

International Journals

Mien A. Rifai

Indonesian Academy of Sciences

c.o. “Herbarium Bogoriense” Puslit Nasional Biologi – LIPI, Jalan Juanda 22, Bogor

Upon completing their study or research undertakings, normally scholars, scientists, or experts have compelling inner urge as well as a moral obligation to make public their results, findings, and other achievement.

For this purpose usually they will prepare suitable scientific publications

More often than not, from the very beginning such publications usually take the form of articles effectively published in scientific periodicals. Compared to books (which by nature generally contain secondary knowledge and hence have limited shelve life at libraries), periodicals have been preferred because normally they publish only primary data and information or knowledge obtained through scientific research with unlimited shelve time at libraries.

In the words of Henry Oldenburgh, the secretary of the Royal Society and the editor of the Philosophical Transaction of the Royal Society––the first scientific journal ever published on 6th March 1665––the function of the periodicals were:

• “We must be very careful of registering . . . as well as the person and time of any new matter . . . as well as the matter itselfe; whereby the honour of ye invention will be inviolably preserved to all posterity . . ..

• All ingenious men will be thereby encourage to impart their knowledge and discoveryes . . ..

• I should not neglect the opportunity of having some of my memoirs preserv’d, by being incorporated into a collection, that is like to be as lasting as usefull . . ..

• The Philosophical Transaction of the Royal Society should be licensed under the charter by the Council of the Society, being first reviewed by some of the members of the same . . ..”

Until today, the function of scientific journal has not changed much, because modern researchers continue to want:

• REGISTRATION: to register a discovery as theirs and made by them on certain date, so that they can assert ownership and achieve priority

• DISSEMINATION: to let their peers know what they have done or achieved, so that they receive recognition and probably collaboration

• ARCHIVE: to have a permanent and widely known record of their research

• CERTIFICATION: to get their research quality (and by implication also themselves) stamped by their peers through the reputation of the journals

Unfortunately––beside to disseminate research findings and hence contribute to the body of knowledge and to advance the frontier of science and technology––in recent years in Indonesia papers and articles are being published in scientific journals in order to

• enhance the authors’ prestige (honour, stature, recognition, promotion)

• promote institutions’ reputation (standing, ranking, renown)

• personal satisfaction, and also• improve the competitive ability of the country

Consequently it is not very surprising to note that a survey published by Scientific American revealed that in 1994 the contribution of Indonesian scientists and scholars as well as experts to the body of world science and technology annually represents only 0,012%, which is far below that of Singapore which contributes 0,179%, and highly insignificant if compared to that of US scientists and scholars which amount to over 20%.

Some observers stated that the efforts of Indonesian scientists and scholars to participate in advancing science and technology represented lost science in the third world. They acknowledged the voluminous work being done, but unfortunately the results never reached their peers simply because they are being published in numerous periodicals that unfortunately never go beyond the fence of the publishing agencies.

A closer examinations at the situation does indeed reveals that in general Indonesian scientific journals are

• published in limited numbers (many only 300 copies per edition)

• circulated only locally and often privately• not subscribed by major libraries (not even in

Indonesia!)• written in Indonesian only• not being used by university lecturers as

source of teaching material• haphazardly produced, managed, and edited

It follows that even the titles of scientific articles written by Indonesian scientists and scholars do not appear in rapid bibliographic services, and their key words have not been generally scanned and picked up by information service providers so that they are not available to be accessed through internet. Consequently, needless to say that very few Indonesian scientific periodicals are being covered by abstracting journals, and probably none of them as yet has been listed in Science Citation Index.

On the other hand it is imperative that Indonesian scientists and scholars should made the results of their scientific activity available to their fellow scientists all over the world by publishing them in readily accessible journal internationally, among other things in order to improve the competitive ability of Indonesian products in the world markets which in turn will improve the welfare of Indonesian people in general.

The Correlation between Productivity and Number of Publications and Citations

(1997–2001)

Country Number Number of Sitas GDP per capita

of Publication Citations

India 77.201 188.481 487

Cina 115.339 341.519 989

Jerman 318.286 2.199.617 24.051

Jepang 336.858 1.852.271 31.407

USA 1.265.808 10.850.549 36.006

By comparison elsewhere, in the past decades it has continued to become customary to publish scientific papers in reputable scientific journals because their contents are

• evaluated and judged by relevant peer groups prior to their publication

• widely distributed, accessed, and assessed • particularly read or perused by fellow

specialists

In order to be accepted by the journal chosen––in other words considered worthy to be published by their peers––it is imperative therefore that Indonesian researchers should assess or evaluate objectively the scientific significance of one’s findings before submitting the paper being prepared for publication

It follows that before preparing the draft of the paper to be submitted for international publication, it is not a bad idea to pore over once again the steps that have been taken during the execution of the study or research:

• has the map of the-state-of-the-art of the problems faced being kept up-to-date?

• has the originality of the view or approach taken in solving the problems been assured?

• is the formulation of the problems unique enough to make the results of the study or research interesting and challenging to fellow researchers?

• is the approach or methodology which has been used considered adequate?

• has all available means that support the research efforts been utilized fully so that the whole undertaking is maximum?

• has the minimum requirement been met to achieve the precision and the sophistication of the modern equipment utilized?

• have the suitability of all informants been verified? the apparatuses periodically standardized? the appropriateness of research questionnaire sanctioned? all data and information accumulated validated?

• have all related published research results been consulted and incorporated in making broad generalization, conclusion, and new theory advanced?

Positive answers to all these queries will enhance the quality of the scientific contribution to be published, because they ensure that any generalization made, conclusion drawn, and theory advanced will not be controversial. If inadequacy is still felt, is there any remedial measure that can be taken at this stage?

It is considered necessary to have positive answers to all these questions, because in general there are inherent cultural handicaps in the mindset of Indonesian scientists and scholars which has some bearing in formulating the planning of research, in approaching the conclusion to be made, and especially in publishing their research findings:

• very narrow aspiration in all their intellectual activities which often very localized in scope and hardly touch national interest let alone international vision

• shortsightedness due to the limitation imposed by the title of their research or project activity (which often is carried over to become the title of their scientific article)

• reluctance in undertaking in-depth analyses on the data and information accumulated during the course of the study

• the absence of all encompassing syntheses based on the result obtained, largely because of the absence of large scale comparison by incorporating the results and experience of fellow researchers, by borrowing from other culture, by tapping from other discipline, by utilizing the wisdom of other times, by referring to the body of literatures provided most recently by other scientists and scholars

• unwillingness in drawing conclusions which have far reaching outcome and impact

• lack of courage to launch revolutionary generalization which may lead to the the formulation a grand theory

The evaluation of the scientific significance of one’s finding will be made easier by understanding the ‘position’ of the research results to be contributed in the following system of classification of science and technology achievement (in ascending order of importance): technology transfer, adaptation, innovation, invention, discovery

Transference of technology: the result of an activity which only represent the transfer of known production technique or knowledge to other location or situation, in order to widen their utilization (mainly in industry) or to improve their understanding, normally with necessary adjustment but without any meaningful contribution to the advancement of science and technology.

Research reports presented in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Sarjana degree is expected to be at least of this category.

Adaptation: Result of research or study undertaken by applying methods or approaches of known technological usefulness to other problems or objects, or undertaking similar research or study using different methods, approach, or angles, resulting in contributions with wider horizontal perspectives (but not in-depth in nature) in order to improve knowledge, science and technology. In rare occasions results of technological development and engineering activity undertaken in this way can be patented.

A master thesis should be based at least on results of an adaptive research or study.

Innovation: Results obtained from well planned research or study on complex problems, or applying significantly modified methodology or approach on unsolved problems or objects, so that the conclusions achieved will considerably contribute in advancing the frontier of science and technology. In many cases innovations developed during the course of the activity resulted in patents.

It is imperative that doctoral dissertations should produce innovative results, based on research and study especially aimed at satisfying the need and demand of the international audience of scientists and scholars

Invention: Systematic research activity and or in-depth study which significantly produce original results containing novelties which are really new to science and technology, or successful in creating novel and highly useful products previously much desired, or satisfactorily elucidate ambiguous phenomena or puzzling situations, or in launching important theories. As a rule, patents are granted to successful research, development, and engineering activity geared towards inventions.

The invention of cakar ayam foundation, the employment of conidiation in fungal taxonomy, plate tectonic theory, and the development of penicillin injection, are examples of research and study resulting in major invention.

Discovery: Research, study, or observations producing major discovery which elucidate the nature of things, phenomena, and concepts, and often with related grand theory of pioneering nature which significantly change the body of opinion globally.

Among the important discoveries which are worthy of Nobel Price should be mentioned those of penicillin by Ian Fleming, the structure of DNA by Watson and Crick, the evolution theory by Charles Darwin, and the grand theory of relativity by Einstein.

The high demand on the quality of substance expected from the scientific contribution which one is going to make, necessitate the employment of sophisticated approach and point of view as well as modern and up to date methodology in order to ensure that the results will be full of novelties really new to science, and of pioneering in nature by not repeating similar research through the permutation of methods and objects.

The high originality and the meaningful significance of the research and study findings, ideas developed, conceptions produced, or theories launched will enhance the value of the scientific contribution to be made. Similarly such high quality contributions will, have an everlasting impact to trigger further research in the future to make it be taken into consideration in the framework of science progress as a whole.

The assessment and evaluations on the scientific merit of one’s findings for international journals can also be easily undertaken by comparing closely the overall results obtained with those already achieved and most recently published by known fellow researchers.

Such comparison will enable one to judge the strength and weakness, as well as the significance and merit of the contributions which is going to be made.

The following instrument can be used to assess the significance of the findings being made, bearing in mind that it is better to be always in doubt:

• although not completely the same, have similar results been published elsewhere before?

• if they have, what are the similarity and what are the differences?

• does the information thought and considered to be original really represent something new?

• is the originality in any part of the results of insignificant value?

• do the results obtained merely fill a small gap in the knowledge about the subject matter being dealt with?

• in other words, do the results only confirm the existing opinion in spite of the fact that the evidences are obtained from a different approach or point of view?

• or, do they improve considerably the existing body of knowledge?

• how far the conclusion drawn encroach into the region of science terra incognita?

• will other scientists or scholars appreciate the results revealed?• who will likely to challenge the conclusions achieved by

undertaking further research and study?• who will make direct reference to the results, and who will

indirectly derive benefit from its publication?

After becoming satisfied with one’s own assessment and evaluation, efforts should be made to obtain objective opinions from fellow researchers within one’s surroundings. Informal discussions with close associates from the same laboratory, formal presentation in a small regular meeting, as well as candid appraisal from one’s research supervisors or superior should be arranged and solicited. If opportunity becomes available to read the draft to a wider audience do not hesitate to utilize it.

Needless to say that all inputs, criticism, suggestions received should be utilized fully as appropriate.

It is only after once is firmly believed and completely convinced that the output of the research and study results have high degree of uniqueness to be appreciated in national and international forum because it is highly original, and has meaningful outcome as well as wide impact in advancing the frontier of science and technology, then all stone should be turned to secure its publication in a suitable and much acclaimed international journal.

Therefore if one feels that the results of the self assessment and evaluation reveal the merit of the research findings for international consumption, it is a duty to publish them as soon as possible. It should be considered a criminal act not to do so, especially if public funds have been spent in supporting the research.

For this purpose an effort should be made to identify the most suitable journal to publish it, a periodical with the highest qualification that can be reached. In making the choise once again it is necessary to be very certain about the uniqueness of the content of the article to be contributed, especially in ascertaining the field of specialization being addressed to.

One can begin by identifying and classifying the content of the articles from the narrowest field of specialization in order to ascertain that it is suitable to the type of audience to be addressed:

• the super-super spesialists

• the super specialist scientists

• the specialists

• or just generalist experts

Do not be too dishearten if the identification reaches the lowest mark, because it is possible that the data and information revealed by the research or study isof

• interdiscipilnary• cross sectoral• or transdisciplinary

in nature. If it is inter- or transdiciplinary, then decide which sector has the highest potentials readers.

Bear in mind that modern disciplines such as ecology, ethnobotany, biotechnology, or subjects related to gender use transdisiplinary approaches without diminishing their superspecialization demanded by modern science and technology, so that their journals have a high degree of specialization.

As an active researcher in any particular field of specialization, one should be fully aware on the identity of prominent experts in the field concerned, and know also which journal(s) are frequented by them, as well as the niche or ranking of the journal in advancing the related science and technology.

Among the many identified journals, choose the one which:

• receives the highest acclaim (accredited with high citation index)

• has the strongest impact in advancing the field of disciplin concerned

• has the widest audience (written in UN languanges)• has global aspiration in geographical scope• contains only articles based on research results

(rather than review articles)• is often refered to• is rapid in processing articles for publication (short

waiting list)• is issued with high frequency (monthly or bimonthly

insted of annually published)

It should be noted that not all journals using English (or other UN languages) are of high or international standard. They are foreign periodicals but not necesaarily of high standing because their interests are often of a local value (such as Transaction of Yorkshire Naturalist Union)

To be considered having an international merit, a journal should

• accomodate articles written in one of the UN languages.

• contain high quality original articles which contribute significantly to the advancement of the disciplin being much sought after by specialists all the world over

• be managed openly by a team of editors from all over the world, and the mechanisms of blind review by the peer group system is used in screening, selecting, and evaluating articles to be accepted for inclusioan

• has contributors that come from notable institutes in many countries having experts specializing in disciplin covered

• has a global circulation because it is subscribed by specialized institutes from all over the world.

Specialized journals are published by

• scientific profesional associations of international renown (such as the British Mycological Society, the American Chemical Society)

• major publishing houses (like Elsevier Group, Cambridge University Press, Springer Verlag)

• resarch institutions (such as Boyce Thomson Institute, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Rijksherbarium at Leyden)

It pays to join and become a member of a scientific profesional association because it will enable one to

• receive regularly free scientific journal published by the society

• submit article to be published in the society journal, often free of charge

• establish networking and cooperative research venture with fellow members

• keep up with the news about new development, scientific events and other related happenings as well as the progress of the specialized disciplin

Some important websites to brows for finding suitable major international journals:

• Cambridge Univ. Press (UK): www.journals.cambridge.org

• International Institute for Asian Studies: www.iias.nl

• Ingenta Environment (contains some 4500 journals):

• www.ingentaconnect.com• Elsevier: www.sciencedirect.com• Springer: www.springer.com• Wiley Interscience:

www.interscience.wiley.com• Taylor & Francis: www.taylorandfrancis.com

After a journal has been chosen

• study two or three latest issues or editions• peruse carefully its instructions to contributing

authors (which may up to 64 pages long)• find out if the journal also issues further instructions

in its website• ensure that the instructions and all requirements are

fully understood to their minutest details• read carefully four or five sample articles (preferably

ones closely related to topics being dealt with) and compare them closely them with the instructions to authors

When the style and format of the journal have been completely understood and mastered, then one may start preparing the draft article to be submitted. In doing so, ensure that every items (title, byline, abstract, punctuations, list of references etc.) are executed wholly in line with the instructions to authors issued by the journal.

It cannot be overemphasized thar in preparing the manuscript to be submitted, it is compulsary to follow the instruction to the authors very closely if one really wishes that the article be accepted by the journal. Small deviations may make the computer employed by the journal to scan incoming contributions to reject automatically the article being sent.

After completing and revising the first draft, it is not a bad idea ti hand it over––together with a copy of the instruction to authors––to one or two close associates to read and comment on it. Based on criticisms and suggestions received, revise the draft accordingly to prepare the final draft to be sent to the editor of the journal chosen.

After sending the draft to the appropriate address, take a rest, and wait patienly for the answer and respond from the editor(s) . . . and pray.Upon receiving an answer, promtly respond to it accordingly (normally within a fortnight by post or within 48 hours by e-mail).

Indonesian editors often complain on the habit of Indonesian authors who generally are very slow or event reluctant to respond if asked to revise their draft as suggested by their peers.

Two small popular handbooks written in Indonesian are available

Mikrajudin Abdullah. 2004. Menembus Jurnal Ilmiah Nasional Internasional: Petunjuk Ringkas dari Penulisan Paper hingga Koreksi Proof. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama. ix + 112 pp.Zifirdaus Adnan & Indrawati Zifirdaus 2005. Merebut Hati Audiens Internasional: Strategi Ampuh Meraih Publikasi di Jurnal Ilmiah. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama. xv + 136 pp.

TERIMA KASIH