Wiki Tags Archives: Open access

First Monday

By Kara Trella on April 15, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: First Monday

ISSN: 1396-0466 (Online) and 1396-0458 (CD-ROM)¹

Website: http://www.firstmonday.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: From the website: “First Monday is one of the first openly accessible, peer-reviewed journals on the Internet, solely devoted to research about the Internet.”² First Monday believes the impact of digitization on society is universal and ubiquitous, and seeks articles about how digitization is changing our understanding of society.³

Target audience: First Monday’s target audience includes intelligent, independent-thinking people located in more than 180 countries. Because readers’ cultures, educational backgrounds, and fields of study vary greatly, readership is diverse. The journal is not geared toward those in academia, and many readers do not speak English as a first language.⁴

Publisher: First Monday Editorial Group at the University of Illinois at Chicago University Library⁵ First Monday was originally designed in Copenhagen and published by Munksgard, a Danish publisher.⁶

Peer reviewed? Yes⁷

Type: Computers and Internet, scholarly⁸ (First Monday is published in conjunction with the university library at the University of Illinois-Chicago, which indicates that the LIS community has a vested interest in the publication and represents a large proportion of its readership. Due to its diverse readership, we have categorized First Monday as both a “scholarly” and a “civilian” publication.)⁹

Medium: Online¹⁰

Content: First Monday publishes original interdisciplinary research papers about the Internet and related technologies. Articles emphasize subjects that are particularly interesting or groundbreaking. This publication’s strength lies in its diversity of content centered around the influence of the Internet and related technologies.¹¹

Frequency of publication: Monthly¹²

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions

Types of contributions accepted: First Monday publishes articles on interesting and novel ideas related to the history, present, and future of the Internet.¹³ Published topics of interest to LIS authors include: knowledge management, trends and standards, information-seeking behavior, emerging electronic classification frameworks, digital copyright, social networks, education, information society, the internet’s technological and commercial development, technical issues, and the political and social implications of the Internet. Research surveys, studies, exploratory and critical theory articles tied to the internet and related technologies would be welcome here.¹⁴ The publication also provides detailed Guidelines for Authors. These guidelines include writing tips; citation, reference, and abstract guidelines; submission format; formatting templates; and a final checklist for use in preparing manuscript submissions.¹⁵

Submission and review process: Registration and login are required to submit items online and to check the status of current submissions. Papers are subject to a double-blind peer review for originality and timeliness in the context of related research.¹⁶

Editorial tone: Articles published in First Monday are as diverse as its readership. All articles are written in an academic tone, though style varies in complexity. Many are written in an easy-to-read style, while others employ more sophisticated language. In either case, writers maintain the active voice and employ short sentences and paragraphs.¹⁷

Style guide used: First Monday provides its own style guide.¹⁸

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

First Monday publishes interdisciplinary research articles on all aspects of the internet, from highly-specialized technical issues to the internet’s social and political impact. Given the increasing digitization of information, this journal holds tremendous promise for LIS authors.

Because this audience is not academic, writing standards are not rigid, and an international distribution creates the potential to reach many readers. This publication’s diverse readership allows for writing from a variety of disciplines–LIS authors with backgrounds in engineering, literature, or history would be equally at home here. First Monday would be an excellent place to publish a thesis, or research on emerging Web technologies or trends. Additionally, the fact that the journal is peer reviewed makes it an attractive choice for those who wish to add a published article to their curriculum vitae.

Started in 1996, the journal has published 1,381 papers in 218 issues written by 1,888 authors. The journal is also abstracted in Communication Abstracts, Computer & Communication Security Abstracts, DoIS, eGranary Digital Library, INSPEC, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, LISA, PAIS.¹⁹

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 314,559 per month.²⁰

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Readers are located in over 180 countries, concentrated in western Europe, North America, and the Pacific Rim. First Monday is published by the University of Illinois at Chicago University Library, where its server is also located.²¹ Due to the publication’s international scope, many readers’ first language is not English. Additionally, many readers are not academics. Authors should avoid using specific cultural references or idioms unless these are explained. Simple explanations, active voice, and less complex sentences will help this diverse audience better understand your message.²²

Reader characteristics: Because First Monday‘s focus is international and its scope is interdisciplinary, the cultures, educational backgrounds, and fields of study vary greatly among First Monday readers. Cultural, educational, and professional interests vary greatly among readers, and this publication’s interdisciplinary scope is larger than library information science alone. That said, the publication’ s focus is salient to the discipline. This, combined with the fact that it is published by a university library, makes it reasonable to presume that many readers are LIS professionals with shared professional interests and workplaces. The articles published in First Monday represent a wide variety of standpoints and approaches. The articles do not show overt bias or attitude toward any particular view, which seems indicative of the audience’s diversity.²³

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Many articles published in First Monday are not directly related to LIS, so it is reasonable to presume that many readers are involved in other aspects of Internet technology. In view of this, authors should cautiously employ LIS jargon and explain any specialized terms they use.²⁴

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

First Monday prides itself on its interdisciplinary scope, and publishes a wide variety of articles from multiple perspectives. Demographic information about readers’ professional affiliations could not be obtained, and nothing in this publication’s submission guidelines indicates a preference toward LIS authors or topics. However, First Monday‘s publisher indicates that librarians have a vested interest in this publication and may represent a large proportion of its readers. First Monday’s Audience Profile stresses that many readers are not academics, but one might conclude that many are librarians.²⁵

Library science is an interdisciplinary field, and LIS students and professionals possess specialized knowledge of digital information collection, organization, and dissemination. This uniquely positions them as potential authors for First Monday. When writing for this publication, explain any professional terminology that would be unfamiliar to those outside the LIS field. For example, a study of library cataloging standards and information-seeking behavior on the web should explain terms like MARC21 or RDA. To be well-suited for First Monday, such an article might focus on digitization’s broad affects on LIS cataloging and how these are shaping practices.

While First Monday’s readership is not primarily academic, the content of articles is often sophisticated and complex. This may be why the editors stress simplicity and brevity in style; readers from different backgrounds will better understand a complex message through simple explanations and short sentences.

Last updated: October 17, 2018

References

Show 25 footnotes

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice

By Lisa Lowdermilk on March 27, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Evidence Based Library and Information Practice

ISSN: 1715-720X¹

Website: http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/index

Purpose, objective, or mission: Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP), “is an open access, peer reviewed journal published quarterly by the University of Alberta Learning Services, and supported by an international team of editorial advisors. The purpose of the journal is to provide a forum for librarians and other information professionals to discover research that may contribute to decision making in professional practice. EBLIP publishes original research and commentary on the topic of evidence based library and information practice, as well as reviews of previously published research (evidence summaries) on a wide number of topics.”²

Target audience: The target audience is librarians and other information professionals.³

Publisher: University of Alberta Learning Services⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly⁶

Medium: Online⁷

Content: Evidence-based practice applications, qualitative and quantitative research, management and administration issues related to evidence-based practice, research tools (statistics, data collection methods, etc.), collaborative and inter-professional evidence-based practice, research education in library schools, evidence-based practices from other disciplines applicable to evidence-based librarianship and future prospects for the evidenced-based information profession; as well as workplace applications such as how to capture evidence to support new innovations, develop and apply evidence-based tools, and maximize the value and impact of our information services. A significant part of the journal consists of evidence summaries, a section of particular interest to practitioners.⁸

Frequency of publication: Quarterly⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions

Types of contributions accepted: Original submissions that are not under consideration with another publication. Besides research articles, EBLIP accepts review articles of up to 10,000 words on “topics of relevance to practitioners in library and information studies. We are particularly interested in reviews which contain information on the state of research on a particular topic.”¹⁰ Also accepted are evidence summaries, older but still-relevant research “classics,” and commentaries. Commentaries and evidence summaries are not peer reviewed.¹¹

Submission and review process: Registration at EBLIP‘s online system allows authors to submit work and monitor the progress of submissions. Articles of up to 5000 words are considered. The editors make final decisions with regard to whether a manuscript will be accepted. The editors also reserve the right to edit submissions for length, clarity, and style consistency. A final decision to publish or not is made by the editor after the double-blind peer-review is completed. The goal is to have submissions reviewed within 60 days of receipt.¹²

Editorial tone: The editorial tone is academic and scholarly.¹³

Style guide used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, latest edition; authors should additionally consult the requirements in the publication Author Guidelines.¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice is a content-heavy publication intended for a real-life application. Librarians and other info pros should expect to find practical content that includes original research and reviews of previously published material that will help them make better decisions. Authors interested in publishing in this journal need to expect an audience with advanced knowledge in the field. The website allows for searching and retrieving archived articles. Also, readers can register for notification emails that will let them know when a new issue has been released, along with a table of contents.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: EBLIP is an open-access journal that encourages libraries to include it in its electronic journal collection of holdings. The publishing system used is designed to be hosted and operated by research libraries in support of the journal publishing work of its associated faculty. This journal provides open access to all of its content with the goal and intention of making research freely available to the public, in hopes of supporting a greater global exchange of knowledge, practice techniques, and ideas.¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: EBLIP is published in English¹⁶ by the University of Alberta Learning Services in Canada and is supported by an international team of editorial advisors.¹⁷ The readership is international, and given its free online access, users are not restricted by geography or ability to pay.¹⁸ Authors should avoid using geographical, cultural, or other references that might not be recognized or understood by all.¹⁹

Reader characteristics: Readers of Evidence Based Library and Information Practice are librarians or information professionals seeking to improve their method of operations and the efficiency by which they do their jobs on a day-to-day basis. They are also people that want to advance their present level of understanding of best practices. Readers’ workplace environments are varied, encompassing all types of libraries and information systems. There is no evidence of bias. Values include the furthering of the profession of LIS and achieving better working methods in professional settings.²⁰

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of this publication may be assumed to have an advanced understanding of library and information science and to have experience working in their field. They are interested in advancing their careers and are curious to learn more on the subject of library and information science.²¹

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Readers of Evidence Based Library and Information Practice are professionals working in libraries or other information environments who endeavor to keep up with the latest innovations in research and practice. Authors must be mindful of the high level of expertise and experience of the anticipated reader, and of the worldwide distribution of this journal.

Last updated: April 23, 2017

References

Show 21 footnotes

Communications in Information Literacy

By Kelli Roisman on March 6, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Communications in Information Literacy

ISSN: 1933-5954¹

Website: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Communications in Information Literacy (CIL) is “an independent, peer-reviewed journal devoted solely to the advancement of research, theory, and practice in the area of information literacy in higher education.”²

Target audience: The primary audience for research articles are “academic librarians and library educators.” The primary audience for Innovative Practices, the section for peer-reviewed case studies, are “academic librarians and other library personnel and educators who are engaged in information literacy instruction.” The primary audience for the Book Review section, are “librarians and other professionals (student support staff, administrators, course instructors, or others) in higher education, who are concerned with teaching and learning.”³

Publisher: Communications in Information Literacy⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: Scholarly⁶

Medium: Online. “CIL is an open access journal in the truest sense; there are no article processing charges or other regressive fees associated with authorship or publication.”⁷

Content: The “Research Articles” section includes “peer-reviewed feature articles, which may be research-based or theoretical in nature. Literature review papers are generally discouraged, but those including in-depth investigation and noteworthy conclusions will be considered.” The “Innovative Practices” section presents “peer-reviewed case studies that report on innovative information literacy instruction practices that are relevant to higher education contexts.” The “Perspectives” section “consists of provocative and thoughtful essays on various aspects of information literacy in academic libraries.” The “Editorials” section includes “essays written by the editors as they pertain to the state of the journal or current events in the discipline,” and also includes “invited works and regularly contributed columns.”⁸

Frequency of publication: Semiannual⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit/policies.html

Types of contributions accepted: “Manuscripts may be theoretical, research-based, critical, or have a practical focus.” “CIL does not accept simultaneously submitted or previously published manuscripts. However, CIL welcomes and encourages the submission of papers developed from professional presentations.” Unsolicited submissions for the “Research Articles” and “Innovative Practices” sections are accepted, however, it is recommended, though not necessary, that “prospective authors query the CIL editors before submitting their works.” Submissions to the “Perspectives” and “Editorials” sections are by invitation only.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Authors submit papers electronically. To facilitate the double blind review process, the author’s name and institutional affiliations are removed and replaced by bracketed placeholders. “The review process generally takes six to eight weeks to complete. Authors are notified promptly when a decision on their manuscript is made.”¹¹

Editorial tone: Scholarly¹²

Style guide used: Manual of Style of the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Communications in Information Literacy is a well established research journal, having published its first issue in 2007. CIL provides a platform for scholars and practitioners to advance research, theory, and practice in the area of information literacy in higher education. Prospective authors must be interested in publishing original research and should be prepared for a rigorous review process.¹⁴

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Because CIL is an online, open access journal, articles are downloaded individually. As of 4/2/2021, the number of total full-text downloads for the past year was 37,293, and the number of full-text downloads for the top ten articles ranged from 1,098 to 3,926.”¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: CIL is online and open access, its readership is international. The geographical location of article downloads are viewable via an interactive world map.¹⁶

Interest in the field of information literacy is expanding rapidly in the age of the Internet the ability to process and evaluate information in the central role information literacy plays in shaping our social and political world . social and political influence profound impact on our . Therefore, CIL will appeal to a broad audience of journalists,

As this is an international publication, all potential authors should avoid using certain jargon or cultural references that others may not be able to understand. The CIL editors advise writers, “As we are a journal of information literacy, we assume our readership already has familiarity with the concept of information literacy and its application in library science. Therefore, the manuscript does not need to treat the concept of information literacy as something novel for our readers, particularly in the Introduction or the Literature Review. Unless your institutional definition of information literacy varies significantly from that of the ACRL, there is no need to provide a perfunctory definition of information literacy for our readers.”¹⁷

Reader characteristics: Though specific reader demographics are not available, authors may assume that the journal’s readers are international and the majority are employed in libraries at higher education institutions.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The primary readers of this publication are knowledgeable about library and information science issues. As noted above, readers have a clear understanding of information literacy and the issues surrounding the topic. It is likely that most readers have a firm grasp on technology, as this journal is only available online. As individuals interested in information literacy, readers probably work closely with electronic resources. It is clear that the audience of this publication values education and, above all, information literacy. They are interested in ensuring that communities have access to information and the ability to evaluate it adequately.¹⁹

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

It is important to note that because this publication is open access, authors’ work can be viewed for free by anyone searching the Internet, which could be a potential benefit. However, as it has an academic and research emphasis, it is most likely that the audience will be limited to those interested in higher education with a strong background in information literacy. Prospective authors should also keep in mind the growing field of information literacy and recognize the opportunity for new studies in this field, especially those that would be of interest in academic and research libraries and applicable internationally.

“The primary audiences for articles in this section are academic librarians and library educators, but we encourage contributions from all academic disciplines and from institutional administrators.”

Last updated: In progress April 2021

References

Show 19 footnotes

Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL)

By Lisa Lowdermilk on July 5, 2012 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL)

ISSN: 2163-5226¹

Website: http://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital

Purpose, objective, or mission: As the official publication of LITA (the Library and Information Technology Association), ITAL is primarily concerned with keeping LITA members informed about the technologies that shape their workplaces and profession.²

Target audience: Members of LITA, primarily librarians and information professionals³

Publisher: Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly⁶

Medium: ITAL is an open-access, electronic-only publication.⁷ Full-text versions of all content published since 2004, as well as tables of contents and abstracts for earlier issues, are also available electronically.⁸

Content: ITAL “publishes material related to all aspects of information technology in all types of libraries. Topic areas include, but are not limited to, library automation, digital libraries, metadata, identity management, distributed systems and networks, computer security, intellectual property rights, technical standards, geographic information systems, desktop applications, information discovery tools, web-scale library services, cloud computing, digital preservation, data curation, virtualization, search-engine optimization, emerging technologies, social networking, open data, the semantic web, mobile services and applications, usability, universal access to technology, library consortia, vendor relations, and digital humanities.”⁹

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

It is important to note, when perusing author information such as this, that specific types of submissions, such as book or software reviews, may require contact with someone other than the main editor. Failing to note such differences could result in a solid article or query being lost in the shuffle.

Location of submission guidelines: https://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: ITAL accepts feature articles that contain original research or in-depth analysis of 3,000 to 5,000 words or longer. Communications of 1,000 to 3,000 words are also accepted, such as “brief research reports, technical findings, and application notes,”as well as tutorials and letters to the editor.¹¹

Submission and review process: Individuals must submit original and unpublished manuscripts only. Manuscripts that are being considered elsewhere should not be submitted. Responsibility for the accuracy of the information falls upon the author of the manuscript. This includes references, URLs, and statistics.¹²

Articles are to be submitted online; registration and login are required.¹³

Editorial tone: Formal, with most articles including an abstract. Articles are evidence and research-based, written in language that is clear and direct.¹⁴

Style guide used: The Chicago Manual of Style for notes and bibliography¹⁵

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

LIS professionals or students focusing on the technical services side of libraries who can contribute to the community’s knowledge of emerging technologies should consider writing for this publication. Opportunity is also ripe for those with an understanding of technical services and public services who can explain complicated technical jargon and its importance to the uninitiated. A survey of recent articles includes usability of next-generation catalogs such as VuFind, the application of geographic information systems (GIS) in LIS research, widgets, interoperable catalog models, semantic web technologies, web design for patrons with disabilities, applying CIPA regulations and other issues. Tutorials included cloud computing and digitizing documents to make them accessible on the web. Articles and tutorials are pragmatic, so topics and information presented need to be relevant to professionals in their LIS workplace.¹⁶

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Statistics not available, but as ITAL is an open-access, online publication a wide readership may be assumed.¹⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: LITA is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) and is therefore located in the United States,¹⁸ but subscribers come from all over the world. ITAL is published in English.¹⁹

Reader characteristics: ITAL is read by administrators, librarians, and information technologists interested in all aspects of information technology. These readers include library directors, systems managers and analysts, automation consultants, and both technical and public service librarians using technology to serve users.²⁰

Readers are interested in subjects that include library automation, access to information through technology, digital libraries, electronic journals and electronic publishing, computer security, intellectual property rights, library consortia, technical standards, and software development. Articles display a strong emphasis on service orientation. Readers likely share this value.²¹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This journal covers a broad spectrum of topics and issues relating to LIS subject matter, and most articles would be comprehensible to any librarian; specialized knowledge of technical services is usually not assumed.²²

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Because readers come from both technical and public services, papers should not be only technical in nature. Demonstrating how a technology can be leveraged to solve a human need, whether that is user experience or library operations, will be fundamental. In a survey of articles, many papers demonstrate the impact of technologies on libraries, the communities they serve, and on society. Authors also emphasize service orientation, a value readers likely share.

Last updated: May 7, 2017

References

Show 22 footnotes

International Journal of Library Science

By Lisa Lowdermilk on March 30, 2012 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: International Journal of Library Science

ISSN: 0975-7546¹

Website: http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index

Purpose, objective, or mission: According to the publication website, the goal of the International Journal of Library Science “. . . is to publish refereed, well-written original research articles and studies that describe the latest research and developments in the area of library science and information.”²

Target audience: LIS professionals, instructors, and students.³

Publisher: CESER Publications.⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly⁶

Medium: Online⁷

Content: According to the publication’s website, the journal is broad-based, covering all areas of library science, technology, information, and interdisciplinary research.⁸

Frequency of publication: Three times a year.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=about&op=submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Scholarly research articles covering a wide range of areas including education for librarianship, information policy, information communication technologies, equity of access, sustainability, the Children’s Internet Protection Act, censorship, information literacy, decreased funding for established libraries, intellectual property rights, intellectual freedom, the digital divide, open access publishing, the Patriot Act, public lending rights, and current digital technologies.¹⁰

Submission and review process: The journal follows a double blinded peer review process.¹¹ Along with a manuscript submission, authors are asked to submit a cover letter including contact information, an abstract of at most 250 words, the full title and running title of the submission, and up to five keywords. Manuscripts should not exceed 6,000 words.¹²

Editorial tone: Scholarly¹³

Style guide used: No editorial style is specified, though examples of the preferred reference style are provided.¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The International Journal of Library Science provides an excellent opportunity for LIS authors desiring publication. The journal publishes in all areas of LIS, as demonstrated by its exhaustive subject list. This is particularly attractive venue for LIS authors wishing to have an international presence.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No specific circulation information is provided. The journal is available online, and expands its distribution by offering email updates on the release of new issues.¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: As an online journal published in English, it may be assumed that the International Journal of Library Science has an international readership.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: The journal does not provide any details on reader characteristics. The authors are LIS and education instructors, students, and professionals throughout the world, so a similar readership may be assumed. The journal appears to be content neutral and objective.¹⁷

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers will likely be aware of current LIS issues, technologies, and jargon.¹⁸

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Because the International Journal of Library Science is wholly comprised of scholarly articles, potential authors should maintain a formal tone and approach. Potential LIS authors should also be mindful that this journal truly has international circulation and avoid regional jargon or bias.

Last updated: May 13, 2017

References

Show 18 footnotes

Journal of Digital Information (JoDI)

By Lisa Lowdermilk on April 29, 2011 in

*As of July 2014, Journal of Digital Information is not accepting submissions.*

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Journal of Digital Information (JoDI)

ISSN: 1368-7506¹

Website: http://journals.tdl.org/jodi

Purpose, objective, or mission: JoDI focuses on “Publishing papers on the management, presentation, and uses of information in digital environments.”² JoDI “Covers digital libraries, hypertext and hypermedia systems, and digital repositories and the issues of digital information.”³

Target audience: Information professionals, researchers, and scholars interested in digital information and environments.⁴

Publisher: Texas A & M University Libraries.⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes⁶

Type: LIS scholarly⁷

Medium: Online⁸

Content: “…the Journal of Digital Information is an electronic-only, peer-reviewed journal covering the broad topics related to digital libraries, hypertext and hypermedia systems and digital repositories, and the issues of digital information.”⁹

Frequency of publication: Irregular, often several volumes per year.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://journals.tdl.org/jodi/index.php/jodi/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: This publication accepts articles these themes: information discovery, visual interfaces and digital libraries. Per the website, “Papers submitted to JoDI must be original. As a peer-reviewed journal JoDI is unable to consider papers that have been accepted by or published in another peer reviewed source, or any other publication where copyright in the work has been assigned to another party (this does not include any copy on your personal or your institutional websites). For the same reason, JoDI is also unable to consider papers while they may be being considered for publication elsewhere.”¹¹

Submission and review process: Submission is online and requires authors to create an account with the site. From the site: “Since JoDI is a web-based journal, the preferred presentation format is HTML. We strongly recommend submission in this form but we will accept manuscripts in other Web-viewable formats, such as PDF. Where a non-html paper is submitted the author’s final, refereed and accepted copy will be presented unedited, supplemented with an edited html ‘front page’ version.”¹² Once an article is submitted an author is able to monitor the review process by logging into their account.

Editorial tone: Academic¹³

Style guide used: None specified; however, the submission guidelines document does provide specific examples of references and formatting.¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Journal of Digital information is a very good journal for librarians interested in writing on the technical aspects of digital information (metadata, indexing, hypermedia, digital curation, etc).

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Circulation for this online, open-access journal is not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The readers’ geographic locations are unknown, though there are probably more readers in Texas as that is where the journal is based.¹⁵ The Journal of Digital Information is a highly specialized electronic journal, so even though Texas may have more readers per capita, the publication’s readership most likely spread throughout the United States and, to some extent, other English-speaking countries.¹⁶ The Journal of Digital Information is published in English. Since JoDI is an academic journal, it is likely that most readers are students, professors, and professionals.¹⁷ Despite academia being a sort of micro-culture, it is still important for writers to refrain from cultural references that may be too local.

Reader characteristics: Readers of the Journal of Digital Information are most likely information professionals specializing in digital storage and retrieval. Workplaces may range from libraries, software companies, various technical services, and IT departments. Readers of the Journal of Digital Information are highly specific in their reading interest; hence, it is not safe to assume that the average reader will have a high degree of knowledge or interest in libraries or information organizations — except as they may pertain to digital information dissemination. Writers wishing to publish should keep in mind that readers are highly specialized and most likely are well versed in the field of digital information.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers will have extensive knowledge related to digital information (such as tagging, indexing, web2.0, and database-design) but may not have such a well-versed comprehension of other aspects of librarianship.¹⁹

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Potential authors for the Journal of Digital Information should know that their readers are well-read and comfortable with technical jargon. Readers come to JoDI for research-oriented essays and reports, and expect to see research conveyed with tables and charts. Keeping this in mind, readers can be creative with their essays as long as it still pertains to the topic (a good example is from 2006’s vol.7 no. 2 issue: “Finding Murphy Brown: How Accessible are Historic Television Broadcasts?” by Jeff Ubois²⁰). JoDI is a free electronic publication, so it may be of interest to potential authors that their work will be online and available to anyone who creates an account with the Texas Digital Library.

Last updated: November 3, 2014

References

Show 20 footnotes

Slashdot

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Slashdot

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://slashdot.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: Slashdot is an online forum that provides “News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters.” This “stuff” includes stories on various aspects of technology, from discussing user’s rights online to sharing ideas and news on various IT subjects. Content is submitted by readers, who can also assist editors in the selection of material by utilizing the site’s collaborative moderation system called “Firehose,” which contains RSS Feeds, story submissions, and journals that have color-coding to indicate popularity. Using the color spectrum scale, “Red is hot, violet is not,” users can tag and vote on entries, in addition to providing feedback.

Target audience: People interested in all-things tech, particularly news and opinion on tech “with discussion backed by professional insight, polls, and analysis.”¹

Publisher: Slashdot Media ²

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication. This is an online forum that publishes reader’s articles on various aspects of technology, in addition to providing an interactive networking environment. Although it is likely to appeal to techie librarians, the primary target audience is not librarians; thus, it would be considered a lay publication rather than a LIS publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: Story sections are self-explanatory, with some exceptions: “Apache” (news about the Apache web server); “Apple” (news on all things Mac); “Ask Slashdot” (ask the readership any questions about software problems, hardware, jobs, etc.); “BSD” (news about “modern UNIXes derived from Berkeley’s distribution [like Free, Open and NetBSD]”); “Developers” (news that affects any aspect of programming, such as language, licensing, or techniques); “Features,” “Games,” “Geeks in Space” (not currently open for submissions, this was an audio broadcast provided by the editors); “Interviews”; “IT;” “Linux;” “Politics;” “Polls” (submit “thought-provoking 4-6 question polls to share); “Science;” and “Your Rights Online” (news and information on spam, privacy, and other issues affecting our rights online). Archived articles, book reviews, and job listings complete the content.

Frequency of publication: Daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://slashdot.org/faq/submissions.shtml

Types of contributions accepted: “The closer a submission is to featuring all the “perfect” characteristics, the better the chances are that it will run. While we will sometimes tweak submitters’ grammar, spelling and punctuation, attempt to fix broken links, and even edit with brackets and ellipses (in the interest of brevity, clarity and good taste), the nicer a submission starts out, the less tempted we are to hit “delete.” Not every Slashdot post is perfect — but the better they are, the better it is for everyone.”³ “A perfect Slashdot submission is: interesting, informative, clear, snappy, presented neutrally, submitted with appropriate topics, usually based on text and still images, labeled with an understandable, concise headline, well-linked, and grammatically correct.”⁴

Submission and review process: Use the Submit link located at the top right of the website’s home page. Creation of an account is required first. This is a moderated site allowing administrators and editors to approve or remove posts.⁵

Editorial tone: Informal.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

LIS authors with a technical bent will find the latest news, stories, and feeds on technology informative. This forum is an informal way to get stories submitted without a formal publishing process and allows for feedback from the target audience. Authors can pitch ideas and ask questions⁶, perhaps opening the discussion for more library and information science issues.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 32 million monthly visitors.⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: As this publication is only available online, there is no central geographic location. It is likely that users are international. The publication is written in English and no information is provided on the possible cultural considerations of the audience. This matter could be important, as different countries may have varying technical standards that would need to be further investigated and considered, perhaps by reading further into archives and different sections to find out if any stories on international issues are submitted.

Reader characteristics: The majority of readers work in IT.⁸ The general audience of Slashdot may not seem the ideal audience for a LIS writing, as they have concerns that would not necessarily reflect the ethics, interests, or issues of LIS. However, with the future of LIS moving quickly with new technology, this audience could be a great source of objective information. The technical aspects of the profession could be introduced into this forum with a group who might have new ideas or strategies unknown to a LIS author.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This forum does not actively promote LIS subject matter unless there is a newsworthy story to share. However, with the influx of technology influences on LIS, this would be an interesting forum to share LIS information and get feedback that might be more objective on emerging technology.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Writing for and participating in this website would certainly not be a project for the light-hearted “LIS techie.” LIS authors with an avid interest in technology might be able to find middle ground with this publication on issues such as privacy concerns. The ability to collaborate with an audience with general technical backgrounds might open a dialog on the various ways that technology affects libraries.

Last updated: September 13, 2020

References

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