Abstract
As we begin the new calendar year, I would like to take the opportunity to update our readers on the many enhancements to the journal. As you have seen, the cover and format of the journal have undergone significant change, which I believe has enhanced the presentation of the journal. Editorials, which allow experts to comment on selected articles, state-of-the-art narrative reviews, podcasts on selected manuscripts, and the IHS President’s corner have and will continue to appear with regularity. We have implemented a number of important measures to ensure that the journal is in compliance with the highest standards in the publishing industry, including the uniform format for disclosure of competing interests in ICMJE journals and PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews.
The 2009 impact factor was 3.464 placing Cephalalgia 39th out of 167 Journals in the Clinical Neurology JCR rankings. The 5-year impact factor for 2009 is currently 4.688, 35% higher than the 2-year impact factor and indicates that, for many papers, a large proportion of citations come outside the 2-year window for the traditional 2-year impact factor. A sustainable rise in the impact of our journal, while maintaining the features that are most important to our readers, is a major priority moving forward.
In an effort to attract priority manuscripts and elevate the impact of the journal, we have introduced a very successful rapid review system whereby manuscripts receive expedited peer-review within 72 hours, and, if accepted for publication, are guaranteed on-line publication within 6 weeks. While there is a fee for this service, even when manuscripts are submitted through the routine process, the associate editors and I will be carefully evaluating and selecting manuscripts which we believe should receive expedited review and publication. At the time of writing, Cephalalgia articles have been downloaded 69,782 times so far in 2010, and two of the top three most downloaded articles were published through the rapid review process.
We know how important it is for authors to have their manuscripts published in print after final acceptance. So, in an effort to reduce the queue of manuscripts and facilitate a more rapid print publication of accepted manuscripts, we will provide sixteen issues this year instead of the usual twelve. Two issues will be published in January, April, July and October in 2011.
The quality and success of the journal surely is a team effort and I am very fortunate to be working with the most collegial, responsive, and talented team in the business. The dedication, responsiveness and expertise of the editorial board is truly world-class and has been simply indispensible.
I cannot thank our peer-reviewers enough, nor can I overstate how impressive and outstanding the reviews have been over this past year. We rely on careful, thoughtful, and time-consuming peer-reviews from the busiest experts around the world who selflessly give their time to preserve the academic mission of the journal, the integrity of the literature, and the future of the field.
Finally, this is the first full year with our new publisher, SAGE. Claire Minto, Fiona Shipperlee, Holly Ahern and the rest of the editorial team at SAGE engineered a successful transition and have been passionate and committed to the journal’s success. I am very grateful to Wendy Krank, our editorial assistant whose finger, as those of you who interact with the journal know, is always on the pulse of the journal.