High quality drives DC&R’s Impact Factor to 2.819, highest ever, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Robert Madoff reports
The Society’s journal, Diseases of the Colon and Rectum (DC&R), has received its highest Impact Factor ever of 2.819, up from 2.536 the previous year, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Robert D. Madoff, Minneapolis, MN reports.
“The increase in DC&R’s Impact Factor is attributable to the high quality of papers that we are receiving and a highly selective editorial process that focuses on publishing only papers of the best quality,” Dr. Madoff says. The Journal’s acceptance rate was 14% in 2009 and will be close to the same in 2010, once papers under revision are completed, according to Dr. Madoff.
A journal’s Impact Factor is a measure of quality based on total number of citations and articles published. DC&R’s Impact Factor now ranks it 31 of 187 titles in the surgery category, up from 36 last year.
News of the strong increase in Impact Factor came after Dr. Madoff reported on the journal’s progress at the Society’s annual business meeting in Vancouver.
Highlights of his annual business meeting report included a dramatic increase in Website usage, from 72,797 visits in 2009 to 178,518 in 2010. Nearly half of Website visitors came from outside the U.S.
Dr. Madoff attributes the increase in Website traffic to changing reading habits, improved coordination with the ASCRS Website, social network links, and enhanced features, including Editor Picks and Most Popular articles. In addition, ASCRS members and other registered subscribers receive an electronic table of contents (eTOC) each month by email, increasing awareness and accessibility to online content.
“We anticipate that the electronic version of the Journal will play a progressively more central role in DC&R’s future, and we are focused on continually improving and adding features to our Website,” Dr. Madoff reported. As of June 2011, the following sections will be online only: announcements, residency program listings, self assessment quiz, selected abstracts, regional society meetings, annual reviewer thank you, and letters to the editor.
New features include replacing “invited commentaries” following selected articles with editorials that appear in the front. “Our intent is to increase the number of invited editorials, so there will always be at least one or two in each issue. We believe this change will more effectively draw attention to articles of special interest,” Dr. Madoff says. The Journal has also instituted a new section, “For Debate,” to allow individuals to advance novel ideas, theories, or concepts to promote discussion and research.
“Our overall goal remains to continually improve quality of content to make DC&R the authoritative journal in the field of colorectal disease, both nationally and internationally,” Dr. Madoff reported. “We have worked aggressively to make the Journal more attractive and enjoyable to read. Our next major goal is to optimize our Website, both as a resource for our readers and as an attractive site for advertisers.”
The Editor-in-Chief announced the retirement of six Associate Editors, thanking them for “their tireless efforts on the Journal’s behalf,” and appointment of eight new Associate Editors.
Retiring Associate Editors are Drs. Wayne L. Ambrose, Jr., Atlanta, GA; Susan Galandiuk, Louisville, KY; Julio Garcia-Aguilar, Duarte, CA; Bruce D. Minsky, Chicago, IL; Anthony J. Senagore, Los Angeles, CA; and Bruce P. Waxman, Melbourne, Australia.
New Associate Editors are Drs. Maher A. Abbas, Los Angeles, CA; George J. Chang, Houston, TX; Charles M. Friel, Charlottesville, VA; Ravi P. Kiran, Cleveland, OH; Hector Ortiz, Pamplona, Spain; Rodrigo O. Perez, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Charles B. Whitlow, New Orleans, LA; and J. Graham Williams, Wolverhampton, UK.
