SUPPORT FOR AUTHORS FROM LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES
The Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development is concerned to attract high quality papers from a wide range of countries, sectors and disciplines. Its Editors recognize that there are barriers that often discourage individuals and teams, especially in low income countries, from publishing in international journals. Some of these barriers relate to language (lesser confidence in English as the language of publication) and to ease-of-access to colleagues with familiarity with paper writing processes, skills and demands.
The Journal, IWA and its Editors have launched three initiatives to help reduce the impact of these barriers and to increase access to publication in JWaSHDev:
- A small group of 'mentors' who assist potential authors from lower income countries.
- Workshops on how to prepare and publish in the journal.
- A prize for the best paper each year from an author from a developing country.
MENTORSHIP SUPPORT FOR AUTHORS FROM LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES
How will mentoring work in practice? All papers must be submitted on-line in the usual way. If a Journal Editor (on first reviewing a paper or on receipt of reviewer comments), considers that a paper from an author or team from a low- or middle-income country contains the basis of a publishable paper but requires substantive language and/or presentational improvement they may ask the author if they would be interested to be offered guidance and support from a mentor. If agreed, the editor will identify an appropriate mentor from a list of pre-identified mentors and refer the author to him/her. Mentor support is not considered appropriate where a co-author on the paper is from a high-income country institution.
What does this mean for mentors? Effective mentors will be sensitive to cultural as well as linguistic differences including different styles of argumentation; and will guide authors in developing an understanding of effective paper writing and associated skill development rather than simply providing direct editing support or re-writing text. We would not expect any mentor to have more than one mentorship at a given time nor to take on more than one mentorship in a year. Mentors are asked to provide this assistance in support of the wider good and not to seek co-authorship on papers for which they provide assistance.
What does this mean for authors? Authors are asked to understand that mentors are providing this assistance voluntarily and in good faith; and to recognise that this may limit the speed with which comments and responses can be provided. Authors would normally be expected to recognize the support provided by the mentor in an 'Acknowledgements' section in their paper.
WORKSHOPS ON HOW TO PUBLISH IN THE JOURNAL
Workshops on writing, communication and publishing journal articles will be held at conferences and key events linked to the journal. The workshops will include a presentation on how to prepare a journal manuscript, advice on what to include and what to avoid, and an opportunity to ask questions and share experiences. To find out when the next workshop will take place or to suggest a venue suitable for a workshop, contact us.