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The Inside Story: Production of the FORUM
Healthcare Management FORUM Gestion des soins de sant6
Communications The Inside Story: Production of the FORUM By Lynn Curry
his issue of FORUM is the fourth produced by the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, the last of our first volume year. In the past 12 months, both the production and editorial standards of the FORUM have been developing. It seems timely to close the year with some reflection on what the production system has evolved to be. We invite readers to comment and offer suggestionsto improve efficiency, topic coverage and features. Manuscripts arrive almost daily, new reviewers indicate their interest regularly, and the total review process is ongoing. The final stages of editing, translation, printing and mail preparation overlap completely with the beginning stages of the College’s next issue. The production process is spread over a 90-day cycle, four times a year and consumes49.5 person-days to produce one issue, or 190person-days over ayear. Work on the FORUM goes on every day, all year long. This outline traces the steps of one group of manuscripts from their initial receipt through to their appearance in the journal on your desk. Day 1: The afternoon mail contains four submitted manuscripts. All are scanned by the Managing Editor for topic relevance and minimum quality. One manuscript just received is judged too sketchy to be considered at this time. A letter to its author is drafted to that effect. The three manuscripts suitable at this point are logged for processing. Also included in today’s mail is correspondence from two individuals volunteering their services as reviewers. One has enclosed a completed Reviewer Questionnaire that indicates topic areas of interest and expertise, ability to review in French and English, and a specified number of manuscripts to be reviewed in a year. The new reviewer is entered into the College’s Reviewer Log which is accessed by area of interest. The second potential reviewer is sent a note, along with a Reviewer Questionnaire to complete. D a y 2 The Managing Editor reads the three new manuscripts in detail and selects relevant reviewers. Reviewers are chosen to match each manuscript, and they are only sent ones that fall within their areas of expertise and experience. The College as-
T
signs three reviewers to each manuscript-two from the same sector as the author and one from another sector. For example, an article from an academic point of view will be sent to two academic reviewers and one reviewer from another sector, perhaps acute care. Letters ire sent to all authors and reviewers indicating that CCHSE needs the review returned within one month. The manuscripts, which have all had author identification removed and a manuscript number assigned for tracking purposes, are then sent to the selected reviewers. Reviews are conducted around specific criteria (see Table l), and reviewers are asked to provide any summary commentsin a separate letter. TABLE 1:
Forum Review Criteria
-ions: 1.
Is the topic relevant t o healthcare?
2.
How origjnal is the work?
3.
mat
sort of m d c k w i l l find the paper interesting and
useful? 4.
How w e l l is the cnnrexion made between practice, lpsearch
and theory? the citations relevant and necessary?
5.
Are
6.
Is the discussim .-iate?
7. Rre the conclusions justified? W i l l tbe conclusions generalize t o other settirqs? 0.
If awlicable, are the tables and fiques helpful and Clear?
9.
If q l i c a b l e , is the imrestiqative mthcd appropriate? was the n e t k d pnper1y C a I X k c t e d ? Are the resulting
staterents true and the nwbers accurate?
10.
mat
can ke done t o *rove specified above?
this paper that has not been
Day 15: Two reviews arrive and are logged as received. The ManagingEditor has a long conversationwith a potential author discussing the article’s topic and the author’s suggested approach. Day 3 0 The manuscript tracking system shows all overdue reviewers. Reviewers who have yet to return their reviews are called to discuss the delay, and asked to review their manuscript immediately and return it to the College by courier.
Wintermiver 1988
Day 3 5 Once the late reviews are received, they are matched to the manuscript. The Managing Editor reads them for acceptability. Occasionally, articles are accepted as written. However, small or extensive rewrites are frequently requested, or the manuscript is returned to the authors to completely rethink. After the decision is reached, a letter to the author clearly states the decision to reject or accept the manuscript, any rewrite deadlines, and all reviewer comments. Every step is entered into the log. Those manuscriptsthat are accepted are then entered into the College’sword-processingfile if a disk has not been supplied by the author. Day 40:Today, the contents of the upcoming issue are decided. The Managing Editor considers available space, topic variety and type of article to decide the manuscripts that will appear in the next issue. Last-minute author revisions may be requested, particularly regardingthe number and clarity of tables and figures. Since CCHSE does not typeset tables and figures, the author is responsible for sending them camera ready. Authors are requested to make these tables and figures ready for publication as soon as possible. Day 45: The completed manuscripts are sent by courier to the contracted copy editors in both hard copy and electronic forms. Day55 The manuscripts to be translated are returned after editingin hard
copy and disk form, logged as received, and immediately sent by courier to the contracted translation firm. Day 65: Manuscripts are returned from translation, logged and returned to the editors, again in hard copy and electronic forms. Day 7 0 CCHSE receives all French and English manuscripts back from the editors. They immediately go to the data processing section for initial page layout. Camera ready tables and figures are photo-reduced to fit designated space. Day 7 6 The Managing Editor arranges for pagination and advertising copy insertion. Identification of suitable advertising involving the President and the Managing Editor has been ongoing for six months to a year. Material is delivered back to data processing for final layout. Day 8 0 The copy editors proofread the penultimate page layout at the College. Day 83: Final corrections to page proofs are completedby data processing. Tables and figures are pasted into the final copy. Day87: The contract printer reviews and signs off all page proofs, advertising film and artwork. Day 101: Mailing labels are produced for members and paid-up subscribers, and are organized by postal code to facilitate second class mailing procedures.
Day 108 Over 4,000 FORUMs are delivered to CCHSE for mailing, requiring careful organization to follow postal code units, geographic areas and weight regulations. Day 115: The College delivers 20 mail bags with carefully segregated, bundled and labelled FORUMs to the main post office sorting station. Day 1 2 5 The FORUM reaches your desk. This day also marks Day 35 of the next cycle. It has been said that the purpose of existence is to reconcile the glowing opinions we hold of ourselveswith the more realistic evaluations of others. The original purpose of the FORUM was “to encourage analytic reflection on the rapidly changing practice of healthcare administration” and to “link theory, research and practice by encouraging practitioners and academics to share their insights in a manner that generalizes conclusions beyond immediate experience.” Everyone involved with the FORUM- authors, reviewers and production staff- can only improve if shortcomingsare pointed out and suggestions made. Let us hear from you, even if you have only glowing opinions!
Lynn Cuny, PhD, is Vice-President, CCHSE and Managing Editor of the FORUM.
r
A Nationwide Commitment to Responsible Dietary,Housekeeping and Laundry Services TELEPHONE (416) 255-1331
SeMCes A Division of VS Services Ltd.
Communications The Inside Story: Production of the FORUM By Lynn Curry
his issue of FORUM is the fourth produced by the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, the last of our first volume year. In the past 12 months, both the production and editorial standards of the FORUM have been developing. It seems timely to close the year with some reflection on what the production system has evolved to be. We invite readers to comment and offer suggestionsto improve efficiency, topic coverage and features. Manuscripts arrive almost daily, new reviewers indicate their interest regularly, and the total review process is ongoing. The final stages of editing, translation, printing and mail preparation overlap completely with the beginning stages of the College’s next issue. The production process is spread over a 90-day cycle, four times a year and consumes49.5 person-days to produce one issue, or 190person-days over ayear. Work on the FORUM goes on every day, all year long. This outline traces the steps of one group of manuscripts from their initial receipt through to their appearance in the journal on your desk. Day 1: The afternoon mail contains four submitted manuscripts. All are scanned by the Managing Editor for topic relevance and minimum quality. One manuscript just received is judged too sketchy to be considered at this time. A letter to its author is drafted to that effect. The three manuscripts suitable at this point are logged for processing. Also included in today’s mail is correspondence from two individuals volunteering their services as reviewers. One has enclosed a completed Reviewer Questionnaire that indicates topic areas of interest and expertise, ability to review in French and English, and a specified number of manuscripts to be reviewed in a year. The new reviewer is entered into the College’s Reviewer Log which is accessed by area of interest. The second potential reviewer is sent a note, along with a Reviewer Questionnaire to complete. D a y 2 The Managing Editor reads the three new manuscripts in detail and selects relevant reviewers. Reviewers are chosen to match each manuscript, and they are only sent ones that fall within their areas of expertise and experience. The College as-
T
signs three reviewers to each manuscript-two from the same sector as the author and one from another sector. For example, an article from an academic point of view will be sent to two academic reviewers and one reviewer from another sector, perhaps acute care. Letters ire sent to all authors and reviewers indicating that CCHSE needs the review returned within one month. The manuscripts, which have all had author identification removed and a manuscript number assigned for tracking purposes, are then sent to the selected reviewers. Reviews are conducted around specific criteria (see Table l), and reviewers are asked to provide any summary commentsin a separate letter. TABLE 1:
Forum Review Criteria
-ions: 1.
Is the topic relevant t o healthcare?
2.
How origjnal is the work?
3.
mat
sort of m d c k w i l l find the paper interesting and
useful? 4.
How w e l l is the cnnrexion made between practice, lpsearch
and theory? the citations relevant and necessary?
5.
Are
6.
Is the discussim .-iate?
7. Rre the conclusions justified? W i l l tbe conclusions generalize t o other settirqs? 0.
If awlicable, are the tables and fiques helpful and Clear?
9.
If q l i c a b l e , is the imrestiqative mthcd appropriate? was the n e t k d pnper1y C a I X k c t e d ? Are the resulting
staterents true and the nwbers accurate?
10.
mat
can ke done t o *rove specified above?
this paper that has not been
Day 15: Two reviews arrive and are logged as received. The ManagingEditor has a long conversationwith a potential author discussing the article’s topic and the author’s suggested approach. Day 3 0 The manuscript tracking system shows all overdue reviewers. Reviewers who have yet to return their reviews are called to discuss the delay, and asked to review their manuscript immediately and return it to the College by courier.
Wintermiver 1988
Day 3 5 Once the late reviews are received, they are matched to the manuscript. The Managing Editor reads them for acceptability. Occasionally, articles are accepted as written. However, small or extensive rewrites are frequently requested, or the manuscript is returned to the authors to completely rethink. After the decision is reached, a letter to the author clearly states the decision to reject or accept the manuscript, any rewrite deadlines, and all reviewer comments. Every step is entered into the log. Those manuscriptsthat are accepted are then entered into the College’sword-processingfile if a disk has not been supplied by the author. Day 40:Today, the contents of the upcoming issue are decided. The Managing Editor considers available space, topic variety and type of article to decide the manuscripts that will appear in the next issue. Last-minute author revisions may be requested, particularly regardingthe number and clarity of tables and figures. Since CCHSE does not typeset tables and figures, the author is responsible for sending them camera ready. Authors are requested to make these tables and figures ready for publication as soon as possible. Day 45: The completed manuscripts are sent by courier to the contracted copy editors in both hard copy and electronic forms. Day55 The manuscripts to be translated are returned after editingin hard
copy and disk form, logged as received, and immediately sent by courier to the contracted translation firm. Day 65: Manuscripts are returned from translation, logged and returned to the editors, again in hard copy and electronic forms. Day 7 0 CCHSE receives all French and English manuscripts back from the editors. They immediately go to the data processing section for initial page layout. Camera ready tables and figures are photo-reduced to fit designated space. Day 7 6 The Managing Editor arranges for pagination and advertising copy insertion. Identification of suitable advertising involving the President and the Managing Editor has been ongoing for six months to a year. Material is delivered back to data processing for final layout. Day 8 0 The copy editors proofread the penultimate page layout at the College. Day 83: Final corrections to page proofs are completedby data processing. Tables and figures are pasted into the final copy. Day87: The contract printer reviews and signs off all page proofs, advertising film and artwork. Day 101: Mailing labels are produced for members and paid-up subscribers, and are organized by postal code to facilitate second class mailing procedures.
Day 108 Over 4,000 FORUMs are delivered to CCHSE for mailing, requiring careful organization to follow postal code units, geographic areas and weight regulations. Day 115: The College delivers 20 mail bags with carefully segregated, bundled and labelled FORUMs to the main post office sorting station. Day 1 2 5 The FORUM reaches your desk. This day also marks Day 35 of the next cycle. It has been said that the purpose of existence is to reconcile the glowing opinions we hold of ourselveswith the more realistic evaluations of others. The original purpose of the FORUM was “to encourage analytic reflection on the rapidly changing practice of healthcare administration” and to “link theory, research and practice by encouraging practitioners and academics to share their insights in a manner that generalizes conclusions beyond immediate experience.” Everyone involved with the FORUM- authors, reviewers and production staff- can only improve if shortcomingsare pointed out and suggestions made. Let us hear from you, even if you have only glowing opinions!
Lynn Cuny, PhD, is Vice-President, CCHSE and Managing Editor of the FORUM.
r
A Nationwide Commitment to Responsible Dietary,Housekeeping and Laundry Services TELEPHONE (416) 255-1331
SeMCes A Division of VS Services Ltd.