- Email: [email protected]
Trends Form Follows Function: New Ways to Inform and Inspire
Editorial
Trends Form Follows Function: New Ways to Inform and Inspire Joanna Schaffhausen,* and the Trends Editorial Team You may have noticed something different about the cover. As you browse through the articles in this issue, you will notice still other changes. This fall, the Trends titles are proud to present a new design for our high-quality content. These changes represent our commitment to grow apace with the communities that we serve. The Trends journals were founded nearly 40 years ago with a singular mission: To provide a new type of summary article that would present, clearly and concisely, a synthesis and analysis of recent research advances in a manner that would be accessible and of interest to both the specialist and the generalist. The goal was to inform and inspire by not only presenting new ideas to the field but also by appealing across fields to cross-pollinate science. The utility of this type of article quickly became clear, and Trends articles have continued to stand out for their unique character: timely, insightful, forward-looking, and replete with original perspectives. The changes you will find in this and forthcoming issues reflect our commitment to advancing the concept of a scientific review article so as to meet the shifting needs of researchers and reflect the changing face of scientific communication. The landscape of scientific research and publishing, and of communication technology at large, is rapidly growing and changing, as are the ways in which researchers read and access scientific literature. More than ever, readers want to be in control of their own reading experience: to be able to choose when and where they read and to navigate swiftly to the content they are most interested in. The changes we present in this new design represent an effort to address these challenges and help readers get the most out of each Trends article. As you will see throughout the issue, we have implemented changes cover to cover. Different fonts and color schemes, and an overall more modern design, provide a fresher look and feel to the article. Moreover, you will find greater diversity and a larger number of short articles included in our issues in the upcoming months, such as short, focused summaries of a single recent advance (Spotlights), single-point hypotheses and novel models (Forums), and commentary on broader issues relevant to the community (Scientific Life) and the public (Science & Society). These additional article types give us opportunities to present new voices and fresh perspectives to the community. By far the greatest changes you will see are to the Review and Opinion articles. The new Review and Opinion articles are designed to maximize the most valued aspects and elements of Trends articles. The PDF version of these articles features a one-column format, which makes the article easier to read on screens and portable devices. Throughout the article, new features help novice and experts alike to identify and digest the key take-home messages at their own pace, enhancing the reading experience. For instance, on the first page, you will find the Trends Box: a short collection of statements that convey the recent advances in the field that
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, October 2015, Vol. 36, No. 10
*Correspondence: [email protected] (J. Schaffhausen).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2015.08.011 © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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have motivated the discussion and analyses presented by the authors. Later in the article, you may find a Key Figure or Key Table, which provides a visual summary of the most important point (s) of the article in a clear, instructive, and impactful way. In the Outstanding Questions box, now featured in every Review and Opinion article, authors provide guidance on the key next steps for the field. Prominent placement and format of these elements helps you navigate content with ease. These changes are part of broader developments across the Trends journals. We seek to continually adapt and improve to meet the needs of both our current readers and new readers as fields emerge. With this goal in mind, we proudly introduce a new member of the Trends family of journals: Trends in Cancer. This new title aims to provide a platform for multidisciplinary information and discussion that is accessible to scientists, clinicians, policy makers, and advocates. The redesign of Trends would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of many people. We would like to thank our readers and editorial board members, who provided valuable advice and encouragement. We would also like to thank our authors, for their enthusiasm and patience as we have brought these changes to fruition. Finally, we thank you in advance for your feedback, which will help us to continue to improve our content. Please explore the new design, new article types and elements, and the new journal at http://www.cell.com/trends and tell us what you think at [email protected].
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Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, October 2015, Vol. 36, No. 10
Trends Form Follows Function: New Ways to Inform and Inspire Joanna Schaffhausen,* and the Trends Editorial Team You may have noticed something different about the cover. As you browse through the articles in this issue, you will notice still other changes. This fall, the Trends titles are proud to present a new design for our high-quality content. These changes represent our commitment to grow apace with the communities that we serve. The Trends journals were founded nearly 40 years ago with a singular mission: To provide a new type of summary article that would present, clearly and concisely, a synthesis and analysis of recent research advances in a manner that would be accessible and of interest to both the specialist and the generalist. The goal was to inform and inspire by not only presenting new ideas to the field but also by appealing across fields to cross-pollinate science. The utility of this type of article quickly became clear, and Trends articles have continued to stand out for their unique character: timely, insightful, forward-looking, and replete with original perspectives. The changes you will find in this and forthcoming issues reflect our commitment to advancing the concept of a scientific review article so as to meet the shifting needs of researchers and reflect the changing face of scientific communication. The landscape of scientific research and publishing, and of communication technology at large, is rapidly growing and changing, as are the ways in which researchers read and access scientific literature. More than ever, readers want to be in control of their own reading experience: to be able to choose when and where they read and to navigate swiftly to the content they are most interested in. The changes we present in this new design represent an effort to address these challenges and help readers get the most out of each Trends article. As you will see throughout the issue, we have implemented changes cover to cover. Different fonts and color schemes, and an overall more modern design, provide a fresher look and feel to the article. Moreover, you will find greater diversity and a larger number of short articles included in our issues in the upcoming months, such as short, focused summaries of a single recent advance (Spotlights), single-point hypotheses and novel models (Forums), and commentary on broader issues relevant to the community (Scientific Life) and the public (Science & Society). These additional article types give us opportunities to present new voices and fresh perspectives to the community. By far the greatest changes you will see are to the Review and Opinion articles. The new Review and Opinion articles are designed to maximize the most valued aspects and elements of Trends articles. The PDF version of these articles features a one-column format, which makes the article easier to read on screens and portable devices. Throughout the article, new features help novice and experts alike to identify and digest the key take-home messages at their own pace, enhancing the reading experience. For instance, on the first page, you will find the Trends Box: a short collection of statements that convey the recent advances in the field that
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, October 2015, Vol. 36, No. 10
*Correspondence: [email protected] (J. Schaffhausen).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2015.08.011 © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
619
have motivated the discussion and analyses presented by the authors. Later in the article, you may find a Key Figure or Key Table, which provides a visual summary of the most important point (s) of the article in a clear, instructive, and impactful way. In the Outstanding Questions box, now featured in every Review and Opinion article, authors provide guidance on the key next steps for the field. Prominent placement and format of these elements helps you navigate content with ease. These changes are part of broader developments across the Trends journals. We seek to continually adapt and improve to meet the needs of both our current readers and new readers as fields emerge. With this goal in mind, we proudly introduce a new member of the Trends family of journals: Trends in Cancer. This new title aims to provide a platform for multidisciplinary information and discussion that is accessible to scientists, clinicians, policy makers, and advocates. The redesign of Trends would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of many people. We would like to thank our readers and editorial board members, who provided valuable advice and encouragement. We would also like to thank our authors, for their enthusiasm and patience as we have brought these changes to fruition. Finally, we thank you in advance for your feedback, which will help us to continue to improve our content. Please explore the new design, new article types and elements, and the new journal at http://www.cell.com/trends and tell us what you think at [email protected].
620
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, October 2015, Vol. 36, No. 10