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Why Publish in English — Why Publish at all?
Asian J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2002;14:189. EDITORIAL
Why Publish in English — Why Publish at all? There is no doubt that the volume of published articles in any medical field today is enormous, and this includes the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The most obvious reason, at least the presumed reason, is the ‘rush’ of scientific advances in the past few decades, and their applications to various medical disciplines. Advances in computer technology, fibreoptics, and imaging, to name only a few, on the one hand, and in the biological sciences such as genetics and immunology on the other, continue to impact on all clinical disciplines, leading to a genuine knock-on effect for progress. Such progress is communicated through scientific publications and the popular media. As far as scientific journals are concerned, a heavy responsibility is borne collectively by the editorial board, and by each individual referee who is charged with evaluating submitted manuscripts. The editors and referees are entrusted with a duty to the profession to ensure the accuracy, validity, appropriateness, and honesty of published material. They must achieve this within a spirit of fairness and sensitivity but without compromising standards. In short, the ethics of the editorial process are and must remain inviolate. What about the authors themselves? What is not mentioned above is that one of the less obvious reasons for the glut of published material is the need, whether perceived or actual, by many colleagues to publish. Publishing is often tightly linked with research funding, career advancement and promotion, rivalry among individual colleagues and parent institutions, and other driving forces. This is no bad thing and this type of impetus can still result in significant advances demonstrated in the ensuing publications. However, a degree of selfdiscipline must be applied by all authors with regard
Asian J Oral Maxillofac Surg Vol 14, No 4, 2002
to ‘duplicate’ submission of already published material and submission of reports on well known conditions. Authors also need to ensure that the observations of other researchers are appropriately cited, that data presented is not manipulated to any degree, and that co-authors are fully-informed and agree with the contents of the submission. Based on the tenets of authorship and editorial responsibility, some of which have been alluded to above, I must hasten to encourage scholarship and the publication of articles from our discipline in the Asian region. Many developments in our profession are currently taking place in various parts of the region, and this journal stands ready to disseminate these developments. Authors from all nations in the Asian region are invited and encouraged to contribute to our collective scientific profile. This brings me to the question of language. English is undoubtedly the language of international communications. I do not wish to examine how and why this came to be, however, it is worth emphasising that use of English should be seen as an effective tool of communication without political implications. In today’s world, reporting scientific developments in a national journal in a language other than English remains as beneficial to authors and readers as it ever was. However, dissemination of knowledge contained in such publications is restricted by virtue of the readership of the language in question. For studies with significant impact, publication in English would be desirable in order to reach the global readership and have an even wider impact. Nabil Samman Editor-in-Chief Asian Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
189
Why Publish in English — Why Publish at all? There is no doubt that the volume of published articles in any medical field today is enormous, and this includes the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The most obvious reason, at least the presumed reason, is the ‘rush’ of scientific advances in the past few decades, and their applications to various medical disciplines. Advances in computer technology, fibreoptics, and imaging, to name only a few, on the one hand, and in the biological sciences such as genetics and immunology on the other, continue to impact on all clinical disciplines, leading to a genuine knock-on effect for progress. Such progress is communicated through scientific publications and the popular media. As far as scientific journals are concerned, a heavy responsibility is borne collectively by the editorial board, and by each individual referee who is charged with evaluating submitted manuscripts. The editors and referees are entrusted with a duty to the profession to ensure the accuracy, validity, appropriateness, and honesty of published material. They must achieve this within a spirit of fairness and sensitivity but without compromising standards. In short, the ethics of the editorial process are and must remain inviolate. What about the authors themselves? What is not mentioned above is that one of the less obvious reasons for the glut of published material is the need, whether perceived or actual, by many colleagues to publish. Publishing is often tightly linked with research funding, career advancement and promotion, rivalry among individual colleagues and parent institutions, and other driving forces. This is no bad thing and this type of impetus can still result in significant advances demonstrated in the ensuing publications. However, a degree of selfdiscipline must be applied by all authors with regard
Asian J Oral Maxillofac Surg Vol 14, No 4, 2002
to ‘duplicate’ submission of already published material and submission of reports on well known conditions. Authors also need to ensure that the observations of other researchers are appropriately cited, that data presented is not manipulated to any degree, and that co-authors are fully-informed and agree with the contents of the submission. Based on the tenets of authorship and editorial responsibility, some of which have been alluded to above, I must hasten to encourage scholarship and the publication of articles from our discipline in the Asian region. Many developments in our profession are currently taking place in various parts of the region, and this journal stands ready to disseminate these developments. Authors from all nations in the Asian region are invited and encouraged to contribute to our collective scientific profile. This brings me to the question of language. English is undoubtedly the language of international communications. I do not wish to examine how and why this came to be, however, it is worth emphasising that use of English should be seen as an effective tool of communication without political implications. In today’s world, reporting scientific developments in a national journal in a language other than English remains as beneficial to authors and readers as it ever was. However, dissemination of knowledge contained in such publications is restricted by virtue of the readership of the language in question. For studies with significant impact, publication in English would be desirable in order to reach the global readership and have an even wider impact. Nabil Samman Editor-in-Chief Asian Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
189