PSYSCIQ 2009 – Supplement I

ABSTRACTS

Introduction and some ideas as well as visions on an open access European psychology publication platform
GÜNTER KRAMPEN

Abstract
After a short description of the organization, tasks, and activities of the Institute for Psychology Information (ZPID – Leibniz-Institute/Germany) possibilities of enhancing European cooperation on psychology publication issues are stressed upon. Arguments for its necessity refer to some turning points of history in the languages of science and to some problems of Anglo-American dominance in psychology publications, which are illustrated by bibliometric results on authors’ affiliations and publication languages represented in the PsycINFO database. The vision of a European Psychology Publication Platform (EPPP) is developed including some considerations about its objectives and scope, principles, submission procedure and guidelines as well as review process and evaluation.

Keywords: scientific communication, psychology, Europe, bibliometrics, information dissemination, databases, open access, online publishing

Prof. Günter Krampen, PhD
University of Trier
Department of Psychology and ZPID
Leibniz-Institute
D-54286 Trier, Germany
E-Mail: krampen@uni-trier.de

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Survey on European psychology publication issues
MARTIN UHL

Abstract
Open access, open review, language diversity and online publishing are the new paradigms and challenges in scientific communication. In order to collect data on these European Psychology publication issues, to raise awareness and to find co-operation partners, an online survey was designed. Data were collected from 11th of February till 30th of May 2008. The survey was answered by 493 persons from 24 European countries.
It was possible to show that international journals play an important role to obtain information and to foster careers. European language diversity and time delay are important aspects, which should be given more consideration. Open access still lacks awareness, especially in terms of support by authors. But we found many interested in contributing to open access journals and a journal that would ease the language barrier with a broad European focus would be very welcome.

Keywords: scientific communication, psychology, Europe, information, survey, open access, open review, language, online publishing, journal, time delay

Martin Uhl, PhD
University of Trier
ZPID
Leibniz-Institute
D-54286 Trier, Germany
E-Mail: uhl@zpid.de

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Publications in psychology: French issues
FRANK ARNOULD, ENZA MORALE & LAURENT PANES

Abstract
This paper discusses the situation of psychology publications in France, in particular, the visibility of French research through journals and bibliographic databases; the role of publications for the evalua-tion of researchers and laboratories, and the contribution of French psychologists to a national publica-tions archiving platform.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, journals, databases, evaluation, France

Frank Arnould, PhD
National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)
Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (INIST)
Allée du Parc de Brabois 2, CS 10310
F-54519 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
E-Mail: frank.arnould@inist.fr

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Psychology publishing in Portugal: hardships and disappointment follows expectations
FILOMENA PARADA

Abstract
Recently, to publish or to perish has become a motto governing most of researchers work. In Portugal, what makes the whole process so prone to hardships and disappointments is the lack of resources, mainly financial. At least, that’s what most of the interviewees – researchers working mostly at some of the major Portuguese public universities – mentioned. Such a lack of resources is cross-sectional to all aspects under analysis: accessibility, costs, reviewing, time delay, language, impact and reputation. However, some additional specificities must be pointed out, namely those deriving from a lack of organization (e.g., absence of national databases) or from the need to, most of the time, publish in a non-native language due to impact and reputation issues, with all the reviewing and time delay question specifically deriving from it. Finally, participants` expectation and/or suggestions concerning an Open Access European Psychology Publication Platform will be outlined.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, open access, funding, language, time delay, reputation, databases, Portugal

Filomena Parada, PhD
University of Porto
Faculty of Psychology and Education
Centre for Vocational Development and Lifelong Learning
Porto, Portugal
E-Mail: fparada@fpce.up.pt

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Publishing psychology in Romania: past challenges, present opportunities and future perspectives
VLAD-PETRE GLAVEANU

Abstract
The present paper will review Romanian psychology publications and will put a particular emphasis on both the process and current conditions of publishing psychology materials in this country. The article will be structured around three main sections. First, in order to have a broad image of how psychology developed as a science and the challenges it had to face in Romania, a short description of the general context will be offered. The body of the paper will present the key Romanian psychology journals along with other sources, like magazines or online materials, portraying the series of opportunities authors have nowadays to publish their work. The discussion will include high-rated academic journals, academic journals that are edited by universities or professional associations, as well as magazines offering more “popular” versions of psychology. A particular interest will be given to student journals since they represent a niche in the field and emerged from the students’ need to make their voice heard and to prepare for an active professional life as future psychologists. One such initiative will be discussed at length: the case of Europe’s Journal of Psychology, an online open access publication edited by a group of volunteers originally from the University of Bucharest. In the end, a section will be dedicated to the synthesis of the main advantages and disadvantages of the Romanian psychology publishing system and the ways in which a European Publication Platform could answer the needs of both authors and readers in Romania and not only.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, journals, information dissemination, online publishing, open access, Romania

Vlad-Petre Glaveanu, PhD
doctoral candidate in social psychology at
London School of Economics and Political Science
London, UK
E-Mail: glaveanu@lse.ac.uk

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European publication issues from an Austrian perspective
CLAUS-CHRISTIAN CARBON

Abstract
Publishing in Austria faces several barriers: Austria (1) has a small number of scientists compared with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average and only recently benefited from higher research intensities, (2) it has not yet made the full switch to English as lingua franca, (3) it has not yet developed an efficient Open-Access strategy, (4) it has a lower number of journal gatekeepers than expected by publication output, (5) it faces several legal barriers which interfere with scientific publications. The present article describes the publication situation in Austria in detail and develops strategies for successful publishing in the highly competitive scientific community of future Europe.

Keywords: scientific communication, psychology, information dissemination, online publishing, open access, journals, Austria, Europe, ISI Web of Science, lingua franca, language, gatekeeper, publisher, scientometrics

Prof. Claus-Christian Carbon, PhD
University of Bamberg
unit General Psychology and Methodology
Department of Psychology (formally affiliated to the University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Austria)
Delft University of Technology
Delft, The Netherlands
E-Mail: ccc@experimental-psychology.com

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Shortening the intellectual distances in Europe: psychological publishing activity in Bulgaria
YOLANDA ZOGRAFOVA

Abstract
The level of contemporary researchers’ publication activity in the sphere of psychology in Bulgaria is analyzed. The most authoritative Bulgarian psychological journals are presented with the specific characteristics of the process of acceptance and publication of the articles. In addition, some of the journals in other scientific fields which publish psychological materials are discussed as well. The crucial problems that the psychological knowledge published in Cyrillic faces, are outlined. Also, the issues and expectations related to the project Open Access European Publication Platform.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, journals, language, open access, online publishing, Bulgaria

Assoc. Prof. Yolanda Zografova, PhD
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Institute of Psychology
E-Mail: zografova@abv.bg

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Spanisch psychology journals: demography, editorial tendencies and impact
EVARISTO JIMÉNEZ CONTRERAS, EMILIO DELGADO LÓPEZ-CÓZAR, RAFAEL RUIZ PÉREZ, GLORIA RODRÍGUEZ-GARCÍA & MERCEDES DE LA MONEDA CORROCHANO

Abstract
This report describes the situation concerning Spanish Psychology journals over recent years. Two information sources were used: two national databases DICE and IN-RECS, which hold publishing and bibliometric information on these journals. Using Scientific and scientific policies development in Spain as the backdrop for this study, the following aspects in the development of this set of journals are described:
1. Number of journals and papers in Psychology and national and
1. international trends in the last ten years
2. Languages used in these journals
3. Institutional and geographical origin
4. Accessing ways: pay, time embargo on open access, OA
5. How many use/practice peer reviewing
6. Journals reputation
7. National and international impact of Spanish Psychology Journals
8. Prices

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, journals, policy making, databases, language, trends, open access, peer reviewing, evaluation, costs and cost analysis, Spain

Evaristo Jiménez Contreras, PhD
Universidad de Granada
Departamento de Biblioteconomía y Documentación
Research group “Evaluación de la Ciencia y de la Comunicación Científica – EC3”
(“Science and Scientific Communication Assessment”)
Spain
E-Mail: evaristo@ugr.es

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Spanish scientific journals on psychology (II): editorial quality, visibility, internationality and editors attitude towards open access
ELEA GIMÉNEZ-TOLEDO, GLORIA RODRÍGUEZ-GARCÍA & MERCEDES DE LA MONEDA CORROCHANO

Abstract
This paper aims to present the situation of Spanish Psychology journals with regard to certain qual-ity parameters obtained from two Spanish journal evaluation systems (RESH and DICE), Latindex and others.
First of all, the publishing profile is analyzed in relation to the publication frequency compliance and other international standards for scientific publications. In addition, the level of international dis-semination of Spanish Psychology journals in international databases is also examined, as a reflection of its quality and the interest that such a journal provokes in the scientific community. The best ten Spanish journals are identified according to the parameters considered in DICE: compliance with the publication frequency established, variety of institutions that contribute articles to the journal (contribu-tion openness), variety of institutions represented at the editorial board (editorial board openness), if it has a peer review system, the number of Latindex criteria that the journal fulfils and its level of pres-ence in international databases. Finally, editors` attitude towards online journals and Open Access as well as the internationality of editorial boards and authorship are analysed.
Some results: a) most journals follow international publishing conventions and watch for the time-liness of publication; b) a third of the journals are well represented in international databases; c) taking into account six quality criteria, there are 25-30 high level or competitive journals; d) a cautious atti-tude towards OA is observed in Spanish Psychology journals; e) according to the “internationality” of Psychology as a scientific domain, journals must make an effort to include foreign members in their advisory or scientific boards in order to attract papers from other countries. Around 20 journals have good levels of foreign authors and advisors.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, databases, journals, evaluation, open access, online publishing, Spain

Elea Giménez-Toledo, PhD
Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
Center for Human and Social Sciences (CCHS)
Scientific Publications Evaluation Group (EPUC)
E-Mail: elea.gimenez@cchs.csic.es

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The psychology publication situation in Cyprus
MARIA KAREKLA

Abstract
The aim of the present paper was to review the psychological publication situation in Cyprus. Psychology is a very young field of study in Cyprus, whereas research and publishing are more recent additions. It seems that only within the past decade with the advent of academic institutions hiring academic psychologists has psychological research and publishing become a priority. In order to explore questions of interest relevant to publication issues, a questionnaire was developed by the author and was distributed to psychologists in all accredited tertiary educational institutions in Cyprus. Although the publication world of Cyprus is limited in number, based on the responses provided, it appears that Cypriot academic psychologists are active in the publication world and do not currently face many problems. At this time Cyprus does not have its own psychological journal and it does not apear that it is in the process of creating such a journal. Therefore the idea of a European publication platform may be more of a reality and may even address some of the current needs and future difficulties that Cypriot psychologists may face in their attempts at publishing their work.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, online publishing, journals, trends, Cyprus

Maria Karekla, PhD
University of Nicosia
Center for Cognitive Behavioral Psychology
1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
E-Mail: karekla.m@unic.ac.cy

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The situation of psychology publications in Lithuania
VILMANTE PAKALNISKIENE

Abstract
There are only few journals in psychology published in Lithuania that are available for publications. There are also few other journals from other disciplines published in Lithuania that are accepting psychology studies for publications. Even though there are only few journals available for publications, these journals are very popular among scholars; psychology scholars are actively publishing their own work in these journals. Having publications in these journals are becoming more and more important for their scientific career. Only some scholars publish also in European or international journals. All the journals offer the possibility to publish in English, but not many scholars prefer to write studies in English. Thus, Lithuanian language is the main language for scientific publications in psychology in Lithuania. The language, time and rejection issues play a role in choosing Lithuanian journals of psychology over international journals.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, journals, language, Lithuania

Vilmante Pakalniskiene, PhD
Vilnius University & Mykolas Romeris University
Lithuania
E-Mail: vil-mante.pakalniskiene@oru.se

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Open access publishing – a challenge for russian psychology
BORIS B. VELICHKOVSKY

Abstract
Publication practices in Russian psychology have changed a lot since the break-up of the Soviet Union, but still differ substantially from those in the Western countries. In the last decade, an exponential growth of the number of scientific psychological journals was observed, but in general, scientific publishing is not a profitable business in Russia. There is a lot of variability in the accessibility and quality of the journals. In sum, psychological publishing in today’s Russia is not well developed. Open access (OA) publishing technologies seem to bring clear benefits to Russian psychology, but there are some problems that prevent their ready acceptance. First, there is a linguistic problem – Russian readers and writers have bad command of foreign languages. Second, there is a problem of background – Russian readers and writers are not used to Western-style research papers. Third, there is an economic problem – it is unclear, whether Russian universities and funding agencies will ever be ready to support publications in OA-journals. Thus, self-archiving and no-fee OA seem to be the most obvious ways to introduce OA to Russian psychologists.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, journals, open access, online publishing, language, funding, trends, Russia

Boris B. Velichkovsky, PhD
Moscow State University
Russia
E-Mail: velitchk@mail.ru

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Publishing in psychology: a description of the current situation in Germany
ANDREAS FREY & PHILIPP YORCK HERZBERG

Abstract
This paper reviews the current publication situation in the German field of psychology from an author’s viewpoint and examines the authors` acceptance regarding open access journals. The review is based on the answers of 28 authors to a questionnaire on official statistics about psychological journals and on information obtained from journal editors. The results show that accessibility to journals does not pose problems to authors in Germany. The authors are clearly oriented towards the Anglo-American branch of scientific psychology, writing mostly in the English language and submitting their manuscripts to international journals. The whole publication process takes rather long but could be substantially quicker if the publication lag was abbreviated. Most of the authors appreciate the general idea of open access journals but see serious challenges that need to be overcome when a new journal is to be established. The circumstances under which a new psychological open access journal could be successful are briefly discussed.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, journals, open access, publishing, trends, language, Germany

Andreas Frey, PhD
Leibniz Institute for Science Education (IPN) at the University of Kiel
Olshausenstraße 62
D-24098 Kiel, Germany
E-Mail: frey@ipn.uni-kiel.de

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Psychology publication issues in the Czech Republic
JOSEF VANCARA

Abstract
The aim of this paper is to present the current situation and the view of psychology publication policy in Czech Republic. The presentation provided a platform for discussion. It summarized sixth-century progress in the development of scientific language. The current publication situation in Psychology in the Czech Republic was described. The present article reports on the journals: Czechoslovak Psychology (Prague) in comparison with the journal Studia psychologica (Bratislava), about their impact factors and citation indexes; Psychology in Economical Practice; E-Psychologie; Psychology Today; two proceedings: Annales Psychologici (Brno) and Varia psychologica (Olomouc); News of the Czech-Moravian Psychological Society. In the Czech Republic, there seems to be a wish for the enlargement of the publication policy tailored to European perspectives; this is the challenge.

Keywords: scientific communication, psychology, information dissemination, journals, language, publication policy, linguistic diversity, online publishing, Czech Republic

Josef vancara, PhD
Masaryk University
Brno, Czech Republic
E-Mail: svancara@phil.muni.cz

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The development of scientific psychological publishing in Italy
VITO TÙMMINO

Abstract
In the last ten years, the question about the possibility of entering the psychological scientific in-formation has come to the fore. We know that scientific psychological information about research has not been placed at all psychologists’ disposal.
Today in Italy, in spite of this, the scientific and research activity has been carried out by a marginal segment of psychologists who mostly work in the Academic area, but an important part of professional psychologists devote themselves to research, above all in the clinical field. Researchers in Psychology publish an average of one article per year, almost always in the national language.
The CRUI (Italian Universities vice-chancellors Conference) has arranged an assessment parameter system for research taking into account the kind and place of editing, the score is from one to ten for editing in journals with a high Impact Factor, from one to twelve for books published both in Italy and abroad, from 0.1 to four for congress works, from 0.5 to five and from 0.2 to three for articles, included or excluded in the Journal citation report.

Keywords: scientific communication, psychology, Italy, information dissemination, evaluation

Vito Tùmmino, PhD
St. Anne’s Hospital
Via Collina 3
22100 Como, Italy
E-Mail: vitotu@tiscali.it

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European psychology publication platform: issues and perspectives
ERICH WEICHSELGARTNER

Abstract
This paper presents a brief summary of the Survey on European Psychology Publication Issues and the Berlin workshop. Six issues of main concern are discussed: (1) Language, (2) review process, (3) manuscript handling, (4) impact (visibility), (5) permission barriers (accessibility) and (6) price barriers (cost). These issues are the concerns of non-native English speaking Europeans as they experienced in their home countries. As a solution, a possible conceptualization of a European open access publication platform for psychology is presented. Giving more visibility to scientific work, disseminating information easy and more broadly and with new features not found in existing journals an open access platform may be the right direction. Concrete plans for the future on organizational, technical and funding issues are addressed.

Keywords: psychology, scientific communication, information dissemination, journals, open access, online publishing, language, funding

Erich Weichselgartner, PD, PhD
University of Trier
ZPID
Leibniz-Institute
D-54286 Trier, Germany
E-Mail: wga@zpid.de

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European psychology map
DANA SCHÖN

Abstract
The Institute for Psychology Information (ZPID) compiled an extensive list of European psycho-logical organizations, comprised of university departments, research institutions, professional associa-tions and publishing houses. The list is available on the ZPID website, together with a web mapping applet that indicates the exact geographical location of the organizations.

Keywords: psychology, information services, scientific communication, organizations, Europe

Dana Schön, PhD
University of Trier
ZPID
Leibniz-Institute
D-54286 Trier, Germany
E-Mail: schoen@zpid.de