HSE Library Help

Steps and considerations in publishing an article: 

Assuming your research is completed and ready to publish, then; 

• Decide which journal you want to publish in. Logically, you should aim to publish in a journal relevant to your field – if your research is on orthopaedic surgical techniques, then aim to publish in a surgical journal. You can browse journals by discipline using the Library's journal finder tool (available on the home page of the hse library website - you will need to login using your Athens username and password).  
• Some tools to help you decide: The JANE website allows you to paste your article abstract into the site and it will compare it to journals indexed in Medline and suggest the best journal to submit to. A checklist to help you decide where to publish is attached, it is a useful tool to aid decision making.   
• Type of article: Consider the type of article you have written and submit to a journal which publishes similar material. If you have written a case study, The Irish Medical Journal, for example may be a good option, it publishes research by clinicians working in Ireland. 
• Submission and Peer Review process: When you have selected a journal to submit to, review their submission process (they will have a guide for authors). It will include details on their peer review process. The submission and peer review process can be quite lengthy depending on the publications criteria and the frequency of publication  
• Types of Peer review:  1.Single blind peer review – a single reviewer whose identity is anonymous, the author details remain on the manuscript.  2. Double blind peer review – both the reviewer and the authors details are anonymised. This helps prevent bias. 3. Open peer review – the identity of the reviewer and author(s) open. This increases transparency.   

Consider publishing in Open Access (OA):   As health sciences publishing moves toward an Open Research Model, this is easier than ever. It is also important to note that research funders within the EU are making grant approval contingent on publication of completed research in an OA journal. The Irish National Framework on the Transition to an Open Research Environment states that publicly funded research (including research produced by anyone working in a public institution) 'will be openly available by default from 2020 onward.'  More details on Open Access are available HERE 

If OA article-processing charges are prohibitive, opt for “green” Open Access. This allows you to archive the peer-reviewed manuscript of your research in a repository like as Lenus while the formatted version will appear in the publisher’s journal. Publishing in an OA forum – even for green OA – results in increased visibility and higher citation rates for your research. The HSE's Open Access publishing statement advises that all HSE research be made available in Open Access in the Lenus repository.     

If you need support in preparing your research for publication or need to discuss further, make an appointment with a librarian at your local HSE library