Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Background We propose the creation of a journal transparency tool (JTT), which will allow users to obtain information about a given scholarly journal’s operations and policies. We are obtaining preferences from different stakeholders to inform the development of this tool. This study aimed to identi...

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Main Authors: David Moher, Erik Cobo, Amaya Perez, Pathiyil Ravi Shankar, Mireille Messih, Margaret Winker, Rubaina Farin, Mehvish Masood, Henry Liu, Jeremy Y. Ng, Ana Marušić, João de Deus Barreto Segundo, Alan Purvis, Eleanor-Rose Papas, Bibi Sumera Keenoo, R. Brian Haynes, Imogen Cranston, Julia Gunn, Kelly D. Cobey, Phaedra Eve Cress, Agnes Grudniewicz, John Willinsky, Wim J. N. Meester, Alfonso Iorio, Alan Ehrlich, Qiuxia Chen, Gregory L. Bryson, Juan Alperin, IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg, Josephine Weisflog, Pavel Stoev
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Language:English
Published: F1000 Research Ltd 2025-01-01
Series:F1000Research
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Online Access:https://f1000research.com/articles/13-915/v2
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author David Moher
Erik Cobo
Amaya Perez
Pathiyil Ravi Shankar
Mireille Messih
Margaret Winker
Rubaina Farin
Mehvish Masood
Henry Liu
Jeremy Y. Ng
Ana Marušić
João de Deus Barreto Segundo
Alan Purvis
Eleanor-Rose Papas
Bibi Sumera Keenoo
R. Brian Haynes
Imogen Cranston
Julia Gunn
Kelly D. Cobey
Phaedra Eve Cress
Agnes Grudniewicz
John Willinsky
Wim J. N. Meester
Alfonso Iorio
Alan Ehrlich
Qiuxia Chen
Gregory L. Bryson
Juan Alperin
IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg
Josephine Weisflog
Pavel Stoev
author_facet David Moher
Erik Cobo
Amaya Perez
Pathiyil Ravi Shankar
Mireille Messih
Margaret Winker
Rubaina Farin
Mehvish Masood
Henry Liu
Jeremy Y. Ng
Ana Marušić
João de Deus Barreto Segundo
Alan Purvis
Eleanor-Rose Papas
Bibi Sumera Keenoo
R. Brian Haynes
Imogen Cranston
Julia Gunn
Kelly D. Cobey
Phaedra Eve Cress
Agnes Grudniewicz
John Willinsky
Wim J. N. Meester
Alfonso Iorio
Alan Ehrlich
Qiuxia Chen
Gregory L. Bryson
Juan Alperin
IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg
Josephine Weisflog
Pavel Stoev
author_sort David Moher
collection DOAJ
description Background We propose the creation of a journal transparency tool (JTT), which will allow users to obtain information about a given scholarly journal’s operations and policies. We are obtaining preferences from different stakeholders to inform the development of this tool. This study aimed to identify the publishing community’s preferences for the JTT. Methods We conducted a modified three-round Delphi survey. Representatives from publishing houses and journal publishers were recruited through purposeful and snowball sampling. The first two Delphi rounds involved an online survey with items about JTT metrics and user features. During the third round, participants discussed and voted on JTT metric items that did not reach consensus after round 2 within a virtual consensus meeting. We defined consensus as 80% agreement to include or exclude an item in the JTT. Results Eighty-six participants completed the round 1 survey, and 43 participants (50% of round 1) completed the round 2 survey. In both rounds, respondents voted on JTT user feature and JTT metric item preferences and answered open-ended survey questions regarding the JTT. In round 3, a total of 21 participants discussed and voted on JTT metric items that did not reach consensus after round 2 during an online consensus group meeting. Fifteen out of 30 JTT metric items and none of the four JTT user feature items reached the 80% consensus threshold after all rounds of voting. Analysis of the round 3 online consensus group transcript resulted in two themes: ‘factors impacting support for JTT metrics’ and ‘suggestions for user clarity.’ Conclusions Participants suggested that the publishing community’s primary concerns for a JTT are to ensure that the tool is relevant, user-friendly, accessible, and equitable. The outcomes of this research will contribute to developing and refining the tool in accordance with publishing preferences.
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spelling doaj-art-4bcf6d1d78424cc3b9feaf03f2ea9a472025-08-20T02:02:21ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022025-01-011310.12688/f1000research.154408.2174029Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]David Moher0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2434-4206Erik Cobo1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3534-5602Amaya Perez2Pathiyil Ravi Shankar3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6105-5636Mireille Messih4Margaret Winker5Rubaina Farin6Mehvish Masood7https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2549-3573Henry Liu8Jeremy Y. Ng9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4588-0115Ana Marušić10https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6272-0917João de Deus Barreto Segundo11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4802-6045Alan Purvis12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4439-9792Eleanor-Rose Papas13Bibi Sumera Keenoo14https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3608-3106R. Brian Haynes15Imogen Cranston16https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7134-499XJulia Gunn17Kelly D. Cobey18https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2797-1686Phaedra Eve Cress19Agnes Grudniewicz20John Willinsky21Wim J. N. Meester22Alfonso Iorio23Alan Ehrlich24Qiuxia Chen25Gregory L. Bryson26Juan Alperin27https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9344-7439IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg28Josephine Weisflog29Pavel Stoev30Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Statistics and Operations Research, Barcelona-Tech, UPC, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaIMU Centre for Education, IMU University, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaProgram Director and Trustee, World Association of Medical Editors, Bellagio, ItalyDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaCentre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCentre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Research in Biomedicine and Health, Center for Evidence-based Medicine, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, CroatiaEscola Bahiana de Medicina e Saude Publica, Salvador, State of Bahia, BrazilHong Kong Academy of Medicine Press, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndependent Researcher, Croydon, London, UKFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Moka, MauritiusDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaF1000, Taylor & Francis, London, UKTaylor & Francis, London, UKUniversity of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaThe Aesthetic Society, Garden Grove, California, USACentre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaGraduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USAElsevier, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USAElsevier, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsCentre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaSchool of Publishing, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaElsevier, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsBMJ Publishing Group, London, UKPensoft Publishers, Sofia, BulgariaBackground We propose the creation of a journal transparency tool (JTT), which will allow users to obtain information about a given scholarly journal’s operations and policies. We are obtaining preferences from different stakeholders to inform the development of this tool. This study aimed to identify the publishing community’s preferences for the JTT. Methods We conducted a modified three-round Delphi survey. Representatives from publishing houses and journal publishers were recruited through purposeful and snowball sampling. The first two Delphi rounds involved an online survey with items about JTT metrics and user features. During the third round, participants discussed and voted on JTT metric items that did not reach consensus after round 2 within a virtual consensus meeting. We defined consensus as 80% agreement to include or exclude an item in the JTT. Results Eighty-six participants completed the round 1 survey, and 43 participants (50% of round 1) completed the round 2 survey. In both rounds, respondents voted on JTT user feature and JTT metric item preferences and answered open-ended survey questions regarding the JTT. In round 3, a total of 21 participants discussed and voted on JTT metric items that did not reach consensus after round 2 during an online consensus group meeting. Fifteen out of 30 JTT metric items and none of the four JTT user feature items reached the 80% consensus threshold after all rounds of voting. Analysis of the round 3 online consensus group transcript resulted in two themes: ‘factors impacting support for JTT metrics’ and ‘suggestions for user clarity.’ Conclusions Participants suggested that the publishing community’s primary concerns for a JTT are to ensure that the tool is relevant, user-friendly, accessible, and equitable. The outcomes of this research will contribute to developing and refining the tool in accordance with publishing preferences.https://f1000research.com/articles/13-915/v2health literacy scholarly publishing periodicals as topic publications ethics in publishing journal transparency tooleng
spellingShingle David Moher
Erik Cobo
Amaya Perez
Pathiyil Ravi Shankar
Mireille Messih
Margaret Winker
Rubaina Farin
Mehvish Masood
Henry Liu
Jeremy Y. Ng
Ana Marušić
João de Deus Barreto Segundo
Alan Purvis
Eleanor-Rose Papas
Bibi Sumera Keenoo
R. Brian Haynes
Imogen Cranston
Julia Gunn
Kelly D. Cobey
Phaedra Eve Cress
Agnes Grudniewicz
John Willinsky
Wim J. N. Meester
Alfonso Iorio
Alan Ehrlich
Qiuxia Chen
Gregory L. Bryson
Juan Alperin
IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg
Josephine Weisflog
Pavel Stoev
Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
F1000Research
health literacy
scholarly publishing
periodicals as topic
publications
ethics in publishing
journal transparency tool
eng
title Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_full Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_fullStr Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_full_unstemmed Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_short Publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool: A modified three-round Delphi study [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_sort publisher preferences for a journal transparency tool a modified three round delphi study version 2 peer review 1 approved 2 approved with reservations
topic health literacy
scholarly publishing
periodicals as topic
publications
ethics in publishing
journal transparency tool
eng
url https://f1000research.com/articles/13-915/v2
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