Strategic Directions for ASN Journals and Education Activities
For nearly 100 years, scientific journals of the American Society for Nutrition have been leaders in the field, recognized for their outstanding leadership and exceptional content. Learn more about ASN’s renewed commitment to improving the publication experience.
An editorial from the American Society for Nutrition’s Board of Directors describes a recent strategic planning effort to ensure ASN’s publishing program remains vibrant and ready to meet members’ needs.
Background
A focal point of ASN 2028, the Society’s latest strategic plan, is an expanded role for the Society in the creation, translation, and dissemination of high-quality nutrition science through ASN’s publications and educational initiatives.
However, market disruptions including the current health and economic crises, increased competition and open access mandates have prompted ASN’s Board of Directors to examine current operations and future tactics in publishing and education.
Focus
In July 2020, a task force was appointed to strategically assess the following areas:
1. Responding to Imminent Change
Ensure business continuity through current and imminent disruptions such as increased competition, globalization, open access mandates and the current pandemic.
2. Increasing Publications and Impact
Expand ASN influence through publication of a greater proportion of high-quality, original research and other scholarly content.
3. Consensus Statements and Guidelines
Assess opportunities and infrastructure needed to amplify ASN’s authoritative voice and impact through the development of evidence-based guidelines, consensus statements and state of the science reports.
4. Optimizing Editorial Operations
Assess opportunities to further optimize publication operations and streamline workflows to further enhance author satisfaction and increase growth.
5. Future Knowledge Initiatives
Identify, prioritize, and prepare development plan for new educational resources and activities to increase member engagement and value, as well as audience growth.
A Roadmap for ASN’s Journals
Key Recommendations
1. Implement best practices to improve the ease and speed of publishing with ASN.
Recent improvements:
- Hassle-free submission reduces author workload by limited formatting requirements for first-time submissions.
- A unified set of instructions enables authors to transfer manuscripts between ASN journals seamlessly.
Upcoming enhancements:
- Best practices will accelerate the peer review process.
- A new program will train young professionals to serve as reviewers.
- A formal process to fast-track publication will benefit manuscripts that need to be disseminated quickly.
- Technology to display 3-D images will facilitate the publication of 3-D body image and brain scans in manuscripts.
2. Proactively attract more high-quality content to ASN’s journal portfolio, particularly in strategic, timely and emerging areas:
New processes for the seamless transition of manuscripts between journals will enable ASN to capture more quality content. Editorial boards will be diversified by recruiting expertise in target areas and from under-represented geographic areas. Artificial intelligence will expedite the recruitment of reviewers in new content areas.
3. Broaden efforts to increase the discoverability of journal content.
Expanded communications support will increase media coverage, social media, and eBlasts to promote journal content.
Other recommendations focused on journal operations and oversight; a renewed effort to delineate journal scopes; establishment of a scientific statement and consensus guideline program; and continued planning for an open-access future.
Task Force Members
The following are members of the Publications Strategic Planning Task Force and are working in collaboration with KWF Consulting, a leading management consultancy dedicated to the scholarly publishing community.
Co-leaders
Marta Van Loan, PhD
(Chair, Publications Committee)
Sarah Booth, PhD
(ASN Treasurer and Chair, Finance Committee)
Members
Robert Bertlo, PhD
Stuart Phillips, PhD
Emily Smith, PhD
Give Us Your Feedback
How can the American Society for Nutrition broaden its influence and reach through its scientific publications and education activities? How can ASN better meet your needs through its publications and educational efforts?
ASN 2028 represents a 10-year planning horizon that honors the Society’s 100-year anniversary and defines a long-range strategic perspective necessary to ensure that ASN is prepared for major changes facing nutrition in an evolving world.
Learn More About ASN 2028