7/24/2014
Transition to Continuous Publication at CDC’s
Preventing Chronic Disease
Lesli Mitchell, MA
Managing Editor
CSE Annual Meeting
May 4, 2014
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Preventing Chronic Disease E-journal
Presentation Outline
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Journal background
Status in 2011
Reasons for Change
Research
Strategy
Timeline
Implementation
Results - Metrics
Lessons Learned
Future Plans
About the Journal
• Open access
• Focus on
chronic
disease
• 50,000
subscribers
• Youngest of
CDC’s 3
journals
• Reputation
for technical
innovation
• 6 issues/
year in 2011
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Metrics Before Continuous Publication
Acceptance to Publication = 9 months
Submission to Publication = 1 year to 16 months
Backlog = 80 manuscripts
Workflow Before Continuous Publication
Manuscript Central
Word
HTML
InDesign PDF
Reasons for Continuous Publication
Pressure from Director’s office on all 3 CDC journals to match
JAMA’s 34 days target
New EIC with drive for innovation
Availability of technology/software
Tailor content – readers want specific topics not the whole
issue
Reduce costs
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Research
Other continuous
publication journals
Research
BMJ’s editorial on continuous publication:
http://www.bmj.com/content/336/7659/1450
Research
Software tools:
eXtyles, Typefi,
Charlesworth,
ScholarOne modules
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Special Considerations for PCD
No print version of journal
Budget not dependent on advertising
Vendor contracts require extensive paperwork and lead
time
• HTML, not PDF, is “official” version
Mix of contract
and federal
employees
Telecommuting
staff
Strategy
For 2012, did not try to increase production – focused on
smooth transition
Weekly release/monthly TOC to subscribers
Convert full-length articles to “Briefs” or introduce fast-track
article type
Bundle collections after publication
Dec 2011 - big publication push on backlog to clear pipeline
Timeline
2010
• Research
journals,
software
Dec 2011
• Backlog
published
Dec 2010
• PCD/EID
eXtyles
Infoshare
Jan 2012
• Hybrid
workflow
Feb 2011
March 2011
• eXtyles
demo
• Typefi
demo
Feb 2012
• PCD
eXtyles
training
July 2011
• Inera
training
eXtyles
June 2012
• Final
workflow
in place
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Implementation - Editorial
eXtyles – convert
Word docs to XML
Implementation - Design
From cover art to e-card
Implementation - Technical
2 weeks
2 seconds
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Obstacles
Internal technical/security
Contracts with vendors – needed more
time, paperwork was intensive
Training time
Lost staff
Final Workflow
Manuscript Central
Word (eXtyles)
XML
HTML
PDF
Results: Comparison Metrics
Metric
2011
2012
2013
Articles published
156
170
204
Acceptance to
Publication, d
220
118
126
Submissions
345
359
441
Rejection rate, %
53
46
49
Submission to 1st
decision, d
39
39
34
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What We Lost
What We Gained
Pretty PDFs
Editorial attention
Cover art
Some control from
outsourcing
Apples-to-apples
metrics
Decreased
turnaround time
Automated
processes
Flexible platform
Better metrics
tools
Less stress
Lessons Learned
Clear as much backlog as possible before you begin
Don’t train on software too early
Move external steps outside publication window
(translations)
Develop hybrid workflows because you’ll be delayed
Future Plans
XML to output prettier PDFs
Track production from start to finish – production module in
ScholarOne
Track metrics with a strategic direction and focus
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Thanks to Kim, Brandi, Camille, Helen, Rosemarie,
Teresa, Sasha, Ellen, Caran, Melissa, & Tawni
Special thanks to Sam for his vision
and direction
For more information please contact Lesli Mitchell at Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
Telephone: 404-518-9442
aul6@cdc.gov
Visit: www.cdc.gov/pcd
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Preventing Chronic Disease E-journal
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