As there are varieties of journals depending upon their scope, stage, impact factor, rankings and so on, should Universities define the minimum standard requirements for the publication of research articles by their Professors? I mean, is it a good idea if University 'A' sets a clear policy that their faculties need not publish in any journals that are not in the ABDC/ABS list or that must be at least 'B' category under ABDC or 2* under ABS or, something like that? In case if someone wishes to contribute in other journals, an approval or notification to be provided to the University or something like that.
My curiosity here are two fold: First, will it facilitate for aiming big or rather discourage to attempt as well? or, Second, Will it create a chaos and the faculties maybe interested to switch the University for their freedom?
I look forward to your thoughts over it.
This would be a violation of academic freedom based on the silly idea that the quality of a research communication can be improved by prescribing specific publication channels. My advice: Don't try this at home.
It is common for universities to have policies and guidelines in place for the publication of research articles by their faculty members. These policies can be used to ensure that the university's research is of a high quality and to promote academic excellence.
One approach that some universities take is to require their faculty members to publish in journals that are listed in reputable indexing databases, such as the ABDC or ABS. Setting a minimum standard, such as requiring faculty members to publish in journals that are at least in the 'B' category under ABDC or 2* under ABS, can help ensure that the university's research is of a high quality and is being read by other experts in the field.
However, this approach can also have some potential downsides. It may discourage some faculty members from attempting to publish in higher impact journals, as they may believe that their work will not be considered valuable if it is not in a certain category or indexing database. Additionally, it may create a tension and may lead to some of the faculties switching to other Universities to have more freedom in their publications.
It's important to keep in mind that different fields have different standards and publication practices, so one size doesn't fit all. The best approach may be to have a flexible policy that allows for some level of flexibility, while still ensuring that the university's research is of high quality.
For example, instead of having strict rules, the University can provide guidance and resources to help faculty members identify high-quality, reputable journals in their field, and some scholars may have the freedom to publish in non-indexed journals, as long as the research is of high quality and well-vetted by the external reviewers.
Hari Gopal Risal University publishing rules that describe the minimal criteria for research publications published by its academic members are not uncommon. Setting explicit rules can assist guarantee that the university's research is of high quality and fulfills specified requirements. However, it is critical to be mindful of the possible downsides of such regulations.
Setting explicit rules for publishing has the ability to motivate faculty members to aspire for higher-quality and more reputable publications. This can serve to improve the exposure and reputation of the university's research, which can help with financing, recruiting, and general prestige.
On the other side, such regulations may discourage some researchers from seeking to publish in lower-ranked journals that, despite having lower impact factors, may still be important to their field of research or have a narrower emphasis. Or, it might limit researchers' independence and disincentivize them from pursuing their areas of interest, publications on which they are more versed, and journals that their audiences read.
Another possible disadvantage is that such restrictions may cause academic members to feel confined by the university's guidelines, prompting some of them to seek employment at other schools that provide greater latitude. This could result in the university losing talent and experience.
Hello Hari Gopal Risal
I agree with the points of Fredrick Ishengoma that this method ensures adherence to minimum standards so that Professors and academic staff in general do not frquently seek publications in low-quality journals. At the same time, we have to remain mindful that different areas have very different standards. For example, it is impossible to compare IFs for people of different areas. My overall thought is like your comment: people will probably try to "aim big".
Thank you Joseph C Lee Fatemeh Khozaei Fredrick Ishengoma Jochen Glaser for reading and offering your insightful response. I'd like to add to the discussion with an additional curiosity.
Q. If a University plans to enhance its research credibility, this kind of publication protocol may encourage some faculties to switch to other Universities for their freedom. At the same time, many other faculties may wish to aim big or continue publishing in high-quality journals. Furthermore, the publication protocol may also attract the best pool of talent and manage its reputation.
These practices will not just enhance the research quality of certain Universities, but they will also contribute to improving the overall research quality. It will discourage predatory publications, researchers will start developing skills to match their targets with the higher quality of journals' requirements.
Please feel free to share your thoughts.
Hello, again, Hari Gopal Risal
I agree with your points and makes me think of the arguments of quality vs quantity in the academic context. As I said then - and I say now - when I was a lot more junior, I was trying to get as many publications as possible and quickly. At that time, I was really trying to increase quantity. Now I have an established position, it is different and I am more pursuing quality (by publishing only in high-quality journals). This will mean I personally give less business to the so-called "bad" journals. But a lot of more junior researchers may still need to do that to get themselves established.