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EDITORIAL |
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Year : 2021 | Volume
: 1
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-2 |
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Reaching expectations - The need of the hour
Narasimha M Kalipatnapu
Journal of Ophthalmology Clinics & Research, Sankar Eye Hospital, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
Date of Submission | 03-Aug-2020 |
Date of Decision | 05-Aug-2021 |
Date of Acceptance | 05-Aug-2021 |
Date of Web Publication | 01-Nov-2021 |
Correspondence Address: Dr. Narasimha M Kalipatnapu Journal of Ophthalmology Clinics & Research, Sankar Eye Hospital, 29-4-10, Governorpet, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/jocr.jocr_19_21
How to cite this article: Kalipatnapu NM. Reaching expectations - The need of the hour. J Ophthalmol Clin Res 2021;1:1-2 |
Authoring scientific articles can be a difficult task for beginners and experts alike.[1] Mastering the art of effective communication and scientific writing is a gradual process. A postgraduate student who actively takes part in conducting research and contributing journal articles will see scholastic improvement. Writing an article for a peer-reviewed journal is an intellectual challenge. A clear thought process about the research methodology and effective communicating skills are vital for progress in academic accomplishments.
It is invaluable to the young trainee to show keen interest right from the beginning of the postgraduate training in drafting articles. They should discuss with their mentors at every step of the way. Steadfastness and perseverance are the most important qualities that you should have in getting articles published in scientific journals. These qualities will enable the resident to reach expectations in the need of the hour.
Success in publishing has enormous professional relevance. It plays a role in increasing the power of one's CV, getting ahead of one's peers for the next job, and generating a successful grant award.[2] It can help an academician to reach a higher academic position.
In three decades, the internet has become inescapably interwoven throughout our academic and personal lives. The exponential growth of software applications such as reference managers and other statistical analysis applications has revolutionized the scientific paper writing practice. Publishing and propagating the knowledge the world over has become near effortless.
However, the transfer of technical skills and the attainment of the expectations of the journal in writing a scientific article is only possible through peer-review. In the peer-review process, a group of independent researchers in the relevant area of the research and editorial board assess the validity and originality of the study, to publish in the journal concerned. It ensures intellectual quality and outcome. It fulfills the ultimate object of the formal best way of communication of a researcher. And is nothing but, the publication of a technical paper in a scientific journal.
All postgraduates should write articles in peer-reviewed journals and learn the art of the publication process. This makes professional life more meaningful and enlightens the other peers. It also gives great professional satisfaction as it helps in the betterment of patient care and humankind as a whole.[3]
Peer review confers legitimacy not only on scientific journals and the papers they publish but also on the people, who publish them.[4] Scientific journal from any organization is the reflection of the collective intellect. Engaging the younger generation in this academic tradition is imperative in sustaining the collective intellectual effort. It is of great implication for not only the individual scholar involved but also the future of medicine/any academic area as well. Publishing scientific facts to answer a research question in a peer-reviewed journal is a valuable tool and plays a crucial role to postgraduates and clinicians to make them stronger in scientific conversation and improvement of academic skills.
On behalf of the editorial board and myself, I thank Andhra Pradesh Ophthalmic Society (APOS) executive members for reposing confidence in us to start a peer-reviewed journal in Andhra Pradesh, Journal of Ophthalmology Clinics & Research (JOCR), as the official publication of the APOS. We strive to do our best in reaching the escalating standards of the present ophthalmic journals. We assure the readers of appropriate, relevant, and apt literature that reflects the present-day scenario of cutting-edge technology and ophthalmic practices taking place in India and worldwide. Furthermore, we look forward to publishing the work of young researchers and encourage them to delve into the world of scientific writing, peer-reviewed work, and academic pursuits.
In the upcoming journal, we are going to include review articles, original articles, and articles on community ophthalmology, brief communications, case series, case reports, and letters to the editor. Though print journal issues will come bi-annually, the publisher can publish digitally on the web ahead of print. These articles will have a digital object identifier (DOI) number and hence, articles can be cited by the others.
A clinician/teacher/researcher communicates and propagates his knowledge of evidence-based medicine for the betterment of mankind through a scientific journal.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was little understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. Hence, the death rate was remarkably high. As our understanding improved with the propagation of knowledge and guidelines through many journals, it helped in reducing mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from New York City demonstrated a significant drop in mortality rate from 25.6% in March to 7.6% in August 2020, even after adjusting for variation in age, comorbidities, and other patient characteristics.[5] In India, COVID-19 second wave took an exorbitant toll. The cause of the second wave may be that human behavior is the major factor. State and local governments, as well as individual people, differ in their response to the pandemic.[6] To relax the preventive measures, countries must thoroughly revisit their situations based on scientific evidence.[7] Forecasting the spread of a pandemic is, therefore, paramount in helping governments to enforce many social and economic measures, apt at curbing the pandemic and dealing with its aftermath.[8] Thus scientific journals play an important role in propagating guidelines during pandemics which in turn affect the health of the world population.
As scientific paper publishing has become mandatory at all levels, from postgraduates to senior clinicians/teaching staff to cross the efficiency bar, they should utilize this JOCR platform as the articles are going to get DOI numbers and citations for the betterment of their career and also help people of this area to unravel their ophthalmic problems.
There is no doubt regarding the role of publishers in bringing about great impact through their efforts in delivering journals with quality standards, on time, and through effective platforms. “Research is changing in the developing world with clinicians and researchers looking for more access to locally-written content that is peer-reviewed and accessible through open platforms,” said Karen Abramson, President, and CEO, Wolters Kluwer Health, Medical Research.[9] We are proud to be associated with Wolters Kluwer publishers whose standards are exemplary.
It is extremely important to have open access to scientific journals from every corner of the world to allow for the accessible distribution of applicable scientific content and let us join hands to elevate global health care through the growth of this JOCR journal.
References | |  |
1. | Jatin S, Anand S, Ricardo P. Scientific writing of novice researchers: What difficulties and encouragements do they encounter? Acad Med 2009;84:511-6. |
2. | Dick AD. Are we on a voyage to the unknown? Br J Ophthalmol 2002;86:253-4. |
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4. | Goldbeck-Wood S. Evidence on peer review – scientific quality control or smokescreen? BMJ 1999;318:44-5. |
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7. | Ali I. COVID-19: Are we ready for the second wave? Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2020;14:e16-8. |
8. | Cacciapaglia G, Sannino F. Interplay of social distancing and border restrictions for pandemics via the epidemic renormalisation group framework. Sci Rep 2020;10:15828. |
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