PUBLISHING AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH IN SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNALS

WEBINAR SERIES

November 23 and 30 & December 7, 2020 /  9:00 – 10:30 AM EST

Co-organized by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), the CGIAR Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA), and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD).

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While there are many important ways to disseminate findings from agricultural development research, publishing in reputable, peer reviewed journals is particularly important for researchers as a means to not only showcase their work but also solicit peer input, gauge how their own work compares with that of others, and enhance options for career advancement.

Deciding where to submit articles is a difficult choice, especially for early career researchers. There is now an almost bewildering array of journals in almost every field. But all journals are not the same: they reach different audiences, with different business models, impact factors, and prestige.  What are the factors one should take into consideration while deciding on a journal? What do editors really want? What makes editors decide what to desk reject and what to send out for review? How should one handle referee comments? What types of peer review are most useful—to editors, to authors, and to reviewers themselves?

The CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA), and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) will hold a series of three webinars to address these questions.

Monday, November 23, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST

Webinar #1: THE JOURNAL PUBLICATION LANDSCAPE

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This webinar provides an overview of the publication process, the overall landscape of journal publishing, and guidance on selecting a journal, including:

• Assessing journal audience, impact factors, and reputation
• Gated, open-access and hybrid business models
• How to distinguish predatory journals
• Overview of the process, from submission to publication, with tips for each stage
• Journal special issues.

Presenters:

Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Cheryl Doss, Senior Departmental Lecturer in Development Economics and Associate Professor, Oxford Department of International Development

Chair:

Frank Place, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM)

Monday, November 30, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST

Webinar #2: ADVICE FROM JOURNAL EDITORS

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This webinar offers a panel discussion amongst editors or associate editors of leading journals, addressing what they look for in submissions, how to avoid “desk rejections”, how to handle reviews, proofing, and publicizing articles.

Panel:

• Ashok Mishra, Editor-in-Chief, Agricultural Economics
• Elizabeth King, Managing Editor, Journal of Development Effectiveness 
• Laurens Klerkx, Editorial Advisory Board, Agricultural Systems

Chair:

Travis Lybbert, Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis; former editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics; SPIA Special Initiative Member

Introduction:

Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Monday, December 7, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST

Webinar #3: WRITING AND RESPONDING TO REFEREE REPORTS

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This webinar focuses on the specifics of the referee process—how (and why) to do good reviews, and how to respond to referee comments received.  The session includes sample “revise and resubmit” reviews.

Presenters:

Cheryl Doss, Senior Departmental Lecturer in Development Economics and Associate Professor, Oxford Department of International Development

J. V. Meenakshi, Professor, Delhi School of Economics; SPIA Member

Chair:

Michele Mboo-Tchouawou, Deputy Director, Programs, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)

Photo by Maheva Bagard Laursen / GBIF (Flickr)