BMJ  2007;334:586 (17 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39142.475799.AD

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Advice to a new editor

BMJ, London WC1H 9JR

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Dear Hermione,

Congratulations on your appointment as editor of the Journal of Amazing Medical Advances. I'm sure that you have already gathered an enthusiastic new editorial team and that you're bursting with ideas for improving the journal. The last thing that I want to do is to dampen that enthusiasm but, as someone who has played the publishing game for a while, I felt a word of warning might be useful.

You'll find, if you haven't done so already, that the first thing potential authors ask you about the journal you edit is: "What's its impact factor?" Indeed, it will usually be the only thing they ask you. If you can reply with a double digit figure, they'll immediately try to interest you in a manuscript they are writing. If you have to admit a low number, your plans to liven up the book reviews and to redesign the . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Brumback, R. A. (2009). Impact Factor Wars: Episode V--The Empire Strikes Back. J Child Neurol 24: 260-262  
• Coverdale, J. H., Weiss Roberts, L., Balon, R., Louie, A. K., Beresin, E. V. (2008). Improving the "Impact" of Academic Psychiatry. Acad. Psychiatry 32: 169-172 [Full text]  
• Brumback, R. A. (2008). Worshiping False Idols: The Impact Factor Dilemma. J Child Neurol 23: 365-367  
• Miller, H. E J (2007). The dark side. BMJ 334: 710-710 [Full text]  

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the dark side of impact factors

Helen EJ Miller
bmj.com, 23 Mar 2007 [Full text]

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