Health Studies Journal

[charm.10]

Hi all,

 

So far there's one student run Health Studies journal in Ontario that I know of, and I'm starting up an electronically published competitor.

Anyone interested in working on this, feel free to comment or message.

[future_doc]

I'm not able, but interesting. Can you tell us something about yourself in terms of background and where you are headed with this .........

[charm.10]

Sure .. sorry for the late reply, I've been hibernating in finals mode. Hope this answers your question futuredoc :

 

I'm a Health Management BHS 2014 candidate at York with some background in paramedicine, kinesiology and nursing. For the most part, I'm aligned with Dennis Raphael's approach to the social determinants of health but my views (especially health inequities between socially defined groups) also account for the sociology of health, intersectionalist, political economist and some positivist approaches.

 

So..for those of you who are strict conservatives or positivists we won't get along, I'm afraid. It'd be interesting to debate with you though, so please feel free to message.

[charmer08]

Hi all,

 

So far there's one student run Health Studies journal in Ontario that I know of, and I'm starting up an electronically published competitor.

Anyone interested in working on this, feel free to comment or message.

 

How do you start one?

[markov79]

heh, charm.10 and charmer08 both in one thread

[aaronjw]

Sure .. sorry for the late reply, I've been hibernating in finals mode. Hope this answers your question futuredoc :

 

I'm a Health Management BHS 2014 candidate at York with some background in paramedicine, kinesiology and nursing. For the most part, I'm aligned with Dennis Raphael's approach to the social determinants of health but my views (especially health inequities between socially defined groups) also account for the sociology of health, intersectionalist, political economist and some positivist approaches.

So..for those of you who are strict conservatives or positivists we won't get along, I'm afraid. It'd be interesting to debate with you though, so please feel free to message.

 

That's kind of the point to developing real ideas and research. Having someone who opposes or conflicts your views is how you open your mind and learn to see issues from all perspectives instead of a silo'd approach which explores a viewpoint based on author biases.

[aaronjw]

How do you start one?

 

York has one which has been an initiative of Dr. Tamara Daly.

[charm.10]

aaronjw - yes, that's right, but from what I observe journals (and organizations) tend towards the right or the left. You rarely see right-wingers in the CCPA for example

I'm not sure where you meant to go with your comment about Dr. Daly's, but fyi York actually has a completely student run one as well headed by an old class mate of mine.

 

Charmer08, I'm talking to some of my favorite professors about the details and apparently it's not that hard.

About my choice of an electronic format: Since I have limited free time (as is the case with almost everybody haha), and I'm a tree hugger so I'd rather save the paper.

[Ekylo]

Would it be ok if I don't go to York? I attend the University of Toronto campus in downtown Toronto so it's still close by. I'm in the Kinesiology program but I have taken several courses from the Health Studies program (Dennis Raphael was actually a guest speaker at one of my lectures).

 

Let me know .. I'm definitely interested !

[Guest LeCreuset]

Is there peer review or an editorial board? Do you accept all papers or do you have a grading criteria? Is there a faculty advisor or university support? What research and publishing experience do you have? What's your policy on TeX vs. preprocessed PDFs? Most importantly, what type of license are you accepting papers on?

 

Granted some of this may not be very important (TeX) but if you plan on starting a journal you should make sure it's damn good, otherwise admitting that you started it on your resume will be a huge negative.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you, just make sure you do it right if you do decide to do it. If you want a place to submit your own papers there are many journals that aren't peer reviewed you can use.

[charm.10]

@Lecreuset:

 

I'm still in the early stages of figuring out what I want to do, because time is always at a premium during finals period. Here's what I am thinking, in order of your questions:

 

Editorial board

I'm not sure how selective we can be with papers at this point as a start up but I'd like to have them reviewed by the EB in the future

I have a faculty adviser in mind but I would like this to be entirely student run and NOT affiliated with YorkU because I think it's good experience to be responsible for ourselves and not trade on someone else's good name... but we'll see how that works out

I have run a high school paper, founded an e-zine, and researched at the undergrad level

I think it's early to make that kind of decision

Publishing licenses - I have a lawyer looking into it

 

No worries, thanks for your questions, all good things to ask. I take it you've looked into this type of thing before?

 

@ Ekylo, definitely!

I don't want to limit it to one university ...actually for the same reasons aaronjw was trying to illuminate with his point about policy silos. I've pm-d you

[Ekylo]

Is there peer review or an editorial board? Do you accept all papers or do you have a grading criteria? Is there a faculty advisor or university support? What research and publishing experience do you have? What's your policy on TeX vs. preprocessed PDFs? Most importantly, what type of license are you accepting papers on?

 

Granted some of this may not be very important (TeX) but if you plan on starting a journal you should make sure it's damn good, otherwise admitting that you started it on your resume will be a huge negative.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you, just make sure you do it right if you do decide to do it. If you want a place to submit your own papers there are many journals that aren't peer reviewed you can use.

 

Thanks for bringing up those points !

 

I know of a couple of student run journals that are affiliated with UofT. I imagine this would be a similar endevour that faculty/representatives from the field may support and offer logistical advice towards?

[Guest LeCreuset]

@Lecreuset:

 

I'm still in the early stages of figuring out what I want to do, because time is always at a premium during finals period. Here's what I am thinking, in order of your questions:

 

Editorial board

I'm not sure how selective we can be with papers at this point as a start up but I'd like to have them reviewed by the EB in the future

I have a faculty adviser in mind but I would like this to be entirely student run and NOT affiliated with YorkU because I think it's good experience to be responsible for ourselves and not trade on someone else's good name... but we'll see how that works out

I have run a high school paper, founded an e-zine, and researched at the undergrad level

I think it's early to make that kind of decision

Publishing licenses - I have a lawyer looking into it

 

No worries, thanks for your questions, all good things to ask. I take it you've looked into this type of thing before?

 

@ Ekylo, definitely!

I don't want to limit it to one university ...actually for the same reasons aaronjw was trying to illuminate with his point about policy silos. I've pm-d you

 

Do not at all try to do this without your university.. you don't have a name right now and nobody would really bother submitting, not trying to sound mean it's how academia works. There is a very good reason all of the credible undergraduate run journals are affiliated with universities and have faculty on board, having a faculty adviser and saying you're affiliated with York you would have the opportunity to publish student dissertations and papers submitted to classes as well as use your faculty's listserv. Professors would actually encourage their students to submit to a York sponsored journal.

 

From what I understand you haven't submitted a paper for publication yet - this is why you need a professor. If you publish crap you'll never get established in the niche that is undergraduate journals. A good example is the Western Undergraduate Research Journals, they publish decent papers and a lot of thesis students who don't get into a real journal will publish there.

 

The whole 'trade on someone else's name is bad because we have to be independent' is not at all how academia works. If you were to cure cancer and Alzheimer's in one go right now not a single reputable paper would publish you without a principle investigator's name as the last author, everyone started out trading on someone else's name until they're published enough to use their own.

 

Anyways just my two cents, it's a good idea that I encourage you to pursue, just don't try to be a hero.

[charm.10]

Do not at all try to do this without your university.. you don't have a name right now and nobody would really bother submitting, not trying to sound mean it's how academia works. There is a very good reason all of the credible undergraduate run journals are affiliated with universities and have faculty on board, having a faculty adviser and saying you're affiliated with York you would have the opportunity to publish student dissertations and papers submitted to classes as well as use your faculty's listserv. Professors would actually encourage their students to submit to a York sponsored journal.

 

From what I understand you haven't submitted a paper for publication yet - this is why you need a professor. If you publish crap you'll never get established in the niche that is undergraduate journals. A good example is the Western Undergraduate Research Journals, they publish decent papers and a lot of thesis students who don't get into a real journal will publish there.

 

The whole 'trade on someone else's name is bad because we have to be independent' is not at all how academia works. If you were to cure cancer and Alzheimer's in one go right now not a single reputable paper would publish you without a principle investigator's name as the last author, everyone started out trading on someone else's name until they're published enough to use their own.

 

Anyways just my two cents, it's a good idea that I encourage you to pursue, just don't try to be a hero.

 

 

I'm not worried about YorkU students not submitting since I'm well connected in my own community, but your point is quite valid as far as other universities go.

Nevertheless, I'm not quite sure what you think the professors role ought to be to avoid "publishing crap".

[Ekylo]

Do not at all try to do this without your university...

 

It's not technically 'without your university'. We're not talking about a blind student initiative. We would get advice and support from our respective universities and professors within them. Much like how organizations can be independent while utilizing the resources of a university, I'm sure this endeavour can too. If we get faculty that are interested from different universities (I actually know a couple of profs with whom I ran events with who would be very enthusiastic about this type of project), profs from multiple universities may encourage submissions. The exact roles for ourselves and faculty advisers can be sorted out in a way that works, I'm sure.

 

Off the top of my head, I can think of several ways in which a project like this could be marketed. There are several student run journals within universities but few that involve multiple universities. I've been involved in reviewing articles written by UofT students in various occasions and I'm pretty confident there would be an interest within the student population.

[Guest LeCreuset]

It's not technically 'without your university'. We're not talking about a blind student initiative. We would get advice and support from our respective universities and professors within them. Much like how organizations can be independent while utilizing the resources of a university, I'm sure this endeavour can too.

 

Academia is not the same as any other organization, you need branding and a reputable professor/institution/academic organization sponsoring you. This is a common ingredient for every single student run and non-student run journal in existence, for a very good reason.

 

If we get faculty that are interested from different universities (I actually know a couple of profs with whom I ran events with who would be very enthusiastic about this type of project), profs from multiple universities may encourage submissions. The exact roles for ourselves and faculty advisers can be sorted out in a way that works, I'm sure.

 

Faculty have a responsibility to their own institution, faculty sponsored university run journals will always preferred over yours, rejected papers on the other hand are fair game. Professors also have to be careful not to encourage their students to submit to a journal that may go defunct in a year or two when the founders move on to some other project because no university is providing oversight. Just because they like the idea (I do too) it doesn't mean they will encourage their students to submit.

 

Off the top of my head, I can think of several ways in which a project like this could be marketed. There are several student run journals within universities but few that involve multiple universities.

 

Not true many university run journals accept papers from students at other universities.

 

 

Nevertheless, I'm not quite sure what you think the professors role ought to be to avoid "publishing crap"

 

Their crap-ometer is much more tuned than yours. They can sniff BS in papers from a mile away. I can write you a paper right now that's fully referenced with statistics and figures but is completely bull, you wouldn't be able to tell as a student unfamiliar with my specific subsection of the field. Professors have had the unfortunate luxury of dealing with bull for a long time and are much more knowledgeable in their respected fields than you will be for a long time.

 

 

You're severely overestimating your abilities and credentials. I have no doubt you're capable of accomplishing this project, but not on your own, you haven't even been published yet, and you plan on running a journal? Anyways that is the last of my advice since you don't seem interested. Best of luck!

[Ekylo]

Academia is not the same as any other organization, you need branding and a reputable professor/institution/academic organization sponsoring you. This is a common ingredient for every single student run and non-student run journal in existence, for a very good reason.

 

 

Is it not possible to have multiple universities sponser one student-run journal? I beleive we are talking about the same thing. There will be branding and reputable faculty and universities involved. They will just span different universities.

 

 

Faculty have a responsibility to their own institution, faculty sponsored university run journals will always preferred over yours, rejected papers on the other hand are fair game. Professors also have to be careful not to encourage their students to submit to a journal that may go defunct in a year or two when the founders move on to some other project because no university is providing oversight. Just because they like the idea (I do too) it doesn't mean they will encourage their students to submit.

 

 

Like you said, I'm sure getting help from faculty will be absolutely necessary if a project like this is to be successful. I'm really not sure with regards to how this idea will pan out but I imagine we will need to aquire support from multiple faculties. However, it can still be 'student run' in the sense that the promotion and organization is done by students. Perhaps, faculty can point us in the right direction with regards to screening material. Or, they can be involved in the process in some way as well ... this project is still in its preliminary stages so everything is a possibility.

 

With regards to continuation, my experience is there is usually an elected committee or board of some sort. Even if we were to leave later on, new students would take our place.

 

 

Not true many university run journals accept papers from students at other universities.

 

 

But, for the most part, the authors and exec are primarily students that reside within the host university, aren't they? At least, that is my understanding. However, I imagine that the professors involved will give guidence to what already exists and where there is room for expansion.

 

You're severely overestimating your abilities and credentials. I have no doubt you're capable of accomplishing this project, but not on your own, you haven't even been published yet, and you plan on running a journal? Anyways that is the last of my advice since you don't seem interested. Best of luck!

 

I apologize if this is the way I came across because it was not my intention at all. I fully recognize that I am just an undergraduate student with limited exposure to the world of research. This is why I keep emphasizing that we will need advice and guidance from people who do have extensive experience (professors, community leaders, etc), if we are to puruse this project.

 

Also, I am very interested in the potential issues that you are raising as they will probably be some of the real barriers we will encounter. If you do have any other insights you think we should be aware of, I'd really appreciate your comments .

[Guest LeCreuset]

Is it not possible to have multiple universities sponser one student-run journal? I beleive we are talking about the same thing. There will be branding and reputable faculty and universities involved. They will just span different universities.

 

 

 

Like you said, I'm sure getting help from faculty will be absolutely necessary if a project like this is to be successful. I'm really not sure with regards to how this idea will pan out but I imagine we will need to aquire support from multiple faculties. However, it can still be 'student run' in the sense that the promotion and organization is done by students. Perhaps, faculty can point us in the right direction with regards to screening material. Or, they can be involved in the process in some way as well ... this project is still in its preliminary stages so everything is a possibility.

 

Again it's not that you're coming off as cocky, it's just that due to your lack of experience with publishing you're not currently aware of all the responsibilities you have and the challenges you will face, that's something you will never know until you go through with it. Go talk to a professor, pitch the idea, see what happens, if you can't get support the idea is pretty much dead.

 

Best of luck.

 

With regards to continuation, my experience is there is usually an elected committee or board of some sort. Even if we were to leave later on, new students would take our place.

 

 

 

But, for the most part, the authors and exec are primarily students that reside within the host university, aren't they? At least, that is my understanding. However, I imagine that the professors involved will give guidence to what already exists and where there is room for expansion.

 

 

 

I apologize if this is the way I came across because it was not my intention at all. I fully recognize that I am just an undergraduate student with limited exposure to the world of research. This is why I keep emphasizing that we will need advice and guidance from people who do have extensive experience (professors, community leaders, etc), if we are to puruse this project.

 

Also, I am very interested in the potential issues that you are raising as they will probably be some of the real barriers we will encounter. If you do have any other insights you think we should be aware of, I'd really appreciate your comments .

 

The path of least resistance is to start at one, establish yourself, then move to another, or you and whoever else is involved each start one with the same name at their respective institutions, and publish collaboratively. Go to a professor you know very well, or your faculty chair and pitch the idea. If they approve you can officially petition your undergraduate dean for a university subdomain and the right to use university letterhead. This makes you infinitely more credible. The professor will mostly play an advisory role, show him your completed issue, cover art, etc. and get ideas on how to structure the journal. Without the university domain and support no one can be really sure you'll survive. HealthUndergradJournal.com is much less professional than HealthUndergradJournal.yorku.ca. As a journal you are indebted to authors and have to consider their best interests, if you magically disappear you're really screwing them over.

 

The thing is - if your faculty doesn't give you support you can't brand yourselves as coming from that institution - at all.

 

Propose this idea to your faculty, get whoever else to do the same at their other universities, everyone get the same domain name at each university and have them forward to the same page. Problem solved.

[charm.10]

Best of luck!

 

Thanks LeCreuset, to you as well on your finals

[charm.10]

Thanks LeCreuset, to you as well on your finals