8 steps to creating a successful open access journal

Establish a strategic partnership with a trusted publisher. In this case, three preeminent societies with unique networks and subject expertise partnered with Elsevier, a leading publisher with the resources and know-how needed for success in a highly competitive field.

Plan and invite seed papers in advance. Half a year ahead of the journal launch, the Editor-in-Chief and editorial team invited about 30 high-profile authors to submit articles, including a couple of review articles (known to be particularly good at attracting citations). In doing so, the journal launched with a bang.

Commission good papers and organize virtual special issues on hot topics. The editorial team organized a number of high-impact special issues on hot topics, including carbon neutrality, electrochemistry for the environment, artificial intelligence, and data driven-methods in environmental research. (All articles were subject to the journal’s rigorous peer review standards and full oversight by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief.)

Submit applications to key indexing repositories in time. At Elsevier, we have an expert team dedicated to understanding and applying for coverage of the various indexing services on behalf of each new Elsevier-published journal. Moreover, Elsevier-published open access journals obtain their first Impact Factor faster and with a higher value compared to other publishers (source: Scopus and Clarivate).

Ensure speed at every step. Expectations regarding speed of publication (including peer review) are higher in China than elsewhere in the world, and slow speed is often a key reason for not submitting to a journal. Authors in ESE have benefitted from an average 1.7 weeks to receive first decision and 3.7 weeks for the whole review.

Promote content through multiple social channels. Recognizing the unique way in which Chinese authors engage with academic journals, the editorial team established ESE WeChat and Twitter channels to promote key articles. Marketing activities are data-driven and targeted utilizing Elsevier’s Scopus indexing and abstracting database.

Keep the editorial team refreshed. Although a new journal, ESE has already added an Early Career Editorial Board in 2021. Not only do early career board members typically submit good papers, they also tend to act as good reviewers.

Motivate authors, reviewers and editors. Best paper, top reviewers, and editor awards have been introduced to recognize and motivate authors, reviewers and editors, who are the lifeblood of any journal.