Application for German Journal of Sports Medicine in National Library of Medicine/PubMed

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1.       Exclusive Scientific Content: Since 2019, the Journal has exclusively published peer-reviewed scientific content, with all articles available online.

2.       English-Language Focus: Scientific content is fully presented in English, with extended German-language abstracts provided for each article.

3.       Improved Website Design: The Journal's website has been redesigned to enhance navigation and user accessibility, making it easier to locate articles in both PDF and HTML formats.

4.       International Reach: We have increased the proportion of international authors and reviewers, strengthening the Journal's global relevance and expanding its international network.

5.       Peer-Review Process: A rigorous double-blind peer-review system is now in place, ensuring the highest standards of review and quality. The rejection rate was 22.22% in 2022.

6.       Indexing and Accessibility: All articles are fully indexed in CrossRef, with over 1.2 million downloads per month, 32% of which are from international sources, including the USA and Asia.

7.       Increased Citations: The Journal's CiteScore and rankings in international indices (e.g., Scopus, Scimago) have improved significantly in recent years, reflecting its growing impact in the field.

8.       Open Access: All articles are freely accessible immediately upon publication, with fully indexed HTML documents and downloadable references in multiple formats (Medline, RIS, TXT).

9.       XML Format for PubMed: The Journal now adheres to the required XML format for PubMed submission, with tested and operational systems for metadata transmission.

These achievements reflect our ongoing commitment to improving the quality and international standing of the German Journal of Sports Medicine.

We sincerely appreciate PubMed's comprehensive review of our Journal and the valuable insights provided. We take this feedback seriously and have already implemented several steps to address the issues raised and enhance the overall quality of the German Journal of Sports Medicine. Below, we present our responses to the key points.

Areas for Future Improvement for Enhancing the German Journal of Sports Medicine

1. Objective

The primary objective is to significantly enhance the Journal's scientific integrity, editorial excellence, and international visibility. This will be achieved by focusing on improving the thematic scope, optimizing editorial processes, increasing scientific rigor, and streamlining administrative and production workflows.

2. Thematic Scope and Coverage

• Refinement of Thematic Focus: Clearly define and emphasize the core focus on "sports medicine" as a unique area of expertise.
• Target Audience Specificity: Sharpen the focus on both national and international target audiences.
• International Engagement: Attract renowned international experts as co-editors (editorial board, authors) to enhance global reach and relevance.

3. Editorial Policies and Processes

• Ethical Standards: Implement stringent ethical guidelines, including the requirement for ethical approvals (e.g., IRB, Prospero for systematic reviews).
• Policy Revision: Update and enforce more rigorous editorial guidelines to maintain high scientific and ethical standards.

4. Scientific Rigor

• Scientific Review Process: A dedicated scientific editor for each manuscript. In addition, scientific lectorate.
• Enhanced Peer Review: I rigorous inhouse peer-review process is implemented, with a focus on the methodological robustness and scientific relevance of submitted manuscripts.

5. Production and Administration

• Editorial Consistency: Regularly review and ensure consistent editorial standards, including layout, image quality, and table presentation.
• User Experience: Improve the functionality and user-friendliness of the online publication platform to enhance the reader's experience.

6. Long-term Measures

• Priority Action Areas: Develop a prioritized list of areas requiring immediate attention, with clearly defined objectives and actions.
• Comprehensive Future Plan: Formulate a detailed action plan to address identified weaknesses and set new standards for sustained improvement.

These measures are designed to reinforce and sustainably elevate the standing of the German Journal of Sports Medicine as a leading scientific Journal.

Qualitative Data Points

Rejection Rate
The rigorous double-blind peer-review process led to a rejection rate of 7,31 % in 2024, demonstrating the Journal's commitment to maintaining high-quality standards.

Download Metrics
The Journal achieves over 1.2 million article downloads monthly, with 32% of downloads coming from international sources, showcasing its growing global impact.

CiteScore Improvement
The Journal's CiteScore and positions in international indices like Scopus and Scimago have risen significantly, reflecting its increasing influence in the field.

Open Access Impact
All articles are freely accessible immediately upon publication, supporting the Journal’s commitment to open access and enhancing its visibility and citation rates globally.