Publishing your navigation research may seem like a daunting task, but becoming familiar with the step-by-step process involved in getting published can make it a more manageable and realistic undertaking, according to Kristin Siyahian, VP, Editorial Director of JONS.
AONN+ has very specific goals: to elevate the cause of navigation, to elevate the role of navigators on care teams, and to highlight navigation tactics. One of the most important ways navigators can assist in these efforts is by publishing their original research, thereby helping to demonstrate the value of navigation.
Conducting research in the field of navigation should aim to improve clinical outcomes, improve the patient experience, or demonstrate a positive return on investment of navigation programs.
“If you want to publish in a peer-reviewed journal, I speak on behalf of the entire editorial board for JONS when I say that we welcome the opportunity to consider your research for publication,” Ms Siyahian said at the 2023 AONN+ Midyear Conference in Orlando.
But at the end of the day, both AONN+ and JONS seek to enrich the literature on navigation topics, and publication in any peer-reviewed oncology nursing journal will help to move the needle in that direction, she added.
What’s Your Why?
Conducting research in the field of navigation should aim to improve clinical outcomes, improve the patient experience, or demonstrate a positive return on investment of navigation programs.
“We want to encourage you to look at navigation tactics, study them and report on them,” she said. “So, why publish? The short answer is, when you publish your study in a peer-reviewed journal, it instantly lends credibility to your research topic.”
Publishing your navigation research allows for the widespread sharing of scientifically relevant information in reputable peer-reviewed forums. It also allows navigators to advance their own professional development while gaining recognition for their institutions, all while advancing the field of navigation.
“But there’s also a personal component,” she noted. “Becoming a published author feels pretty good.”
The Mission of JONS
According to Ms Siyahian, JONS is more than just a journal: it serves as an extension of the AONN+ community and a vehicle for exchanging best practices established by actual navigators. Published in print and online, JONS promotes evidence-based practices in oncology navigation, disseminates original research findings, and fosters the growing community of oncology navigators.
She pointed out that submitting original research is not the only way to be published in JONS, as the editorial department also welcomes submissions for review articles, commentaries/op-eds, case studies, etc.
Compiling Your Research
Submitting your original research paper for consideration first involves writing an abstract, which should include:
- Background: Why is this topic important?
- Objective: What do you want to find out? (this should be accomplished in 1-2 sentences)
- Methods: How did you obtain results?
- Results: What did you discover, reveal, and learn?
- Conclusions: What are the implications of your research?
The abstract is a concise summary of the research conducted, while the actual article details the entirety of the research study. To parlay an abstract into a full-fledged original research article to submit to a peer-reviewed journal, authors should make sure they have:
- An introduction with fully referenced background information
- A detailed description of methods employed
- Discussion and interpretation of the results and their impact
- If applicable, figures and/or tables to clarify and display your data, as well as supplemental materials, surveys, etc
“You want to expand the narrative and fully flesh out what you did in your research,” Ms Siyahian said.
Getting Published
The JONS website includes author guidelines and detailed instructions for submitting a manuscript and outlines exactly what should be included in each type of submission (ie, original research, commentary, etc). It also serves as a submission portal.
“This process can be intimidating, but the JONS website will be a tremendous resource,” she advised.
Before submission, authors are responsible for ensuring data integrity and accuracy, obtaining written permission to reuse or adapt any table or figure from a previously published article or source, and providing full reference information in a numbered list at the end of the article.
Once submitted to the editorial team, a manuscript undergoes an initial review by a member of the board, then a blinded version of the manuscript (with no identifying information, author names, institutions, etc) is sent to 2 reviewers.
“It’s double-blinded, so the author doesn’t know the reviewers, the reviewers don’t know the authors, and the reviewers don’t know each other,” Ms Siyahian explained.
A decision, along with the reviewers’ comments, will then be sent to the corresponding author. More often than not, the reviewers will ask for changes, updates, clarification, etc, and they will also provide feedback and precise direction on how the article can be improved. The manuscript may undergo several rounds of revisions before being accepted.
“I really want to point out that peer-review is a form of mentorship,” said Ms Siyahian. “AONN+ is interested in elevating navigation, but we’re also interested in elevating navigators as researchers and writers.”
The JONS website includes author guidelines and detailed instructions for submitting a manuscript and outlines exactly what should be included in each type of submission. It also serves as a submission portal.
Once accepted for publication, the manuscript is sent to the editorial team for internal proof and edit review and cleaned up for things like grammar, style, and data accuracy. After final approval by the authors themselves, the manuscript is placed into the JONS journal design, posted on the JONS website, printed in the journal, and shared via email and social media.
Authors are also provided with trackable links to help raise awareness about their published article, and ultimately, to help elevate the cause of navigation.
