Online publishing workshop for journal production staff - held in Accra, Ghana - 27-29th September 2005

Report by

Sioux Cumming from INASP

Delegates

19 delegates in total 15 journals represented - all from Ghana

Name, Journal, Organisation, Email (delegates at the February 2005 workshop marked with an asterisk) :

  Prince Acheampong, Journal of Science and Technology, KNUST Kumasi, yawprince68@yahoo.com
  Gifty Oforiwa Addo, Ghana Medical Journal, Ghana Medical Association, gma@ghana.com / gmj@dslghana.com
  Godwin KS Aflakpui*, Agricultural and Food Science Journal of Ghana, CSIR-CRI Kumasi, gksaflakui@cropsresearch.org
  Naomi Appiah, CSIR-FORIG Kumasi, Ghana Journal of Forestry, CSIR-FORIG Kumasi, nappiah@forig.org
  Agnes Apusigah*, Ghana Journal of Development Studies, UDS, Navrongo-UER, Apusiga59@yahoo.com
  Ayitey Armah*, Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science and Ghana Journal of Science, CSIR-INSTI, Accra, nii32ayite@yahoo.com
  Eric Asante*, Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science and Ghana Journal of Science, CSIR-INSTI, Accra, erasantegh@yahoo.com
  Kenneth Azumah, African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences, xumah@yahoo.com Leonard Bamfo, Ghana Journal of ScienceI, INSTI, Kekfer@yahoo.com
  Stephen Bekoe, Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science and Ghana Journal of Science, CSIR-INSTI, Accra, Stephenoware200@yahoo.com
  K. Buckner Dogbe*, Journal of Arts and Humanities, KNUST, Kumasi, bucknerdogbe@yahoo.co.uk
  Samuel Richard Essel, Journal of Education Development and Practice (JED-p), Institute of Education, UCC, Cape Coast, abaessu@yahoo.co.uk
  Innocent DY Lawson*, Development Spectrum, UDS, Tamale, dr_yildlawson@yahoo.com
  Vincent Mamah, Journal of Special Education, University of Education, Winneba, avokemawu@yahoo.com
  George Mensah*, Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science and Ghana Journal of Science, CSIR-INSTI, Accra, mensgato@yahoo.com
  Damian Kofi Mereku*, Mathematics Connection, Department of Mathematics Education, University of Education, Winnebar, dkmereku@uew.edu.gh
  Mohammed Salifu*, Journal of the Ghana Institute of Engineers, CSIR-BRRI, Kumasi, salifum@hotmail.com
  Wisdom Sebuava, Journal of the Ghana Science Association, Ghana Science Association, Accra, Wisdom_sebuava@hotmail.com
  Oswald Seneadza, KNUST Law Journal, KNUST, oseneadza@hotmail.com

Workshop questionnaires

19 questionnaires received

The main reasons for attending the workshop were :

— To be able to upload onto AJOL (14)
— Improve production of journal (4)
— To learn about online publishing (14)

All delegates felt that their objectives had been met (One expected more on publishing models and how one can sustain online published journals economically) No Partially Adequately Mostly Yes Were the overall aims/objectives of the workshop met ? 1 18 How useful were the workshop materials ? 19

The most useful sessions were :

— AJOL : how to load content
— Enhancing the production quality
— Suggested additional topics for inclusion were Creating PDF files
— Ways to finance the publishing industry when open access
— Short summary of the practical sessions
— Webpage designing
— Refereeing of articles
— Indexing and HTML

Suggested changes for future workshops included :

— More detailed content - i.e. more time
— More practical approach / more practice
— Reading material should be sent ahead of time
— An assistant for the facilitator
— Money for accommodation to be given to delegates so they can choose appropriate accommodation
— Step-by-step guide to online publishing
— Solicit input from delegates on timetable on day one

Comments on facilitator :

— A bit fast - therefore circulate materials in advance
— Otherwise very favourable comments

Conclusions from the workshop

The main aim of the workshop was to teach the production staff on journals how to load their content onto AJOL. The workshop also sought to give the delegates an appreciation of online issues and provided a forum to discuss the quality and production issues relating to their journals.

There was a mix of presentation, discussion and practical work. The loading on AJOL went very well because the computers worked, the internet connection was good and there was enough time to develop a familiarity with the system (for most of the delegates). Unfortunately, the training site still has a number of bugs that did cause some difficulty (e.g. re-editing submissions). Some delegates had few problems and could be Journal Administrators on AJOL now. However, others had some difficulty and need more help, but got there in the end. Two delegates had a lot of difficulty and I do not think they should be Journal Administrators.

All delegates were keen to learn how to load full text and were very excited when they did, BUT they did not want to load their full text as open access (OA). There wasn’t a single journal willing to do this. The suggestion from NISC of offering a choice between OA and full text behind a subscription barrier was seen as a good alternative.

No delegate had access to a PDF creator but they felt that this was vital (even without OA) and so several of them got together informally to suggest that they buy the software together. This networking by the delegates was a significant outcome of the workshop. Purchase of the PDF software and creation of files is the sort of service that I would suggest CSIR / SIST should perhaps be able to offer the journals, but does not seem to be doing at present.