Workshop: Author education tour in Korea to help researchers publish successfully

July 25, 2016 (EDITAGE; Seoul, Korea) — Close on the heels of launching a new abstract and cover letter development service for Korean authors, Editage has been working actively with Korean universities to help authors overcome language barriers and publish successfully. From July 18 to 22, Donald Samulack, President, US Operations of Editage/Cactus Communications, visited Korea for a series of educational workshops and seminars.

On Monday July 18, Dr. Samulack addressed over 140 researchers and professors at the Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. His 2-hour presentation dealt with how Korean authors can improve their chances of successful publication.

On Tuesday July 19, the educational tour continued at the Korean Library Association workshop held at the Korean Institute of Science and Technology Information that was attended by 30 librarians from universities all across Korea. Dr. Samulack’s insights on issues such as unethical and irresponsible publication practices, predatory journals, and the role that librarians can play in informing authors on issues surrounding research integrity were enlightening for many. Dr. Samulack also discussed Editage Insights, an educational resource for authors and researchers, and showed how it helps inform authors on how to publish their work in high-impact, SCI-indexed journals with international readership.

The next stop was Youngnam University College of Medicine on Wednesday July 20, where about 60 faculty members discussed publication strategies and educational resources being adopted by researchers globally.

The final stop was the 3rd Asian Science Editors’ Conference and Workshop conducted by the Council of Asian Science Editors (CASE) on Thursday July 21. In the context of good publication practices, Dr. Samulack elucidated an editor’s role in ensuring the integrity of manuscripts.

Here’s what Dr. Samulack had to say about this series of events: “It is a worrisome time for the global scientific community, with the integrity of research and publication practices coming into question. Apart from a chance to experience this great country and its culture, this week gave me a special opportunity to reach out to hundreds of Asian researchers, editors, and administrators. These hundreds can now leverage this knowledge and help spread the word to thousands more. Predatory publication practices are becoming a serious concern for Korean academics and institutions, and it is hoped that such awareness generated by Editage’s efforts will help in the development of successful publication strategies and preparedness to identify some of the irresponsible commercial publishing practices on the global landscape.”

With the impetus that scientific research has received globally, competition to publish has increased among Asian countries. Thus, the timing of Editage’s educational activities in Korea is perfect.