Transfer or start a journal

The experience gained from publishing a diverse and growing portfolio of more than 240 journals makes BioMed Central the ideal partner for journals published on behalf of scientific societies, professional groups, and institutions such as governmental agencies. BioMed Central offers cutting-edge technology, including sophisticated online tools for editors, in combination with a financial model that can be customised to the specific needs of individual societies and their journals.

"The possibility to publish colour images at no extra cost, and embed movies, is a great advantage in a field that, by definition, relies heavily on high-quality image reproduction."

Dudley Pennell, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance

If you would like to discuss transferring a journal, please contact journalproposal@biomedcentral.com. We would be pleased to provide any information you require before finalizing a formal proposal. If you wish to propose a new journal, further information can be found at the bottom of this page.

Journals affiliated with learned societies or other organizations represent the fastest growing segment of BioMed Central’s portfolio. Recent examples of journal transfers to BioMed Central include Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, the journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance; Genetics Selection Evolution, a journal of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), France; and Journal of Biomedical Science, which is sponsored by the National Science Council of Taiwan.

Transferring journals to BioMed Central and converting to open access is cost and hassle free. There is no interruption to the journal’s existing coverage by indexing and bibliometric services, including Impact Factor tracking. High visibility and the citation advantage that comes with open access can give a further boost to a journal's reputation and ranking.

"Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica moved to BioMed Central in 2006, along with its Impact Factor. As an effect of the much improved visibility of the journal's content we have since seen a significant rise in submissions, often from countries where researchers would not have considered publishing with us in the past."

Mats Forsberg, Editor-in-Chief.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica is a case in point. Following the journal’s move to BioMed Central in 2006, the number and quality of submissions have been going up, coupled with a substantial and steady increase in the journal’s Impact Factor. More details concerning the success story of Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica are available from our society journals case studies page.

"We are very pleased that the complete back archives are now available on the journal's website, and thank you for the nice work which has been done."

Hélène Hayes, Executive Editor Genetics Selection Evolution

Depending on the copyright status, transferring journals have the additional option of making their back content accessible from BioMed Central's website. To further increase the visibility of the journal and its older content we will also submit the back content for inclusion in PubMed Central and PubMed, as well as to other archives and repositories. An example are the 40 volumes preceding the transfer of Genetics Selection Evolution to BioMed Central in 2008.

Transferring journals to BioMed Central does not affect existing coverage by indexing services such as Thomson Reuters (ISI), Medline, or Scopus. Like other major publishers, BioMed Central has signed up to the Transfer Code of Practice.

Our experienced in-house staff work actively with Editors and societies towards securing acceptance by further services. For instance, we regularly submit journals that are not yet covered by Medline or tracked for an Impact Factor by Thomson Reuters for consideration, and we achieve a high success rate by working closely with those bodies to discuss each submission.

To obtain further information, please contact us with your enquiries.

What to include in a journal proposal

Should you wish to discuss starting a new journal, please provide the information on the points as listed below. Feel free to contact journalproposal@biomedcentral.com with any questions you want to discuss before beginning the formal proposal.

For ease of use, the requested information can also be provided in this downloadable Word document.

Names and address details of the person(s) proposing the new journal.

If you are proposing a journal and do not intend to serve as the Editor-in-Chief, please explain what role you intend to take in the running of the journal or, for society journals, your position within the society.

A full Curriculum Vitae, including a publication and grant record, of the proposed Editor(s)-in-Chief.

A brief description of the journal, including:

  • Proposed title, including the rationale for it (please check it does not already exist)
  • A minimum 100-word overview of the field and of existing publications in the field (please include weblinks). Why is a new publication needed? And what is its purpose: is it meant (mainly) to be educational, to encourage debate, and/or to provide a home for the latest research? What would be its Unique Selling Point?
  • A 20-word aim for the journal
  • Intended journal scope, and a list of topics and keywords included (and not included, if useful) in the scope of the journal
  • Proposed Editorial Board
  • Expected content, by article type (e.g. reviews, commentaries, research articles). Please check beforehand that these are included in the list of article types currently available in our journals.
  • A full description of the peer review process (please ensure that you have read the information covering peer review strategy before devising your peer review policy. Please note that BioMed Central is a member of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), a forum for publishers and editors to discuss and investigate the ethical integrity of work published in or submitted to peer reviewed journals).
  • A list of 24 manuscripts (research and/or review articles) that you will actively solicit for publication in the new journal during its first year. Please provide the general topic or working title and the prospective senior author. The articles should be from a range of institutions and must be at a stage that should allow completion and writing-up within the next twelve months.
  • A paragraph describing where you see the journal in five years' time, your plans for attracting manuscripts and building the profile of the journal within the field.

    • As supporting information it would also be useful to include lists (with weblinks, where possible) of the major funding agencies for the field, important conferences, and important Societies.

    Any further relevant information:

    If this is a society journal, please provide a brief description of the aims and history of the society, its size and activities. Where this information exists online, please provide the relevant links.

    When your proposal is complete, or if you have any questions about starting a new journal, please contact journalproposal@biomedcentral.com.