This is the eighth in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scientific journals. Finally, I acknowledge the contribution of the many individual peer reviewers who have each contributed to enhancing the quality of South African scientific journals.
Background
ASSAf Peer Review Panels (PRPs)
Initial Criteria
Editorial Process-related Criteria: Generally Based on the National Code of Best Practice in Edito- rial Discretion and Peer Review Developed by ASSAf
Professional status and experience of the editor; how it is selected; how long the editor has been employed; and success or otherwise in addressing major issues in the field, by commissioning reviews/articles, editorial comments, etc. Number and professional status/experience of editorial board members, plus selection procedures, turnover and nature of involvement in manuscript handling or other functions.
Business-Related Criteria
Number and nature of peer reviewers used per manuscript and the overall number per year, including institutional and national/international distribution, plus quality (as per the National Code of Best Practice in Editorial Discretion and Peer Review) and average length of peer-reviewed reports . Existence and nature of editorial policy/guidelines, plus how often they are reviewed/updated; conflict of interest policy (eg how manuscripts are assessed when submitted by an editor or board member as author/co-author).
Bibliometric Assessments
The number of original peer-reviewed papers published per year in the last five years, plus the number of submitted manuscripts, plus the number rejected out of hand or after peer review; average length of published papers; and "author demographics" of submitted and published articles.
Process Guidelines for Setting up the Panels, Peer Reviewers, Panel Meetings and Reports for the Subject Peer Review of Journals
- Background to ASSAf PRPs
- Role of the Scholarly Publishing Unit (SPU)
- Setting up Panels
- Selecting Panel Members
- Criteria for Membership
- Confl ict of Interest
- Organising the Panels
- Selection of Peer Reviewers (See above)
- Panel Meetings and Procedures Preparations
- Post-meeting Procedures and Panel Reports
The organization of the panel is led by its chairman, supported by the designated project officer. Consensus on each of the criteria should be agreed serially according to a convener's oral summary and noted by the project officer present.
Music
African Music Focus and scope
Critical editorials, analytical book reviews and correspondence on published articles are some of the value-added features published in the journal. Consensus review: The journal appears to appeal more to an older generation of scholars in the discipline. The journal is perceived to be more conservative than other journals in the field (such as Ethnomusicology, or South African Music Studies (SAMUS)) both at home and abroad.
The magazine is now available online and in print; electronic copies are available upon request. Consensus review: A new editor has taken over the editorship of the journal since the review took place. Bibliometric assessments need to be improved and the journal indexed so that its performance can be monitored through altmetric indicators.
The magazine, however, is praised for maintaining its unique focus on the African continent.
Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa Focus and scope
Information was not available on the number of manuscripts received and the journal's rejection rate was also not available for the review period. Reviewers were selected through the journal's network of contacts, including suggestions from the Editorial Board and EAB. Editorial guidelines are available as 'Instructions for Authors' which is available on the journal's website.
The journal's publishers (NISC) have a document entitled Ethical Considerations in Research Publication, which is made available on the journal's website. Data as number of views per articles are available via the journal's website. Consensus review: The ambitious scope of the journal should be carefully monitored so that it does not result in a lack of focus.
The editor-in-chief should consider developing a succession plan for the future stability of the journal.
Musicus Focus and scope
However, due to the hybrid nature of the magazine and the uneven quality of its content, it cannot be compared with the leading international magazines in this field. Unisa is the legal owner of the magazine and is based in the Directorate of Music of Unisa. Consensus review: The panel acknowledges that a new Editor-in-Chief has been appointed who is more dedicated to the journal.
The Editor-in-Chief will recommend to the Editorial Board that non-academic material be removed from the journal and published in a separate issue. The journal should consider establishing an Editorial Board composed of local and international experts who have published in the field of music education. The production challenges with Unisa Press must be resolved, or the journal must consider an entirely online publication.
Note: Unisa Press will no longer publish the journal due to the large number of publications.
Muziki: Journal of Music Research in Africa Focus and scope
II The journal should not be invited to join the SciELO South Africa platform; this is not advisable within the current journal context. The magazine's guidelines are not necessarily in line with the ASSAf Code of Best Practice, but with the DHET policy framework. Given the variability of the quality of articles published during the period under review, the journal is not comparable to the leading international journals in this field.
The articles are fairly well cited, indicating the importance of the journal in its field of research.” The journal would improve with more attention to clear, error-free writing. More frequent inclusion of reviews (at least once a year) and editorials would raise the level of scientific engagement of the journal.
II The journal should be invited to join the SciELO South Africa platform, provided that the business relationship with Taylor & Francis (Routledge) changes.
South African Music Studies (SAMUS) Focus and scope
Libraries that subscribe to the print magazine are located in South Africa, the United States of America (USA), Great Britain, Germany and Finland. The percentage of peer-reviewed original material published in the journal varies from volume to volume. The journal must adhere to all accepted protocols regarding the reproduction of images and musical examples.
The Journal should continue to be listed on the DHET list of accredited journals, provided it returns to its normal publication schedule over a period of two years. II The journal should be invited to participate in the SciELO South Africa platform when it is back on its publishing schedule. III The editors should seriously consider not delaying the publication of non-problematic content and getting back on track with the journal's publication schedule.
IV Moreover, the panel is of the opinion that, despite the current problems, as outlined in a letter prepared by the editors, the journal should be commended for being among the most original of the musicological journals, publishing articles almost entirely devoted to of musical contemporaneity. .
Vir die Musiekleier Focus and scope
The journal has editorial guidelines and these are in line with the ASSAf Code of Best Practice. This is cause for concern if the journal will gain greater national and international standing as an accredited publication. All articles published in the journal are subject to the copyright of the journal and may not be published or reproduced in any form without the prior consent of the editor.
It was recommended that the magazine expand its scope to other religious areas. The scope of the journal should be broadened so that it can reflect the diversity of religious traditions in South Africa, and in particular those outside the Reformed tradition. A much clearer indication is needed in the body of the magazine as to who it is intended for.
The narrow and exclusively practice-based focus of the journal, as well as the (statistically) over-representation of NWU contributions, must therefore be addressed.
Performing Arts
South African Theatre Journal (SATJ) Focus and scope
All Taylor & Francis (Routledge) journals, including SATJ, adhere to the COPE guidelines for publication ethics: http://publicationethics.org/. The magazine's guidelines are in line with the ASSAf Code of Best Practice. Journal editors are encouraged to recognize this possibility and to ensure appropriate confidentiality and copyright. Property vests in SATJ and Taylor & Francis (Routledge) is the journal's publisher.
No advertising is carried in the journal and no financial sponsorship is carried out. The journal is indexed in the Index to South African Periodicals (ISAP); International Theater and Dance Bibliography (IBTD); Bibliography of the Modern Language Association (MLA); and is a member of the Council of Editors of Learned Newspapers (CELJ). The magazine can generally serve as an advocate for this discussion in the arts in South Africa.
Such an expansion in focus need not negatively affect the magazine's historical and ongoing focus on South African theatre.
Visual Arts .1 De Arte
Image and Text Focus and scope
The journal's focus is on the Global South and also on encouraging emerging scholars and emerging fields. There have been no significant publication interruptions since the journal's inception. The editorial guidelines are published in the journal and are available on the university's website.
The majority of the work represented in the magazine (both artistic and analytical) is innovative and highly interesting and contributes appropriately to the field of visual culture and communication in South Africa, even as it also offers a effective platform for the representation of South African research. international. Consensus rating: The journal is of consistently high caliber and meets national and international standards. The magazine could attract a broader international readership and a broader range of international, as well as local, authors.
In this regard, it is recommended that the journal applies for Scopus or ISI accreditation.
South African Journal of Art History Focus and scope
The editor-in-chief was invited to edit the magazine and has held this position since 2003. The magazine needs to be completely overhauled and its network expanded to increase its relevance in the arts disciplines. Academics who have international and African connections in the field could be approached to take on an editorial role in the journal.
The journal should expand its reach by advertising and publicizing the dominant scholars in the field. Smaller, regular editions devoted to the discipline of architecture can be a means of increasing the quality and reputation of the journal. Recent issues of the magazine are available on the Sabinet platform (until 2016), but the Sabinet interface is not well suited for marketing the magazine.
I The journal should remain on the DHET list of accredited journals, provided that a thorough review and redesign of the journal takes place within three years.
Purpose of journal, positioning, focus, scope, readership, etc
Editorial process-related criteria
A questionnaire sent to each editor of peer-reviewed journals. The questionnaire was revised in 2015 before the reviews were carried out.
Business-related criteria
Bibliometric assessments
General
Do the hard copies of the last 2 – 3 years of issues of the journal refl ect
Please list your suggestions for an improvement programme for the journal
