Maximizing journal impact: Moving from inspections of topics to scans for techniques, populations and actions

• Published in: Journal of occupational and organizational psychology Vol. 81; no. 1; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Author: Walker, Alan G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2008; British Psychological Society
• Subjects: Academic journals; Biological and medical sciences; Collaboration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial psychology; Miscellaneous; Occupational psychology; Occupational therapists; Organization; Periodicals; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Publishing; Rapid reading; Social psychology; Studies; Human; Scientific literature; Psychologist; Professional practice; Use; Occupational psychology
• DOI: 10.1348/096317907X267085
• ISSN: 0963-1798

The comments offered in this article are intended to maximize the benefits and impact of JOOP content for both practitioners and academicians. Specifically, I argue that because practitioners and academicians alike are ‘time‐poor’ when it comes to reading journal articles, we inevitably end up conducting ‘topical scans’ in which we scan the titles of an issue for relevant topics. In order to maximize the impact of JOOP content, in addition to these topical scans, we also need to include scans for: (a) relevant techniques, (b) relevant populations, and (c) relevant actions that may be applicable even if the specific topic is not. I also discuss the importance of practitioners becoming more involved in the publication process and describe a matchmaking mechanism for research‐practitioner publication collaborations. Finally, I argue that scientist‐practitioners are the true heroes of our profession and should therefore be held in high regard.