State of the Journal, 2015

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Scholarly Publishing
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) experienced substantial growth in manuscript submissions, increasing by 35% between September 2014 and September 2015.
• Manuscript submissions expanded globally, with contributions received from 23 countries, up from 17 countries in the previous year.
• AJOT maintained its status as the highest-impact and top-ranked journal in the field of occupational therapy, as per Journal Citation Reports.

Discussion:

• AJOT's editorial strategy prioritizes publishing high-quality research on occupational therapy across diverse populations and conditions.
• The journal implemented several enhancements in 2015, including the appointment of new associate editors and an expanded international reviewer pool.
• Continuous publishing, pay-per-view access, updated author guidelines, and the forthcoming adoption of clinical trial registration requirements were introduced to improve accessibility and research integrity.

Key Insights:

• A significant increase in manuscript submissions and international contributions highlights AJOT's growing global influence.
• The journal's consistent high impact factor and ranking underscore its leadership in occupational therapy research.
• Strategic enhancements in editorial processes and publishing models aim to broaden research dissemination and adherence to scholarly standards.

Outlook:

• Future publications will continue to focus on critical occupational therapy research for varied populations and conditions.
• The adoption of continuous publishing and pay-per-view models enhances research accessibility for a global audience.
• The implementation of clinical trial registration requirements from January 1, 2016, will bolster research transparency and scientific rigor.