5.5.4 Incubator Model for Print & E-Journals   - approved 12/04 -

Overview
Briefly, this document describes a global model for the incubation processes for new journals. For print/electronic journals, it essentially accepts the current JSAC-based model (which is described elsewhere), although it allows for some variation in specific instances, depending on the state of the JSAC queue of issues. For purely electronic journals, it provides a more specific description of what is required in a proposal and makes clear that the pilot that is being incubated will live only on the ComSoc web site during the incubation period. In both instances it places the responsibility for organizing the details of each incubation process onto the Director of Journals and the Journals Board. The main reason for this is that the details of each such process are likely to quite different and will need to be tailored to the specific proposal.

Introduction
This document provides high-level descriptions of two proposed incubation processes for the incubation and development of new journals by the Society. This document does not provide specific details of implementation in order to allow for maximum flexibility in dealing with individual proposals. Each proposal for a new publications effort will almost certainly have unique features that will require special handling by the Publications Board and the Director of Journals and the detailed implementation can be developed in each instance.

Initial Proposed Models
Although it is possible to have many different incubation models, this document focuses on only two. These are the following:

• The standard print-electronic model, which constitutes almost all IEEE journals today and is almost all of what is featured in IEEE Xplore and the IEL;
• The purely electronic journal, which is never actually published in paper form, but which appears on one or more web sites. Such journals may be either purely Communications Society publications and appear on the ComSoc web site or may be full IEEE publications that will eventually appear in the IEL or may be a combination of the two forms.

The following subsections contain the descriptions of the proposed processes.

Print-Electronic Journals
In this instance, we essentially stick to the JSAC incubation model that we have already used successfully. The process has been shown to work in two instances to date. Detailed procedures for doing this has already been developed and nothing more really needs to be added.

However, there is a variation that I think we should incorporate into the overall process. Before deciding to proceed with a particular effort, we should look at the JSAC queue of issues. If is small, then we should do as previously; namely, commandeer up to three issues a year and run a series, just have we have done with Wireless and are currently attempting to do with Optical Communications Networks. However, if the JSAC queue is large, as at present, then we should operate an incubator as a three-issue per year supplement to JSAC. This would mean that up to 3 issues per year of JSAC would consist of Part 1, Part 2 issues with the Part 2 being the incubation of a new journal. The part 2 could include its own title as a JSAC series in “X”. As has been noted the number of such incubations is likely to be small over the next few years and such a process would not have a heavy impact on JSAC operations. In either case, at the end of 2-3 years, an assessment of the incubation process needs to be made. This can have three results; namely;

• The incubation is successful and the incubated effort can become a full-fledged new journal. At this point, a full business plan needs to be prepared and a proposal made to TAB for the launch.
• The incubation shows promise but is not yet ready to “hatch” as a new journal. In this case, a decision can be made to continue the incubation process for a further year at the end of which a final decision will be made.
• Insufficient growth or promise has been shown and the incubation effort should be terminated.

Electronic Only Journals
Electronic-only journals should start as Communications Society journals, which are available only on the ComSoc web site. To initiate the incubation of a new journal, a proposal must be made to the Publications Board and approval obtained before publication can start. As a minimum a proposal must contain the following elements:

• A detailed technical case for why such a new publication effort is justified.
• An assessment of the potential sources of high-quality papers.
• A proposed call for papers and a description of how the new publication will be advertised.
• A proposed editorial board structure.
• A summary of the submission and review processes that are to be used.
• A proposed subscription mechanism.
• A preliminary plan for developing the transition to a full IEEE journal that would be listed in the IEL. This should include a preliminary business plan. Clearly, this last will be quite preliminary and subject to substantial changes at the end of the incubation process. It will also be subject to IEEE policies at the time concerning the addition of purely electronic journals to the IEL.

Once the Publications Board has approved a proposal, the new journal will be incubated for a period of two to three years as an all-electronic journal appearing on the ComSoc web site. As part of the incubation process the new journal should by the end of the second year be posting at least three issues per year to the web site. At the end of two years an assessment will be made and one of the following decisions will be made:

• The incubation is successful and the incubated effort can become a continuing new all-electronic journal.
• The incubation process shows promise but the incubation is not yet ready to “hatch” as a new journal. In this case, the decision can be made to continue the incubation process for a further year at the end of which a final decision will be made.
• Insufficient growth or promise has been shown and the incubation effort should be terminated.

If decision (a) is made, then a further decision needs to be made as to whether it should remain as only a Communications Society publication or whether it should be proposed as an all-electronic IEEE journal and included in the IEL. If the later is the case, then a full proposal, including a business plan, needs to be developed and submitted to TAB for approval. Again, how this is accomplished will depend on IEEE policies and rules in place at the time concerning purely electronic journals. It should be noted that under present policies, many purely electronic journals would not be admitted to the IEL and would have to remain on a Society web site.

Summary
In the preceding, I proposed possible Communications Society incubation models for both new print/electronic journals and new purely electronic journals. In doing this, I have not developed detailed procedures or to specified any operational matters. Such details are better left to be developed in the case of each individual publications effort.