NGDI Student Global Health Journal

 

NSGHJ-bl-gl-6 - Copy


GOAL: The NGDI Student Global Health Journal is a new, cross-disciplinary publication created and published by student members of the NGDI. Articles in the journal will be written by students and edited by a paired expert UBC faculty member. The journal will focus on a wide range of topics pertaining to global health. This bi-annual publication will foster student interest and participation in global health research by allowing students a chance to work directly with a faculty mentor to produce a journal article, which will be published and accessible through the UBC library and the NGDI website.


Background and Objectives: Since its formation, the NGDI has been a growing force in the neglected global disease research at UBC. The NDGI Student Global Health Journal will provide a platform for students to explore many disciplines and contribute to the global health community. The journal will also give students the opportunity to participate in cross-disciplinary projects through partnership with NGDI associated faculty mentors.


Timeline for Publication: The journal will be published bi-annually, with the first edition published January 2014, and the second addition in September 2014. Abstract submissions for the first publication will open from October 1 to mid November, and completed articles will be due December 10th to allow adequate time for mentor pairing and review. The journal will be published online, through the UBC Circle System, and will also be available on the NGDI website.


Focus and Scope: Although the NGDI is focused on neglected diseases (NDs), the focus of a student publication will be broad to allow students to explore the many disciplines that encompass global health. To highlight neglected global diseases and the NGDI, a feature article by a recognized authority will be included in each issue, at the discretion of the editorial board. Student articles can range in length from a short, editorial style column, to a 2 page spread. Types of articles that may be published include:

• Scientific “Letter style” articles about global health research going on at UBC
• Opinion pieces and Editorials
• Current event reports
• Current topic/event commentaries
• Researcher highlight
• Research highlight from the field
• Distinguished speaker contribution
• Personal Accounts from working in the field
• Review articles focused on a science or social sciences issue
• Interviews with researchers or practitioner

The articles will be written in a lay format, with language designed for a university-level audience, similar to articles found in educational publications such as Wired, the Economist and Seed. (www.wired.com, www.economist.com, www.seedmagazine.com)

Here are some examples of the style of articles that will be included in the journal.

Coverage of an idea/problem in research/global health:
Belluz 2012, Maclean’s:  The Health Story We’ve been Missing.
The Economist, 2012:  Lifting the Burden.

Editorial:
Yaro, 2011 Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health:  Rolling back malaria.

Literature Review
Fadare & Ademowo, 2010 Annals of Tropical Medicine & Public:  Health Ethical issues in malaria vaccine clinical trials: a principle-based approach.


Editorial Board: The editorial board will be comprised of ~4 students; 2 from the Science Faculty and 2 from the Arts Faculty. The editorial board will be responsible for reviewing articles submitted for publication, matching students with faculty members, and assembling the final publication,  through submission at UBC Circle. Similarly, the editorial board will mediate any issues that arise between faculty and student authors.


Mechanism for Submission: Please submit by following the link on the right hand tool bar. Students will submit an abstract or general idea, and the editorial board will contact a faculty member that would be appropriate as an editor, including the proposed article abstract/idea. If the faculty member is interested in the project, the student will be contacted and introduced to the collaborating faculty member. When the student has completed their article, they will submit it to the faculty member for revision. The faculty member will review and edit the article, and return it to the student. Communication between the faculty member and student is strongly encouraged throughout all steps of the writing and editing process. The final article will be submitted by the faculty member to the editorial board for formatting and publication. The final publication will contain both the student and the faculty member as authors.


Responsibility of the Supporting Faculty Member:
Mentors will be faculty members or research associates.
Appear on a list of potential collaborating faculty members that the editorial board can use for pairing.
Read and edit a journal article written by a student — approximately 5 hours of time.
Provide guidance and support for the student author — this may include meeting face-to-face to discuss the article.
Approach the editorial board if any subject material of article is deemed inappropriate for publication, or any other issues that arise when working with the student.
Report any issues to the editorial board.
Submit the final, edited article to the editorial board.


Responsibility of the Student Author:
Submit your abstract or article idea to the NGDI Global Health Journal online.
Once paired, initiate communication with your paired faculty mentor to discuss scope of the article.
Create an original article/submission for the journal that pertains to global health and/or global disease, adhering to the guidelines outlines on the website.
Submit your article to the faculty member for editing.
Maintain good communication with faculty member throughout the writing/editing process — may include meeting face-to-face with the faculty member to discuss the article.
Report any issues to the editorial board.

If you have a question about the journal and submissions, please contact the Editors at: NGDIjournal@gmail.com.