Results Results

ResponseResponse1855 authors

1814 email contacts

250 responded14 %

228 completed

92 %

41 emails bounced

1564 non-responders

22 incomplete responses

excluded

excluded

excluded

Descriptives Descriptives

Gender:Gender: 1:9 1:9

Age in groups

No.

Yrs in surgical practiceYrs in surgical practiceNo. of responders

54%

15%19%

9%

4%

Location of authorsLocation of authors

35%

4% 2% 7%

25% 27%

Where last paper Where last paper published:published:

9% 6% 7% 14% 22%

• Other surgical journal: 13%• Other non-surgical journal: 29%

• Yes, journal of first choice: 75%• No, previously submitted to higher IF surgery journal: 14%• No, previously submitted to higher IF non-surgical journal: 5%• No, previously submitted lower IF journal: 3%

Main field of surgeryMain field of surgery

%

Do you prefer to submit your Do you prefer to submit your research research

to general or specialty to general or specialty journals?journals?

The journals you prefer to The journals you prefer to submit to are predominantly submit to are predominantly

read by:read by:

Global, general Global, general 65%65% Primarily North-AmericanPrimarily North-American 29%29%

by North Americans in 61%by North Americans in 61% by Europeans in 16%by Europeans in 16%

Primarily European/regional/national 6%Primarily European/regional/national 6%

Factor Median Mean Sum *”Very Important”

(%) **

”Unimportant”

(%) ***Impact factor 5 4.44 1031 61% 1%Overall reputation

5 4.42 1007 62% 2%

Fast-track 4 3.43 783 20% 9%Time to print 3 3.24 738 18% 11%Previously published your topic

3 3.17 722 10% 9%

Specialty-specific

3 3.05 696 10% 12%

Time to e-print 3 3.00 684 14% 18%

Society affiliation

3 2.91 664 14% 16%

Previous published in same journal

3 2.86 653 10% 18%

Subscription numbers

3 2.79 636 10% 24%

Additional costs 3 2.74 625 17% 25%

Open access 3 2.74 624 12% 24%Acceptance/rejection rate

3 2.71 617 9% 21%

Referee incl/excl.

2 2.11 480 3% 39%

Knowing editors/editorial board

2 2.05 467 2% 39%

SINGLE MOST SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT IMPORTANT FACTORFACTORFOR SUBMISSIONFOR SUBMISSION

The single most The single most important factor:important factor:

Age difference for IF Age difference for IF vs Rep.vs Rep.

p=0.033

Journal factors in Journal factors in categoriescategories

ConclusionsConclusions

Factors deemed Factors deemed mostmost important important

The Journal “prestige” based onThe Journal “prestige” based on Overall reputationOverall reputation Impact factorImpact factor

Factors held Factors held leastleast important important

Authors’ own “influence”Authors’ own “influence” Knowing editor(s) or Knowing editor(s) or selecting refereesselecting referees