February 2008 // Volume 46 // Number 1
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JOE by the Numbers 2007
Abstract
In JOE by the Numbers I report on the 2007 submission and readership rates, and announce JOE's current acceptance rate. I also call your attention yet again to one of the most interesting features of the JOE site, the Top 50 Most Read Articles lists. In February JOE I cite five excellent articles and mention the topics discussed in many more.
JOE by the Numbers
As usual this time of year, I report on the previous year's submission rate and readership statistics. And I announce JOE's current acceptance rate. I also call attention to one of the most interesting features of the JOE site (and one of my favorites).
Submission Rate
We have yet another new all-time high in submissions. JOE received 285 submissions in 2007, two more than in 2006, when we reached our previous all-time high.
Readership Statistics
In 2007, there were 2,115,060 "visitors" to the JOE site who viewed 4,280,465 pages. Our readership rates have dipped a bit from last year's, but this comes after nine years of ever-expanding readership rates. And in 2007, JOE still had more than 500,000 visitors who viewed more than 110,000 pages compared to 2005. You can find JOE Readership Statistics from 1998 onward at <http://www.joe.org/stats-yearly.html>.
Also in 2007, JOE attracted readers from 193 nations and territories. You can find these nations and territories listed at <http://www.joe.org/nations1207.html>.
Acceptance Rate
In 2003, we started collecting the data that would allow us to post an annual acceptance rate for JOE, but posting annual acceptance rates caused confusion. It also failed to account for submissions that were submitted in one year but reviewed in another. We now have enough reliable data from enough years to post a single rate.
JOE's current acceptance rate is 36%. (This figure is the average of submission data from 2003 through 2007.) JOE is an increasingly rigorous journal in which Extension professionals and other scholars can be proud to be published.
The Top 50 Most Read Articles
You can find the list of the Top 50 Most Read Articles in 2007 as well as those from previous years at <http://www.joe.org/stats.html>. Brian Weaver, JOE Web Developer, has added a new feature to the 2007 list, how the articles ranked the year before. It all makes for interesting reading.
These lists are not a reflection on the quality of the JOE articles that "made the lists" as opposed to those that didn't. But they do say a lot about the degree of interest readers from around the world have in some of the topics discussed in JOE.
February JOE
In a break from the norm, this month brings us two Commentaries, both on an increasingly important topic, Extension's response to the issue of an aging nation. "Building Extension's Capacity Through Knowledge of Global Aging Issues" puts the issue in a global context, and "USDA CSREES' Role in Broadening Support for an Aging Nation" brings the issue home. Then, the first Feature, "Meeting the Needs of Rural Caregivers: The Development and Evaluation of an Alzheimer's Caregiving Series," demonstrates that Extension is already responding.
The next two Features, "Research-Based Outreach: Albert Bandura's Model" and "Now Is the Time for Change: Reframing Diversity Planning at Land-Grant Universities," both take a system-wide look at Extension, while the rest of them are more focused but no less interesting.
There are also articles on meeting the needs of American Indian audiences, on health and nutrition, on evaluation and impact, and on so much more.
Laura Hoelscher, Editor
joe-ed@joe.org