health professionals are involved in research as researchers themselves and as supervisors to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Authors may have unrealistic expectations regarding journal ...submission and review processes. The study aimed to describe journal response types and times for manuscripts finalised for submission by the University of the Free State School of Medicine medical editor.
this descriptive cohort study with an analytical component included all manuscripts finalised for submission to accredited journals by the medical editor, 2014-2017. Excel spreadsheets capturing all stages of the manuscript process were used to confidentially note information regarding submission and subsequent journal responses.
ninety-five manuscripts were submitted to 72 peer-reviewed accredited journals. The total number of submissions was 163. Only 46 (48.4%) manuscripts were accepted by the first journals submitted to. Rejected submissions (n=82) had a median journal response time of 15.5 days (range 0-381 days), with a third being sent for review. Nine manuscripts were accepted with no revisions needed. Accepted submissions (n=72) had a median of one round of revision (range 0-4 rounds), and a median time of 119.5 days (range 0-674 days) from submission to final acceptance.
within our setting, half of first submissions were unsuccessful, but rejection usually occurred rapidly. Acceptance for publication occurred at a median time of 4 months after one round of revision. If health professionals were made aware of expected outcomes and response times, it may prevent authors from falling victim to the publication practices of predatory journals.
Background Previous studies have found that indications for lumbar punctures (LPs) are managed differently, which raises the question of whether all LPs performed are clinically necessary. This study ...aimed to determine whether unnecessary (clinically not indicated) LPs were being performed at a district hospital in the Free State, South Africa.Method This was a retrospective descriptive study. A list from the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) was used to identify all patients on whom an LP was performed in the adult emergency department of National District Hospital (NDH) in Bloemfontein, from 1 January 2018 to 30 June 2018. Data were captured on a data sheet and included demographic information, clinical signs and symptoms the patients presented with and the cerebrospinal fluid results.Results A total of 364 patients fit the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 97 files (26.6%) could not be found, patient gender and LP results could be retrieved from the NHLS barcodes. After reviewing the presenting symptoms and signs captured on the 267 files, the primary researcher considered 150 (56.4%) of the LPs performed to have been carried out unnecessarily. From the total population of 364 patients, 246 (67.6%) of the LP results were normal. Only 118 (32.4%) of the LPs performed showed some form of central nervous system pathology. Of the 150 LPs assessed to have been unnecessarily performed, 124 (84.0%) were normal.Conclusion This retrospective review indicates that a high percentage of LPs that were clinically not indicated were performed at NDH during the study period.
Background: Academic achievement is influenced by a system of internal and external stimuli. Internal stimuli include interest, willingness and academic motivation. In South Africa, efforts to ...improve the quality of education have mostly focused on the provision of physical resources rather than emotional resources.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the profile of four factors, namely, teacher style, role models, home environment and peer influence that can influence the academic motivation of grade 6 and 7 learners.Setting: A parallel-medium primary state school in an urban part of Bloemfontein, Free State.Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study. Data were collected using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire completed by the learners. The questions captured demographic data and measured the four categories of factors.Results: Overall, 115 out of 202 learners participated (response rate 56.9%). Almost all learners felt that their teachers encouraged them to do their best (96.5%), but 61.3% felt they could not confide in their teachers with personal problems. Most learners had a role model (93.8%), and 70.9% expressed that the role model’s hard work was the reason for their admiration. Most learners felt that they were surrounded by supportive people (83.0%) and had a good study environment at home (80.5%). The majority of learners had a group of friends with whom they felt they belong (90.3%), and they could confide in their best friends with personal problems (61.6%).Conclusion: Teacher style, peers and home environment scored high as important factors for academic motivation.
ANTON NEL Botes, Johan
The American Music Teacher,
12/2019, Letnik:
69, Številka:
3
Trade Publication Article
Recenzirano
A 21st-Century Artist-Teacher First-prize winner of the 1987 Naumburg International Piano Competition, Anton Nel continues to enjoy an exciting and multifac-eted career that has taken him to major ...concert halls across the globe. After two teaching positions at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan, where he chaired the piano department, Anton Nel was appointed as the Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor of Piano and Chamber Music at the University of Texas at Austin in September 2000. Very early in the summer of this year, I briefly met up with Anton to ask him some questions about his life and career and talk about his contribution as Conference Artist at the upcoming MTNA Conference in Chicago, March 21-25, 2020. The first engagement I did right after winning was play the Schumann Concerto with the Chicago Symphony, plus dozens of other orchestra engagements, recitals (including two at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center), a recording contract and many invitations to play at summer festivals, followed by invitations to teach at top music schools. ...how can we as music teachers find a way to teach our students to practice slowly? AN:
Background: For authors, manuscript submission can seem fraught with obstacles. The present authors describe their experience with South African Family Practice (SAFP) regarding response types and ...times, compared with other SA-based journals.
Methods: This cohort study included information regarding communication with/from journals of manuscripts finalised for submission by the Free State University, School of Medicine medical editor, 2014-2017.
Results: Twenty-six submissions were made to SAFP; 78 to other SA-based journals. The most frequent first response from SAFP was "revisions required" (62%) and "rejected" (49%) from other SA-based journals. Median final response of rejected submissions was approximately a month at SAFP and approximately two weeks at other SA-based journals. Median final response of accepted submissions was approximately three months at SAFP and approximately four months at other SA-based journals.
Conclusion: This study provides data regarding expected outcomes and response times, which may prevent authors falling prey to email solicitations from predatory journals.
To the Editor: Our most recent submission to the SAMJ received the following email response:‘The editors advisory group has reviewed the submission of Manuscripts finalised for journal submission by ...the University of the Free State School of Medicine medical editor: Journal response types and times italics added and has concluded that it is not suitable for the general readership of the South African Medical Journal. In view of this we regret that we are unable to accept it for publication. You might also consider submitting this manuscript to another, more suitable journal.Thank you again for considering the South African Medical Journal for your work.’The Editor replies: I thank the authors of this letter for raising their concerns in a courteous way and with supplementary data. Their concerns are noted.
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