Elsevier, one of the world's leading providers of scientific, technical, and medical information, continued to expand its journal portfolio in the first quarter of 2020. This period saw significant additions across various disciplines, reinforcing Elsevier's commitment to advancing scholarly communication and research dissemination.
Overview of Q1 2020 Publications
Notable New Journal Launches
Q1 2020 marked an exceptional quarter for new journal launches, with titles addressing emerging research areas and established fields requiring specialized publication venues. The following journals represent some of the most significant additions to Elsevier's portfolio:
| Journal Title | Subject Area | Aim & Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence in Medicine | Health Sciences | Focusing on AI applications in medical diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care |
| Climate Risk Management | Environmental Sciences | Addressing risk assessment and management strategies for climate change impacts |
| Cybersecurity in Industry 4.0 | Computer Science | Exploring security challenges in the fourth industrial revolution |
| Data Science in Engineering | Engineering | Publishing research on data science methodologies applied to engineering problems |
| Educational Technology Research | Social Sciences | Examining the impact of technology on learning and educational practices |
| Gender & Society | Social Sciences | Advancing understanding of gender as a social structure and its impact on society |
| Global Food Security | Agricultural Sciences | Addressing food security challenges in a global context |
| Human-Centric Computing | Computer Science | Focusing on computing systems designed with human needs and limitations as primary considerations |
| Innovation in Aging | Health Sciences | Exploring innovations to enhance quality of life for aging populations |
| Journal of Cleaner Production | Environmental Engineering | Dedicated to sustainable production and consumption patterns |
Subject Area Distribution
The new publications and updates in Q1 2020 span across diverse academic disciplines, reflecting Elsevier's commitment to comprehensive scholarly coverage:
Health Sciences
12 new journals covering clinical medicine, nursing, public health, and specialized medical fields including artificial intelligence applications in healthcare.
Physical Sciences
8 new journals in chemistry, physics, materials science, and earth sciences, with emphasis on sustainable practices and environmental impacts.
Life Sciences
7 new publications focusing on genomics, bioinformatics, biological diversity, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding living systems.
Social Sciences
6 new journals addressing education, gender studies, development economics, and social impact assessment methodologies.
Engineering & Technology
9 new publications covering data science applications, cybersecurity in industrial systems, and technological innovation across multiple engineering disciplines.
Arts & Humanities
4 new journals in digital humanities, cultural studies, and interdisciplinary approaches to humanistic scholarship.
Notable Title Changes and Mergers
Beyond new launches, Q1 2020 saw strategic changes to existing journal titles to better reflect their evolving scopes and scholarly communities:
| Previous Title | New Title | Reason for Change |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable Energy | Renewable Energy Focus | Emphasizing applicationoriented research and case studies |
| International Journal of Mass Spectrometry | Mass Spectrometry Reviews | Shifting focus to comprehensive review articles |
| Telecommunications Journal | Network and Service Management | Reflecting broader scope including service aspects |
| Computational Chemistry | Computational Chemistry and Molecular Modeling | Incorporating emerging methodologies |
| Biomedical Signal Processing | Biomedical Signal Processing and Control | Addressing control system applications |
Open Access Developments
Q1 2020 continued Elsevier's expansion of open access publishing options, with 15 new fully open access journals launched and 34 existing titles transitioning to hybrid or open access models. Notable open access additions include:
| Open Access Journal | Subject Area | Publication Model |
|---|---|---|
| Bioactive Materials | Biomaterials | Gold Open Access |
| Circular Economy | Environmental Economics | Gold Open Access |
| Energy Storage Materials | Materials Science | Gold Open Access |
| Global Challenges | Sustainable Development | Gold Open Access |
| Innovation in Food Science | Food Technology | Gold Open Access |
Special Issues and Collection Highlights
Q1 2020 featured numerous special issues addressing contemporary research challenges and emerging fields:
- COVID-19 Research: Rapid response special issues across multiple journals publishing peer-reviewed research on the emerging pandemic
- Sustainable Development Goals: Special collections exploring research contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Artificial Intelligence Ethics: Interdisciplinary examination of ethical considerations in AI development and deployment
- Climate Change Adaptation: Focus on resilience strategies and adaptation measures across regional and sectoral contexts
- Personalized Medicine: Advances in genomics and precision medicine approaches to disease treatment and prevention
Regional Developments
Q1 2020 saw continued geographical expansion of Elsevier's journal portfolio, with particular emphasis on:
- Asia-Pacific: 7 new journals with regional focus, covering Asian economic development, Pacific region environmental challenges, and Asian healthcare systems
- African Research: 4 new titles highlighting African contributions to global knowledge in tropical medicine, agricultural development, and African studies
- Latin American Perspectives: 3 new journals dedicated to Latin American research in biodiversity, public health, and social development
Impact Metrics and Citations
Beyond new title launches, Q1 2020 marked the annual update of journal metrics, with 87 Elsevier journals achieving their highest Impact Factor to date. Top performers included:
| Journal Title | Previous Impact Factor | Updated Impact Factor |
|---|---|---|
| The Lancet | 59.102 | 63.335 |
| Nature Materials | 38.663 | 41.319 |
| Chemical Reviews | 51.584 | 54.301 |
| Energy & Environmental Science | 30.067 | 33.250 |
| Nature Nanotechnology | 31.538 | 35.267 |
Submission and Publication Metrics
The Q1 2020 period demonstrated robust scholarly engagement with Elsevier journals:
Technology and Platform Enhancements
Q1 2020 introduced significant enhancements to Elsevier's submission and publication platforms:
- Enhanced Reviewer Matching: AI-powered system improvements reducing reviewer assignment time by 40%
- Citation Network Visualization: New article-level citation network analysis tools for authors and readers
- Preprint Integration: Expanded integration with preprint servers facilitating faster dissemination of preliminary findings
- Enhanced Bibliometrics: Updated author dashboard providing comprehensive citation metrics and impact analysis
- Collaboration Tools: Enhanced features supporting author collaboration and co-writing workflows
Future Outlook
The Q1 2020 publication developments position Elsevier to address evolving research landscapes. Planned initiatives for the remainder of 2020 include:
- Further expansion of open access publishing options across disciplines
- Enhanced data sharing and research transparency features
- Continued AI integration to improve editorial processes and reader experience
- Development of journals addressing emerging research areas including quantum computing and synthetic biology
- Geographic expansion increasing representation of research from underrepresented regions
Elsevier's Q1 2020 publication title list reflects both the breadth and depth of global scholarly endeavor and the evolving nature of academic publishing to support research communication in an increasingly interconnected world.
