From the Editor-in-Chief . . .
Our July 15th issue marks a fundamental shift in
the direction of the Translational Journal of the American College of Sports
Medicine (TJACSM).
The first thing you will notice are the structural changes.
TJACSM is moving from a single article published every 2 weeks to a continuous
publication model with quarterly compendiums. This has a number of benefits.
One, our readers cross all interest groups of the ACSM. By including a larger
number of articles, TJACSM can increase the representation of that audience
included in each issue. Second, this will allow TJACSM to reduce the time to
publish as we will make accepted articles available online prior to appearing
in the quarterly collection. Finally, this reduces the email burden at a time
when we all feel inundated by electronic contacts. All of this will occur while
still offering free access to our articles.
While these structural changes are important, I hope that
the lasting impact will be felt through our shift in focus. TJACSM is dedicated
to broad support for translational research on physical activity and human
movement from conception and early testing, through efficacy and effectiveness
trials, implementation studies, scoping reviews and policy pieces. We can only
support this mission if we publish pilot and feasibility studies, protocol
papers, and high-quality trials that report null findings. Each of these
represent a new point of emphasis for TJACSM that is distinct from other
journals. As such, each is addressed through an editorial in our July 15
edition. We also hope to drive public
practice and the research agenda through timely commentaries. To this end, the
July 15 edition of TJACSM includes a commentary on best practices for recess
during COVID-19 and the re-opening of schools. This commentary will be
invaluable to school districts as they struggle with how to best serve the
needs of their students.
These changes build on the existing strong foundation in
place at TJACSM. Our goal is to respond to the needs of our readers – the
diverse range of scholars and practitioners who rely on the ACSM to disseminate
their work for great impact and to translate science into action. I hope that
you will respond in kind by sending us your research to share. In addition, we
invite you to register as a reviewer and/or provide me your CV if you are
interested in reviewing for TJACSM. This is not only a great service to the
journal but to the broader ACSM.
John B. Bartholomew,
PhD, FACSM
