Diversity, Inclusion, and J&J – An Interview with Brit Stamey

Diversity and inclusion are top of mind everywhere. National news stories have brought issues of race, gender, and other social categorizations to light and have forced institutions to reckon with the various ways they discriminate against people. Increasingly diverse workforces coupled with evolving cultural attitudes provide an open door for initiatives that seek to correct […]


Passing the Torch: Managing an Editor-in-Chief Transition

Change is hard. Actively helping to bring about that change is even harder. Few journal transitions require a more hands-on editorial office involvement than when a new editor-in-chief takes over. In addition to the challenges of teaching someone a new system—while implementing changes on that system—there also exists the potential for personality clashes whenever new […]


J&J Announces New Director of Operations and New Systems Support Coordinator

It gives us great pleasure to announce two internal promotions at J&J: our new Director of Operations – Heather Blasco, and our new Systems Support Services Coordinator – Emily Babcock.   Heather Blasco has been working for J&J since 2010 and in scholarly publishing since 2004. In her previous role, she was J&J’s Systems Support […]


Our Statement on Systemic Racism

The systemic inequities that Black people have been forced to endure for generations are an affront to the values we hold. The brutal violence perpetrated against George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, Tony McDade, Atatiana Jefferson, Dominique Clayton, and countless others is a heinous injustice from which we cannot look away. Many of these […]


Writing about Gender: Questions to Consider

In publishing, we can strive to create publications that are inclusive to all identities, serving both writers and readers. But what are some questions we can ask to create an environment with these attributes when it comes to gender identity? And how can we continue to question our assumptions and create an evolving, flexible approach […]


Peer Review During COVID-19

Scholarly publishing marches on, even in the midst of a global pandemic. In some cases, journals are playing an active role in the direct response to COVID-19, evaluating critical advances in our understanding of the virus and the care needed for those affected. In other cases, journals are simply trying to continue publishing through the […]


Inclusive Language: What Copy Editors Need to Know

Here at J&J Editorial, an often overlooked but essential function of our editors is active, conscientious promotion of inclusive language in academic writing. The language surrounding illness, disability, race, gender, and every other aspect of identity is constantly changing and developing, and it is our job to promote using the most up-to-date phrasing and terminology […]


5 Steps to Writing Reliable Protocols

Like so many offices, J&J relies heavily on workflow protocols and checklists in our day-to-day operations. Whether we’re managing peer review, production, copyediting, or publishing systems, a well-drafted workflow document is beneficial for everyone involved. Useful workflow documentation eliminates potential questions, guides its user through a process clearly, and is an essential source of knowledge […]


J&J’s Mental Health Week 2020

Last week, J&J Editorial celebrated our second annual Mental Health Week, a program of daily events and resources put together by our Wellness Committee. Mental Health Week is a tangible representation of two of our core values: to create a supportive, positive environment where employees are treated with respect and to create a family-friendly work […]


Where to Find J&J in 2020: Our Scholarly Publishing Conference Roundup

Meeting new people and catching up with old friends and colleagues are some of the most rewarding parts of working in scholarly publishing. We look forward to these industry conferences every year, and we are always on the lookout for new ones. In 2019, our staff traveled the globe both for professional development and on […]