The second meeting of the fourth Editorial Board of the Journal of Dialectics of Nature (hereinafter the Journal) was held at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences on October 29, 2017, and attended by nearly 20 Editorial Board members from around the country.

I. Work Report of the Editorial Office

Professor Hu Zhiqiang, Chief Editor of the Journal, presided over the meeting. He welcomed the participating Editorial Board members and then reported on the work of the Editorial Office in the past two years.

Professor Hu’s report mainly talked about contribution submission, column and editing process. He introduced that, since the online submission system was launched, the number of contributions has risen substantially. In the past two years, the Journal pays close attention to features and columns and organizes features through multiple channels. It also tries publishing English papers from two sources, namely papers of foreign scholars and English translations of excellent Chinese papers. In addition, the review process is greatly improved in that the review cycle and publication cycle are shortened and the editing strength is enhanced. Thanks to concerted efforts, especially the support of Editorial Board members, the Journal receives better evaluation in all aspects.

Professor Hu also expounded revision of the Journal and introduction of international Editorial Board member. He said, the Journal will enlarge the author team and increase the number of articles published without lowering the quality. The new international Editorial Board member Bernard Letterman is President of the History of Science Society and former Chief Editor of Isis. He supports the Journal and actively promotes the Journal to the international history of science circles.

II. Summary of Opinions from the Editorial Board

The participating Editorial Board members recognized the work and achievements of the Journal in the past two years, supported the revision and welcomed the new international Editorial Board member, and expressed their opinions on relevant topics.

1. Revision of the Journal to meet the demands of development

Speaking of the revision, Professor Liu Xiaoting from Beijing Normal University said, it’s a very important decision for the Journal, and that quantitative change will lead to qualitative change.

Professor Ren Dingcheng from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences summed up the Journal’s achievements in the past two years and praised the system of features, publication of English papers and external reviewer system. Speaking of the Journal’s development in the past two years, he said, the Journal’s indicators are raised, and after the revision, it can publish more articles. The most notable effect is seen in the factors of influence.

Editorial Board member Xu Yanzhang talked about the importance of change from all levels of historical mission. He thought, after the revision, the articles are more popular. He also mentioned, a lot of researchers popularize theories and apply theories in practice. He hoped, after the revision, the articles selected and published by the Journal could have significant influence to the development of disciplines and the application of theories.

2. Strengthen subject selection with focus on hot issues

Speaking of the system of features, the Editorial Board members said, the features are worth praising with novel ideas.

Professor Li Bocong from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences expounded the necessity of the system of features from social influences and demands of the market economy. Researcher Zhu Baowei from the Institute of Philosophy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences gave specific suggestions on organization of features. He suggested that the editors could discuss, set topics and organize writing together with experts so discussions on hot issues can be more thorough. Liu Xiaoting suggested that the Journal shall promote cooperation of columns and focus on hot issues and scientific frontiers when doing features. Ren Dingcheng said, the Journal shall pay attention to timeliness in hot issue planning. It could try conservation by writing and do intensive discussion on hot issues with much influence.

Professor Cao Zhiping from Xiamen University thought, academic journals need features to arouse social repercussions. He suggested that the Journal could consider: 1. Memorable features; 2. Theoretical innovation in discipline construction; 3. Thoughts on significant issues in development of science, technology and the society. He said short articles can be a good try. Features shall be eye-catching. Many scientific practices have practical significance, and research on such practices can arouse ideological concerns.

Professor Zhao Yunbo from Shanxi University suggested the features shall consider both academic content and social realism. He analyzed the meaning of innovation and suggested the Journal could set up a scientific popularization column to explain concepts that people don’t understand comprehensively, make in-depth research and rational analysis of hot issues from academic perspective, explore social realism of the Journal, and enhance rational cognition of the public. He also suggested that the features can be regional and democratic and make general study on regional events.  

Professor Liu Bing from Tsinghua University offered his opinion on how to do features and how to do it well. He suggested, first, the Journal could gather strength to discuss issues thoroughly; second, the Journal shall be creative on some memorable events or at some nodes to attract readers. The subjects selected shall be more attractive in terms of significance or academic pertinence. The Journal shall follow hot issues but not blindly. It shall maintain its quality, academic soundness and taste, and offer cold reflection on hot issues.

3. Expand excellent contributions to attract young authors

The Editorial Board members said, after the revision, the first problem facing the Journal is the necessity to expand contributions. Professor Ren Dingcheng suggested that the Journal shall establish steady contacts and appropriately expand the scope. The contributors of commemorative articles can be academic pacesetters or influential scholars in certain aspects rather than those with big names.

Liu Bing gave specific suggestion on short article. He suggested the editing format can be modified for short articles and book reviews can have the same format as formal articles. Considering the Journal’s own interests, this will arouse the enthusiasm of authors and greatly facilitate solicitation of contributions.

Li Bocong agreed and suggested that the Journal actively cope with evaluation issue.

Professor Xu Zhu from East China Normal University suggested the Journal shall maintain a dynamic balance between existing contributions and incoming contributions. The Journal shall develop groups with publishing demands, especially students of relevant specialties abroad, because they have an incentive to publish articles and their academic level, especially in frontier research, is higher than that in China. They could be a good source of contributions with guaranteed quality.

4. Keep up with the times and expand influence through various channels

Professor Wan Fubin from Guangxi University for Nationalities said, the Journal’s small impression and circulation may influence publicity. He held that, to increase its popularity among young scholars, the Journal could: first, use public account to invite students to participate in discussion and expand its influence; second, allow crossover on hot issues, and in particular, strengthen attention to significant issues and hot issues.

Professor Wang Wei from Tsinghua University offered some practical suggestions on public account. He held that, readability is very important, especially for the Journal’s citations. The Journal could publish a readable article on the public article every issue, so it increases readability without sacrificing the quality. Xu Zhu agreed and suggested that the public account shall be updated by a specially designated person, publish readable articles every issue, and extract core ideas.

Regarding circulation, Professor Zeng Huafeng from the National University of Defense Technology suggested that the Journal shall give presentation copies by various means, especially to colleges and research institutes with relevant disciplines to increase familiarity with and recognition of the Journal among young scholars and expand the its influence.

5. Clarify orientation and remain academic-oriented

Li Bocong thought, the Journal has been leading in emancipation of the mind. In the internet age, the Journal shall establish its social image, social function and role in academic research. It shall enhance its influence among young people, especially doctoral students, and adapt to the demands of the new era.

Professor Chen Fan from Northeastern University said, the Journal is developing well. It has influenced a lot of people. Since its founding, it has had an academic style and won recognition of scholars, but consequently, it may be too high-minded to be popular. He suggested, the Journal shall develop in broader directions, stand in the academic circles and jump out of the academic circles, follow issues closer to the society and the public, keep abreast with the times, maintain theoretical core and guarantee peripheral participation.

Cao Zhiping thought, the Journal is highly academic, theory-centric and aloof and the publication cycle is long. Revision is a significant change, so it can accept more contributions.

The Editorial Board members also talked about the review system, the editing process and the pressure coming with the revision, and said they would actively shoulder the responsibilities of Editorial Board members and make contribution to the Journal’s revision in solicitation and review of contributions.

III. Conclusion

In the end, Hu Zhiqiang thanked the Editorial Board members for offering suggestions and actively sharing the editing work. He said, the Journal has a long history and was influential in the academic circles. It is a periodical of the academic circles. It must continue for a long time to come. In the future, the Journal still needs the support of all sides, especially the support of Editorial Board members. The Editorial Board members offered many feasible suggestions at the meeting. It shows the Editorial Office has a lot of work to do in the future, and the Editorial Office expects supervision of the Editorial Board members so as to make the Journal even better.