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Learning Directly from the Editor-in-Chief of Plant Biology

The session featured Prof. Emeritus Dr. J. Theo M. Elzenga, Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Plant Biology from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, who is familiarly known as Prof. Theo. The discussion was moderated by Karlia Meitha, Ph.D., a faculty member at SITH ITB specializing in Genetics and Molecular Biotechnology.

In his presentation, Prof. Theo elaborated on the process and challenges behind reputable scientific publishing from manuscript preparation and peer review to editorial decision-making. He emphasized that only a small portion of submissions are accepted for publication.

“At Plant Biology, the acceptance rate is around 15 percent. Therefore, a manuscript must demonstrate solid science, strong originality, and be presented in an engaging way,” he explained.

According to him, scientific publication is not merely about reporting research results but also about constructing a compelling narrative that allows readers to understand the significance of the work.

“A good researcher should be excited about their findings and readers should be able to feel that same excitement,” said Prof. Theo.

Beware of Predatory Journals and Unethical Review Practices

In the following session, Prof. Theo addressed the growing issue of predatory journals that exploit the open-access system. He warned that overly rapid publication processes often indicate poor quality assurance.

“If a journal guarantees publication within less than 30 days, that’s a red flag. There’s no honest way to conduct a quality peer review in such a short time,” he asserted.

He also reminded participants to verify whether journals are listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and to pay attention to transparency in editorial procedures and editorial board credibility.

Writing Articles That Inspire

Prof. Theo also shared practical tips on writing effective scientific articles. He emphasized the importance of crafting a clear and appealing title and abstract as the “main gateway” for editors to consider a manuscript for review.

“The title and abstract are the parts most frequently read. If they are unclear or uninteresting, editors are unlikely to move the paper forward,” he noted.

He further encouraged researchers to present their findings in a broader context so that their work remains relevant to readers across disciplines.

Encouraging Researchers to Contribute as Reviewers

In closing, Karlia Meitha, Ph.D., highlighted the key takeaways from the session. She urged researchers to contribute to maintaining the integrity of scientific publication by actively serving as reviewers.

“If we want to publish five papers a year, we should also be willing to review five manuscripts from other researchers. It’s our contribution to uphold scientific integrity,” she stated.

The Sharing Session Vol. 8 was attended by lecturers, research assistants, and postgraduate students who actively engaged in discussions on international publication strategies. Through the launch of the CERDAS Program, DRI ITB aims to strengthen ITB’s culture of ethical, collaborative, and globally competitive scientific publishing.

Reporter: Merryta Kusumawati (Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, 2025)