Since 2022, Russia’s state scientific and publication policy has undergone significant changes. Over three years of navigating new conditions shaped by sanctions and restricted access to international scientometric databases (Web of Science and Scopus) imposed by the companies owning these resources, the effects have been far-reaching. For more than 12 years, the reporting on scientific research results was primarily based on publications in journals indexed in these databases. Consequently, at the beginning of 2022, steps were taken to establish a national system for evaluating the effectiveness of scientific research and development. The journey was challenging, but by late 2024, it culminated in the decision to create a Unified State List of Scientific Publications, also known as the “White List”. This decision effectively abolished the “List of Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journals in Which the Main Scientific Results of Dissertations Should Be Published” (the VAK List). In the closing days of 2024, the Russian Scientific Information Center (RSIC) presented a draft of the “Methodology for Forming and Categorizing the Unified State List of Scientific Publications – the White List” to the members of the new Interdepartmental Working Group (IWG) tasked with its formation and updating. The introduction of this draft sparked reflections on the state policy over recent years that influenced the development of Russian scientific journals. Based on an analysis of the content of the draft “Methodology”, several comments were made regarding its specific provisions, the requirements for Russian journals outlined in the appendices, and the criteria for expert evaluation of publications. These criteria, as currently formulated, are unlikely to provide an objective assessment of the quality of Russian journals and require substantial refinement. Some of the requirements for Russian journals outlined in the “Methodology” may necessitate further state decisions, particularly those related to distinguishing scientific periodicals as a separate category from the broader flow of mass media (including print and online publications). Adjustments to specific legislative acts may also be required, recognizing the editorial and publishing professional community in the scientific sphere as an essential part of the broader scientific community. This recognition is crucial for contributing to the reports on the results of scientific research and development.

The search for appropriate ways to finance academic periodicals in Russia has become urgent due to the lack of mechanisms for systemic support of academic publishing. The paper sums up the results of a retrospective analysis of the main funding sources for academic journals in Russia and discusses the authors’ fees policy in commercial journals. We investigate journal funding models, such as journal founder funding, subscription, and sponsorship. We find that the system of academic organizations’ funding, which has resulted from the Russian Academy of Sciences reform, hampers the growth of academic publishing in Russia. We conclude that it is necessary to combine special-purpose funds from the federal budget and founders’ funding to finance the leading journals published by academic organizations and universities. Moreover, we consider article processing charge (APC) as a promising model for academic periodicals. A significant number of “predatory” journals were revealed due to the analysis of policies and content of the Russian journals with publication fees indexed in DOAJ (n = 49) by such criteria as the amount of publication fees, main and additional paid services, the moment of payment, issue frequency, number of articles in a single issue, peer review period, indexing, English version and type of founder. The results of this analysis confirm the stereotype that the publication fee is an indicator of a “predatory” journal. Moreover, the number of journals with publication fees in Russia is not too large. At the same time, the results show the authors’ willingness to pay for the publication of papers. These can be considered potential funds that could contribute to developing high-quality academic journals if they introduce publication fees and continue to meet ethical and publishing standards. The findings are essential for making decisions on improving the system of academic periodical financing in Russia.

This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the role of special issues in the evolving landscape of academic publishing, offering insights for publishers, editors, guest editors, and researchers, including how new technologies influence transparency in publishing processes, open access models, and metrics for success. Based upon original analysis, the paper also discusses the importance of special issues and opportunities to support diversity, equity, and inclusivity in special issue publishing programmes. The goal is to contribute to the discussion of maintaining research integrity through special issues, acknowledging their significance in scholarly communication, while offering suggestions for the future.

The article deals with the significance and peculiarities of reviewing scientific articles in Russian and foreign journals included in the List of journals recommended by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation (НАС journals list) and indexed in Scopus. The author analyzes three forms of reviews– free form, form of table and detailed commentary and shows that the process of scientific research evaluation plays a decisive role in improving the quality of publications and development of scientific journals. Free form of reviews and reviews suggesting simple answers offer no benefits for reviewers, editors and authors as they provide neither clarity, nor the opportunity to receive detailed feedback. According to the author the form with detailed commentary which is traditionally used by the journals of international databases is the most efficient. It helps to facilitate the work of reviewer and editor, contributes to educating effect and enhances the quality of articles due to precise analysis algorithm. The author comes to the conclusion that well-formulated forms of reviews can be a powerful tool for development of scientific community. The article offers to continue the research in order to create unified forms of reviews and develop guidance principles to optimize the process of peer review, reduce the burden on editors and foster professional growth of reviewers and authors. 

Introduction: The issue of transparency in the editorial policies of scientific journals has become increasingly significant in the context of advancing international open access standards, as regulated by COPE, OASPA, WAME, and DOAJ principles. The openness and accessibility of information on a journal’s website, along with the proper design of publications themselves, determine not only the quality and reproducibility of research but also the broader scientific community’s trust in the journal’s editorial policy. However, the practical implementation of transparency depends heavily on the consistent application of stated principles at the level of author requirements and publications.
Purpose: To assess how well COPE, OASPA, WAME, and DOAJ principles are reflected in the editorial policies of international (Scopus Q1) and Russian scientific journals in the field of biotechnology and food research, with particular focus on openness about research methodologies, provision of raw data, and website design that ensures transparency at all stages of the publication process.
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 international journals indexed in Scopus (Q1) and 30 Russian journals (including those in Scopus and the highest-ranked by RSCI data) were analyzed. The study examined official journal websites, editorial policies, author guidelines, as well as the actual requirements for methodological disclosure and raw data provision. Additional attention was paid to site design elements, including the availability of detailed instructions and templates, as well as how each journal’s open access policy is presented through its interface and structure.
Results: It was found that international journals and some Russian journals indexed in Scopus demonstrate a more comprehensive level of transparency: standards for methodological disclosure, publication of raw data, and adherence to COPE, OASPA, WAME, and DOAJ principles are explicitly prescribed and consistently applied. These journals offer clear instructions on their websites, emphasizing the need for detailed methods descriptions and open data access. In contrast, among Russian journals not indexed by international databases, there is variability in the implementation of declared principles: despite efforts to update editorial policies, some journals do not fully translate transparency requirements into practice, which is evident in incomplete methodological information and limited online information regarding open access principles.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate a positive trend in the integration of open access and transparency principles into the editorial policies of journals in biotechnology and food research. The process is carried out most consistently in international journals and Russian journals indexed in international scientific databases. Nevertheless, further development of transparency requires standardizing requirements for methodological descriptions and open data, as well as fully reflecting these standards through the journal’s website design and layout, thereby strengthening the scientific community’s trust and enhancing the quality of published research.

The use of social media plays a significant role in promoting scientific journals. Telegram, a social media platform with messaging capabilities, is still insufficiently explored in this context. Our study aims to examine the potential of Telegram for promoting scientific journals and to share experiences in building effective communication with the target audience. The empirical basis of the study was the Telegram-channel of the Russian scientific journal Modern Electronic Materials. The channel aimed to increase the number of authors, engage with the target audience, and enhance outreach. During the creation of the channel, the authors of the journal (over 1000 people) were divided into 4 segments based on geography, age, academic degree, and position. For each segment, a persona was created with specific motives and barriers to interacting with the journal. Content personalization in the channel using the persona method allowed for the needs of the target audience to be met, resulting in reaching 100 subscribers. After that, a survey of actual subscribers was conducted, which helped clarify their interests and preferences for further building effective communication. Regular assessment and analysis of the target audience of the Telegram channel of the scientific journal are necessary to ensure the relevance of the content, optimize the promotion strategy, and allocate resources efficiently.

There is a widespread opinion that Russian scientific journals (RSJ) struggle quite far behind foreign publications in terms of citation rates, despite the fact that scientometric indices and the qualitative content of journals are constantly changing. This article provides an analysis of the current scientometric indicators and position in international ranking of RSJ in natural, exact and technical sciences. It is noted that among RSJ there are dozens of highly ranked ones. The indicators of RSJ and translated journals (created as 
English-language versions of RSJ) differ. On average, the indices of translated journals are higher, but Q1 has more representatives of RSJ. The sample of RSJ is not as homogeneous as that of translated journals. Traditionally, highly cited Russian publications are works in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry and mining. The relationship between the indicators of publication activity of Russian authors and the quality of the RSJ is discussed. The model of creating journals within an organization to maintain its image is outdated and does not work well in modern conditions. It is emphasized that the establishing of new academic journals and the transformation of existing ones should be based on an analysis of demand from the scientific community and an assessment of the level of development of a specific area based on scientometric and other indicators, otherwise it will be extremely difficult for the journal to develop.

An effective identification system for scholarly publications should include essential identifying information, such as the author’s name, publishing journal, and date of publication. However, current Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) often lack such important details, as their primary goal is to link online publications to their web sources. In print versions, these PIDs become ineffective since their main purpose is to locate online content only. To address these limitations, a new identification and linking system, called DOP (Date of Publication) is proposed, based on four key variables: 1) the first author's name, 2) the journal’s name, 3) the date of publication (DOP), and 4) the time of publication. With such identifying features, DOP links can identify scholarly publications efficiently both in print and online settings. For instance, a paper published by author A in journal J on date D and time T can have a DOP identifier link as follows: DOP>AuthorA/JournalJ/D/T, where D refers to the date of publication (year, month, and day), and T refers to the time of publication (hour, minute, and second). This format provides several advantages: it offers key identifying information within the links themselves; the date and time make DOP identifiers specific among journals and between authors; it fits with common citation styles that typically rely on similar variables; and even if the original publication link turns out to be broken, moved, or no longer exists, informative data remain visible within the DOP link itself. Furthermore, a large bibliographic database can be established based on DOP identifiers for the identification and indexation of scientific publications in one and the same place. DOP identifiers can thus offer a global, robust, cohesive, clear and human readable way to identify scholarly publications from around the world.

Selection of materials: T.A. Loskutova

Translation: TextTranslate Translation Agency