EDITORIAL
Brazilian Annals of Dermatology: improving quality, increasing visibility
Ever since it assumed the scientific coordination of the journal, the current editorial board has endeavored to meet the goal of maintaining the high quality standards of the Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia attained throughout the past years thanks to the efforts made by previous boards.
Numerous innovations have been implemented and can be noted in the last few issues. They are a new visual design of the journal; inclusion of new sections; restructuring of guides to authors and paper submission rules; remodeling of the referees' evaluation form; institution of prizes for the best investigation and clinical case articles, constitution of national and international editorial boards; suppression of the English printed version, albeit with availability in three different on-line sources: SBD's homepage, newly created journal website (www.anaisdedermatologia.org.br) and SciELO database; systematic changes in the evaluation of manuscripts submitted to publication, including previous statistical and methodological review of investigation articles, and others.
Indirectly, many of these measures could already have a positive impact on the standards of published articles, since the demand of conformity to technical norms for submission of papers and a rigorous evaluation carried out by editors and referees certainly result in the selection of better quality papers.
The relevance of the role of referees in the final quality of papers has already been highlighted in a recent editorial, in which commitment and responsibility were demanded for the noble task of reviewing articles submitted for publication in the Annals. In this sense, editors will acknowledge the educational role of researchers and authors, implicit in the hard work of article evaluation by the journal, since the entire paper analysis process, which includes verifying and identification of mistakes, suggestions of correction and modifications, among other procedures, results in the perfectioning of production and scientific communication skills.
Obviously, a well-structured scientific paper, with impeccable writing, well-elaborated and attractive title and abstract, well-chosen descriptors, quality illustrations, to sum it up, a good presentation, is not enough to guarantee that it is read and recommended by peers. Without considering the scientific merits of the theme, it at least is supposed to fulfill its role of attracting the reader who has access to the whole journal or the researcher who, when searching in a database with descriptors, gets interested in the title and abstract, and ends up examining the whole article.
The crucial point, when it comes to quality publishing, does not exclusively reside in the good performance of editors and referees, but, above all, in the quality standards of the target scientific community of the journal. This means that the quality of the journal is a reflex of the scientific production of the community, which in this case represents the Brazilian dermatological community.
Thus, the editorial board wishes that the works sent to the Annals, either through submission to publication and evaluation by editors and referees (investigation, case reports, communication, which is your diagnosis, iconography), or written after invitation and evaluated by editors or the Editorial Board (continuing medical education, review, syndrome in question, memory), each day increase in quality, as a result of well-funded elaboration and careful and thorough presentation.
The final goal concerning the Annals quality is its reach beyond dermatological borders, thereby reaching professionals, researchers and students of related fields, increasing its visibility in the academic medium. And, as a consequence of this success, its indexation in the Medline/Index Medicus, database is intended, which will evidently add scientific value to the works published in the journal.
In conclusion, our primary appeal is directed to authors that choose the Annals to communicate their research, reviews and clinical observations, so they can pursue excellency in the elaboration and presentation of their scientific works, because quality papers will always be welcome. 
Bernardo Gontijo
Scientific Editor of Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia
Sílvio Alencar Marques
Associate Scientific Editor
Everton Siviero do Vale
Associate Scientific Editor
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
15 May 2008 -
Date of issue
Aug 2005
