Author Q&A with Dr Alice Wang

To celebrate the launch of PLOS Global Public Health, we spoke with authors of our first published articles to find out a little bit more about them, their work, and why they chose to publish with the journal.

For this second author Q&A, we spoke with Dr Alice Wang, Epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Read on to learn more about the published research, which factors were important when selecting PLOS Global Public Health, and the overall experience.

Tell us a little about your research.

In the past few years, my work has focused on TB/HIV. In general, I enjoy exploring various global health topics, with a focus on equity and neglected populations. I like delving into the intersection of social and environmental influences and public health.

What are the important factors that you look for when selecting a journal for your research?

When selecting a journal for my research, I look to see if the journal aims align with my interests. I also look to see if there is flexibility when it comes to submission guidelines, such as manuscript format and word count. Finally, I generally like open access journals for a wider reach of audience.

Why did you decide to publish with PLOS Global Public Health?

My manuscript could be considered more of a narrative review backed with multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and other respected sources of guidance documents. I had multiple colleagues recommend PLOS Global Public Health when they reviewed my manuscript, which encouraged me to explore this new journal since both quantitative and qualitative work were considered. Additionally, I felt that PLOS Global Public Health was the best avenue to publish, since our manuscript spanned a variety of diseases (i.e. TB, NTDs, HIV) and touches upon different aspects of global health, including burden of disease, development, politics, and funding.

What was your experience of the PLOS Global Public Health publishing process?

The publishing process was easy and smooth. I was on maternity leave and juggling life with a newborn (and a toddler!) and I was not at all stressed since PLOS Global Public Health was communicative and transparent. The timeline was fairly quick and the online centralized submission system was easy to navigate.

What advice would you give to other authors considering publishing with PLOS Global Public Health?

My advice is to not shy away from qualitative work or work that is at the intersection of diseases or topics. So much of public health is siloed, including work published by journals. If we want to make true positive incremental change, it is to address the multiple aspects of a disease since everything is connected.

Would you publish with PLOS again? Why?

I would happily publish with PLOS again. The process was transparent and the turnaround time was quick. I like that the journal has a wide scope and even wider audience reach.

Read the article: Comparison and lessons learned from neglected tropical diseases and tuberculosis

Find out more about PLOS Global Public Health from the Co-Editors-in-Chief. Thinking about submitting? Discover 6 more reasons why authors choose to publish with PLOS.