Collaborating with early career researchers to enhance the future of scholarly communication: A guide for publishers

The scholarly publishing system is adapting to many changes including open access and open data mandates, and new technologies, including artificial intelligence. Members of the research and publishing communities are working to establish a more equitable, fair, and rigorous system that serves researchers’ evolving needs. Early career researchers (ECRs) are drivers of change, and publishers may wonder why and how they should involve ECRs in shaping the future of scholarly publishing. We held a virtual unconference to explore this issue with publishers and ECRs who were working to improve publishing. Some participants sought to improve peer reviewer or editor performance, whereas others sought to improve or reform the publishing system itself. Strategies for achieving these goals included peer review programs, editorial programs, ECR-led journals, ECR boards and committee representatives, and other ECR-initiated activities. ECRs particularly wanted to see three things improved: 1) Sharing research outputs other than publications, 2) Addressing technological limitations to create systems that meet the research community’s needs and facilitate knowledge advancement, and 3) Fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. We offer tips for publishers on how to collaborate with ECRs to enhance scholarly publishing, appeal to and learn from younger researchers, and better meet researchers’ needs.