(Original interview in Dutch)
Scientific publishing is no longer limited to text documents alone. A collaboration between Openjournals and BMGN has developed a way to publish in a ‘multilayered’ and ‘enriched’ manner. This innovative approach makes it possible to present research in a more interactive and transparent way, offering new opportunities for both scientists and readers.
A multi-layered article divides information across different layers: the main thrust of the piece is in the first layer, while more in-depth technical or methodological explanations can be found in a second layer. This allows readers to zoom in and out on the content, as it were. This makes complex information more accessible and increases the applicability of research. An enriched article also contains interactive visualizations such as maps, as well as tables, graphs, videos, or audio clips.
The historical journal BMGN – Low Countries Historical Review initiated this new form of publication. Managing editor Tessa Lobbes explains that “the editorial team had long wanted to do more with online publication, beyond simple PDFs.” The move to a multi-layered and enriched format stemmed from two ambitions: “more insightful visualization of results” and “greater transparency about the method.”
The collaboration between BMGN and Openjournals proved fruitful in realizing these ambitions. “To build this, you need people who are technically skilled, but also understand how historical research works,” says Lobbes. The technical solution was found in an HTML format that was integrated into Openjournals’ OJS system.
The experiment not only resulted in innovative publications, but also recognition. The BMGN article
Nevertheless, Lobbes emphasizes that this innovation also presents challenges. “It takes time and manpower to build such articles. And we need to think about how we can distribute them more effectively.” Despite these obstacles, the vision for the future is clear. Enriched and multi-layered publishing fits perfectly within the vision of open science—sharing knowledge in a transparent and accessible way. “We hope that this will be of value not only to digital historians, but more broadly within the field of history and also to other journals at Openjournals,” Lobbes concludes.
