Author AID - AuthorAID in The Eastern Mediterranean (AAEM)

AuthorAID in The Eastern Mediterranean (AAEM)

From January to June 2009 the first on-site phase of this volunteer project, co-coordinated by Karen Shashok and Dr Farhad Handjani, was able to get underway thanks to support from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, Iran. The results of the first on-site phase of this project were presented at the European Association of Science Editors 2009 conference, and were reported in European Science Editing and elsewhere. The second on-site phase, again supported by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, took place from November 2010 to July 2011. Work during this phase formed the basis of several articles, and also resulted in plans for collaborative research between an author's editor at the Clinical Research Development Center of Nemazee Hospital (one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences) and an AAEM editor in Spain. The AuthorAID in the Eastern Mediterranean website was inaugurarated in late October 2012.

Experienced volunteer editors who contribute their time to AAEM are located in several countries and edit research manuscripts at no cost to the authors. In Iran, the project has provided manuscript editing combined with training in writing, revising, good scientific English style, appropriate referencing and citation, and research publication ethics. Sets of AAEM advice developed for authors and editors cover aspects of technical editing such as abbreviations, reference formats and identifying sources of materials, as well as aspects of research writing and publication such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, appropriate secondary publication and choosing the most appropriate journal. While the next on-site phase of AAEM is being planned, its volunteers continue to provide manuscript editing support via email for researchers in the Eastern Mediterranean region.