https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.92.10

In March and April, we asked Members to share their opinions on our activities through a Membership Survey. The 2013 survey was composed with a view to garnering results that are directly comparable to that undertaken in 2011, and with a view to repeating the exercise every couple of years. This will generate a record of The Society’s perceived performance and information that is actionable.

Responses to the 2011 survey have informed our strategic plans and results have been discussed by relevant committees to support decision-making. The 2013 survey will similarly lead our activities over the coming years.

We present here some of the key points to come out of the 2013 Membership Survey, especially related to PN. The full results will be available online later in the year.

About you

The total number of responses stood at 561 when the survey closed on 30th April. This represents a very healthy 17.5% of the total membership.

57% of respondents were Ordinary Members, and 28% Affiliates. This compares well with the actual makeup of the membership, at 57% and 31% respectively.

94.7% of respondents said that they were active in research – 47% of whom were also engaged in teaching.

70% of respondents were based in the UK.

Your main policy concern is funding for research.

Membership categories of survey respondents

The Society online

87.2% of respondents rated www.physoc. org ‘good’ or ‘very good’ for content, and 73% gave the same rating for the site’s user-friendliness.

74.2% wanted to see more grants and funding opportunities flagged up online.

48% of you want more educational resources available through our website.

93.4% of you receive the monthly email newsletter and 75.8% rate is as ‘quite useful’ or ‘very useful’.

How important is Impact Factor in choosing a journal for publication?

The Society’s journals

We asked you about your publishing activity in order to focus the strategies guiding our three journals; The Journal of Physiology, Experimental Physiology and Physiological Reports. Over 90% of respondents thought that the reputation of a journal was ‘quite important’ or ‘very important’ when choosing where to submit. Another important factor was whether the journal was read by their community.

Over half the respondents thought that constructive peer review process was ‘very important’, and 80% thought that a fast editorial decision was either ‘quite important’ or ‘very important’.

Impact Factor still influenced over half the people surveyed, although the reputation, reach and constructive peer review were considered more important.

Just over a quarter of respondents had published via ‘Gold’ Open Access routes, and over a third of these responses indicated publication in one of The Society’s journals using the ‘author-pays’ route. Funding of Open Access payments came from their institution (33%) or via their grant funders. One-fifth of respondents have self-funded the open access charge.

We are encouraged to learn that over 70% of respondents welcomed the launch of our new Open Access journal, Physiological Reports.

In the future, Physiology News should publish more …

(See Physiology Feed on page 7 for our new initiative on providing science news in the magazine).

Physiology News

96% of you read Physiology News. The majority prefer to skim each issue and select the best articles for your full attention.

16% read Physiology News cover-to-cover.

4% do not read Physiology News!

68.8% of you still prefer your Physiology News in print.

75.8% ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that the new format Physiology News (launched in Spring 2012) looks much better than the old format. 58.7% held it to be a more enjoyable read. 41.4% said it was more useful to them as a physiologist.

About The Society

70% ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that membership of The Society is increasingly valuable.

63.6% of respondents valued their Society membership for the networking opportunities it provides.

85.7% rated our membership services as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

The Society’s events

58.2% of you have attended The Society’s Main Meeting at least once in the last three years.

34% have attended one of The Society’s Themed Meetings.

45% of those who have not attended a Society meeting in the last three years say that it is too expensive (we look forward to increased applications for travel grants!).

Congratulations to Stephen Town and Craig Sharp, who won iPad Minis in the Membership Survey prize draw. Stephen is an Affiliate Member working at University College London’s Ear Institute. Craig is a retired Member based in Birmingham.

Craig said: “My very first job, in 1956, was as an Assistant Lecturer in Sir James Black’s Department of Veterinary Physiology in Glasgow. I had a Chinese colleague there who used to say ‘If heaven drops a date, open your mouth!’ So, I will simply say a very warm ‘thank you’!”