Academic Writing and How to Publish with Impact in Water Research X

The Journal was launched in 2018 as a sister journal to Water Research in response to the increasing demand for open access publishing among authors and funding bodies. For the first five years, it operated as a companion journal with the same editorial team and workflow as Water Research. In 2021, Water Research X received its first impact factor of 9.365, which, while impressive for a new journal, was still lower than that of Water Research. This discrepancy was likely due to visibility and quality, as both journals maintained similar standards.

In 2023, the Journal was relaunched as an independent entity to adapt to changes in the publication landscape, particularly the shift towards Gold Open Access journals as mandated by some funding bodies. At this time, I was honored to be appointed as Editor-in-Chief, and we reestablished the editorial board and team, who have worked diligently over the past two years. One significant change was the introduction of a narrative style for research papers, which allows for a more concise and reader-friendly format compared to traditional submissions.

We continue to function as a sister journal to Water Research and as a joint publication of the International Water Association (IWA). Recently, we expanded our offerings to include regular research papers in response to requests from authors. The aims and scope of the Journal focus on the science, technology, and management of the anthropogenic water cycle and water quality. We emphasize the human impact on water bodies; therefore, research on pristine water bodies falls outside our scope.

Our journal encompasses various disciplines, including chemistry, microbiology, material sciences, and artificial intelligence, but submissions must demonstrate a strong link to water research.

Additionally, we prioritize applied research with real-life applications or potential applications. For example, if you are working on a sorptive material, it is essential to demonstrate its effectiveness over a duration relevant to its intended application, ideally using a realistic water matrix. As both an editor for Water Research and Editor-in-Chief of Water Research X, I have encountered numerous papers that present new materials tested over only two to three hours, which is insufficient. We require evidence of long-term application potential. Similarly, for studies involving microbial processes, it is crucial to demonstrate stability over an extended period, as a few weeks is inadequate for microbial communities to stabilize. Thus, we emphasize the application potential of your work.