A group of scientists and technologists from Stanford University (US) and KU Leuven (Belgium) launched SJFinder in 2013 to help researchers find the right journal to publish in based on the title and abstract of their manuscript. Since then a number of new functionalities have been added to the site. The idea is to offer a collection of tools to researchers to give them more control over their networking and communication.
Rate journals on SJFinder
Beyond the journal suggestions, SJFinder now also allow you to rate journals based on their reading and submission experiences. In an ideal world, submission would be chosen not on impact factor, but 1) on the traditional readership of the journal (if any) and 2) on the quality of the service provided by the publisher (i.e smoothness of peer review process, delay from submission to online availability, metrics on article, promotion of article).
SJFinder also helps you discover the literature, like other tools out there. In this case the simplicity of the user interface is especially appealing. Simply click on the fields that most interest you, and SJFinder will generate a list of the latest papers in that field. You can also subscribe by journal, but I personally think there something nice about exploring the literature by field and not by journal. Perhaps it is because it makes me less journal-biased and make it more likely to stumble upon interesting works and concepts.
Find labs by exploring a map on SJFinder
To help you find new collaborations and showcase your work, SJFinder rolled out two other functionalities. First, an interactive map helps you find research labs anywhere in the world. You can brows the labs by research fields, location, or by keyword, and explore the map. You can also easily add your own labs to the directory. The benefit of having a world-wide database of lab displayed on a map is pretty clear to me. I would use it to find new local collaborations. Sometime a hallway is enough to separate groups that would otherwise collaborate wonderfully. Or to find laboratories that I could easily go visit while at a conference.
And second, SJFinder launched a drag-and-drop website builder to let you build a website for your lab. This will makes it possible for the many researchers with limited resources of time and capital to create a website and showcase their work. It might sound almost old fashioned, but in my mind a website is a must for any research group. This, along with other similar tools, are great way to get started at building your online presence.
