Digital production and new media convergence publishing practice of scientific and technological periodicals based on XML integration: The case of Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae

Background: This study aims to systematically summarize the advantages of using a digital publishing platform for scientific and technological journals based on extensible markup language (XML)-integrated production. It also seeks to analyze the effects of the fusion of digital production and new media practices in order to provide a reference for China's digital publication of scientific and technological journals and its combination with new media. Methods: Taking Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae as an example, this study builds a model of digital production and new media fusion publishing for scientific and technological journals based on XML integration by reviewing the shortcomings of traditional production models. The advantages and practical applications of digital production and new media fusion publishing are analyzed. Results: The adoption of an XML-integrated production platform results in producing content once and its diverse publication. Single articles or entire issues can be quickly released, allowing these to be immediately published four months ahead of the network first release and thus shortening the publication cycle. The platform is seamlessly connected with journal websites and WeChat, achieving simultaneous priority publication and full-issue publication on the PC and mobile ends and realizing media convergence and multichannel dissemination. During the initial period, the average downloads per article significantly increased, with single-article downloads reaching 1961 times. Conclusion: Using an XML-integrated production platform can optimize the publishing process, improve the level of digitalization, and increase work efficiency. It helps shorten the publication cycle, accelerate the speed of dissemination, and enhance the academic influence of a journal.