Behavior Analysis Digest underwent a transition to become the modernized online industry magazine Behavior Analysis Quarterly (BAQ) one year ago.
The transition was led by Ben Witts, an assistant professor of Applied Behavior Analysis at St. Cloud State University, who took over the publication, then Behavior Analysis Digest from founder Joe Wyatt, in 2014 and re-envisioned it into the publication it is today.
BAQ covers the broad spectrum of topics in the behavior analysis field.
There’s a misconception that behavior analysts only work with people with autism, but that isn’t true. The field has a rich history and encompasses many fields and areas outside of autism and Behavior Analysis Quarterly seeks to celebrate the work being done in those areas, Witts said.
Ben Witts
Wyatt had a goal of spreading awareness about behavior analysis to the general population through subscribers who put out the publication in doctors and dentists offices when the publication began in 1989.
That goal remains for Witts, who is making the publication more accessible with a magazine style and an online presence. The publication now attracts more than 5,000 readers each issue.
“My goal is to get people excited about behavior analysis, especially students,” he said. “I want to get them excited about looking at things from new perspectives.”
Most of the articles in BAQ are written by students. Several St. Cloud State students have been published including Jennifer Bozosi in the January issue. (PDF)
“The reason we push for the students is that sometimes they have a unique view … and it’s kind of nice to see how they look at the field,” Witts said.
Having a publication is important for a student’s future career, but BAQ also exposes students to another kind of writing.
Since the magazine is designed for a broader audience, writing for BAQ allows students to gain experience disseminating their science to non-scientists, Witts said.
“It’s a really safe platform for them to get their feet wet,” he said. “They learn how to write to a general audience, get publication credit and get research experience.”
