This section offers insights into the diverse roles and responsibilities of both the lead guest editor and guest editors, contributing to the success of their respective special issues.
List Planned Articles or Potential Authors
To ensure the success of a special issue, a minimum of 5 articles must be published. To achieve this, the lead guest editor and guest editors are expected to provide details for at least 10 planned articles or propose 10 potential authors. It's important to note that not all planned articles may be suitable for publication after the peer review process, so having more than 10 planned articles or potential authors is recommended. The details should include the corresponding author's name, email, and, optionally, a tentative title for the planned article.
Download the form to provide details for planned articles or potential authors.
Prepare the Call for Papers Letter
As the lead guest editor, one of your key responsibilities is preparing a tailored Call for Papers letter. This letter will be used to invite scholars to submit their research to your special issue. It should contain a brief description of the special issue and inspire potential contributors to participate in your research endeavor.
To create an impactful Call for Papers letter, we suggest incorporating the Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue. Highlighting these benefits can help emphasize the value and advantages of contributing to your special issue, thus attracting a broader array of high-quality submissions.
Promote Your Special Issue
Publications in a special issue are generally gathered by an invitation from the lead guest editor and guest editors or a wide call for papers from the editorial office. Nevertheless, submissions from the wider community to any special issue should not be neglected. An effective way to maximize the visibility of a special issue and increase submissions is to promote your special issue from the very beginning.
Examples of effective promotion from the lead guest editor and guest editors' side include, but are not limited to the following:
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Option 1
Add the Title and URL
To start, simply add the title and URL of your special issue to your email signature.
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Option 2
Social Media
Social media, with its instant dissemination and wide coverage, is also a convenient yet highly effective tool for advertisement. You are encouraged to publish a post on Twitter and LinkedIn, together with a special issue banner provided by the editorial office, or to announce the project on ResearchGate. Thus, more peers will be aware of the special issue.
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Option 3
Announcing Your Special Issue
Announcing your special issue on the homepage of your website is another way to increase its visibility. We will gladly send you images or text in all formats that suit your needs. In addition, you can inform us of related research websites that could list your special issue or relevant mailing lists which are applicable.
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Option 4
Introducing Your Special Issue Onsite
Introducing your special issue onsite at academic events to colleagues is recommended. Special issue flyers and posters can be delivered to you. If you are going to give a presentation at a conference and are willing to broadcast the open call for submission to your audience, a slide about the special issue can be prepared for you.
Assessment and Handling Articles Submitted to Your Special Issue
Once a manuscript is submitted, the lead guest editor of the special issue and the journal's editorial staff will review it based on their availability. This evaluation assesses the manuscript for academic value and the relevance of the subject, ensuring a smooth peer review process.
After confirming the manuscript's suitability, the lead guest editor ensures that it does not raise any conflicts. Subsequently, a quality-based review of the manuscript is conducted by the lead guest editor. In this process, they assign the manuscript to guest editors and external referees for the review. The final decision to accept or reject an article is then determined by the lead guest editor, based on the reviewers' reports.
SciencePG's editorial staff provides extensive administrative support to guest editors, encompassing tasks such as contacting delayed reviewers, sending reminders to authors and reviewers, conveying a guest editor’s decisions to authors, monitoring missing materials, and managing various additional administrative responsibilities.
