Special Issue Policy

Contribute to a Special Issue as an Editor

As an author, you may have the opportunity to contribute to a special issue, which focuses on a specific research area with broad appeal, aligning with the journal’s aims and scope. A special issue offers numerous benefits, including:

• Reviewing a particular theme or topic
• Exploring previously unaddressed aspects
• Proposing and developing new approaches
• Exchanging perspectives
• Encouraging new lines of research

Special issues may also be commissioned or proposed to:

• Recognize an individual’s or group’s contribution to the field
• Commemorate a specific date or occasion

Advantages of Publishing in a Special Issue

Publishing in a Special Issue offers several benefits, including:

Increased Discoverability: Articles in Special Issues are more frequently cited and benefit from greater visibility due to their connection to other articles in the collection.

Improved Navigation: Special Issues cluster papers by topic, making it easier for scholars to find relevant content in broad-scope journals.

Enhanced Promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal’s social media channels, increasing visibility and readership.

Rigorous Peer Review: Special Issue articles undergo the same rigorous and independent peer-review process as regular papers, ensuring high quality and integrity.

Expanded Research Network: Special Issues provide opportunities to connect with potential collaborators among authors of other manuscripts in the collection.

By publishing in a Special Issue, authors can enhance their research’s visibility, impact, and reach, while also connecting with other experts in their field.

Submit a Special Issue Proposal

We invite scholars to propose Special Issues on topics of interest to the scientific community. While we often extend invitations to guest edit Special Issues, we also welcome reader-submitted proposals. If you have expertise in a particular area, we encourage you to submit a proposal directly to us.

Proposal Submission Process

To submit a proposal, please provide all required information via the journal’s website. Our Editorial Team and Editor-in-Chief will review your proposal to ensure:

• Relevance to the journal’s scope
• Suitability of the topic
• Qualifications and expertise of the proposed Guest Editor(s)

What to Expect?

After submitting your proposal, our Editorial Team will review and assess it. If your proposal is accepted, you will be appointed as the Guest Editor for the Special Issue, working closely with our team to bring your vision to life.  Don’t miss this opportunity to share your expertise and shape the direction of research in your field. Submit your Special Issue proposal today!

Guest Editor Responsibilities and Ethics

As a Guest Editor, you play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and quality of the Special Issue. Please familiarize yourself with the Gerizim Academy of Research and Development (GARD) Policies on Publication Ethics and individual journal/Conference Proceedings/Book Series guidelines. Gerizim Academy of Research and Development is a member of COPE and adheres to its Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Content Relevance: Ensure that the published content aligns with the journal’s title and scope.
2. Citation Policies: Avoid requesting authors to include unnecessary references that may increase citations to your own or associated work.
3. Editor’s Submission: Limit your contributions to the Special Issue to ensure diversity and inclusiveness of authorship.
4. Confidentiality: Protect the confidentiality of all submitted material, including communications and reviewer identities.
5. Conflicts of Interest: Declare any conflicts of interest and remove yourself from the process if necessary to maintain the integrity of the peer review process.

Additional Guidelines:

• Declare any potential editorial conflicts of interest to the publisher in writing prior to appointment and update them as necessary.
• Apply GARD’s policy relating to disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by authors and reviewers.
• Ensure that original wording taken directly from other researchers’ publications appears in quotation marks with appropriate citations.

By adhering to these responsibilities and ethics, you will help maintain the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity in the Special Issue.

Guest Editor Duties

As a Guest Editor, your responsibilities include:

1. Special Issue Introduction: Prepare the title, summary, and keywords to introduce the Special Issue to authors and readers.
2. Contributor Recruitment: Provide a list of potential contributors and invite experts in the field to submit their work.
3. Peer Review Management: Pre-screen and supervise the peer review process, making decisions on new submissions and ensuring a thorough and fair review process.
4. Promotion: Promote the Special Issue at conferences, on social media, and on other relevant platforms to increase visibility and attract submissions.

Special Issue Goals

• Aim to collect more than 10 planned papers to account for any that may not pass peer review or be submitted.
• A successful Special Issue typically consists of 10 or more papers, plus an optional editorial written by the Guest Editor(s).

Guest Editor Expertise

• As a Guest Editor, you are considered an expert in your field of research.
• You may choose to include early career researchers on your team, but ultimately, you are responsible for supervising the peer review process and making decisions on manuscripts.

By fulfilling these duties, you will help create a high-quality Special Issue that showcases the latest research in your field.

Promote Your Special Issue

To maximize visibility and increase submissions, promote your Special Issue from the start! Here are some effective ways to do so:

1. Email Signature: Add the title and URL of your Special Issue to your email signature.

1. Social media: Utilize social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and ResearchGate to spread the word. Share a post with a Special Issue banner provided by the Editorial Office and tag GARD or the journal’s Twitter account.

1. Website Announcement: Showcase your Special Issue on your website’s homepage. GARD staff can provide images or text in various formats to suit your needs.

1. Related Research Websites: Inform GARD about relevant research websites that can list your Special Issue or applicable mailing lists.
2. Academic Events: Introduce your Special Issue at conferences and academic events. GARD can provide flyers, posters, and even a presentation slide to help you broadcast the open call for submissions.

Remember, promoting your Special Issue is an ongoing process. Be creative and persistent in spreading the word to attract submissions and make your Special Issue a success!

Editorial Procedure for Special Issue Submissions

Submissions to the Special Issue undergo peer review and publication following GARD’s standard editorial process. As Guest Editor, you will oversee the review process and make decisions on submissions based on the following steps:

1. Pre-check: Verify the manuscript’s suitability for the journal, section, and Special Issue, ensuring it meets high research and ethical standards.

1. First or Final Decision: Evaluate the suitability of selected reviewers, adequacy of reviewer comments, and author responses. Assess the paper’s scientific quality and make a decision.

Additional Checks:

Plagiarism detection: GARD/Journal Editors will recheck papers using iThenticate software if necessary.

Decision-Making Process:

• Guest Editors make decisions based on reviewer reports, with oversight from the Editor-in-Chief, Editor, and Editorial Board Members.
• In cases of conflicts of interest or unresponsiveness, an alternative Editor will be invited to review and make decisions.
• If a Guest Editor supports acceptance despite a reviewer’s rejection recommendation, a second independent opinion will be sought from an Editorial Board member or Editor-in-Chief/Editor.

Special Considerations:

• Articles submitted by Guest Editors will be handled by an Editorial Board member and publisher
• The GARD Editorial team will ensure the quality and integrity of the Special Issue throughout the editorial process and the end Publisher’s decision is final.