A special issue is a collection of articles within a journal that focuses on a current area of research. Special issues are focused, timely, and insightful collections that are often very well received.
NISTEMR has an open-access home for your research, regardless of field. Over 3000 journals with gold open-access publishing options were reviewed. Within the first 24 months, special content articles published in open access journals receive twice as many citations as regular articles published in the same journal.
As an author, you may be able to contribute to a special issue at some point in your career. A special issue focuses on a specific area of research that has broad appeal and falls within the journals aims and scope. A special issue is also an excellent opportunity to review a specific theme, investigate previously unexplored aspects, propose and develop new approaches, exchange perspectives, and encourage new lines of research. Special issues may also be commissioned or proposed to honour an individual’s or group’s contribution to the field, or to commemorate a specific date or occasion. Read more about the benefits of publishing your work in a special issue and how you could even become a guest editor for a special issue below.
Benefits of Submitting to a Special Issue
- Increased visibility
- Faster publication
- Quality control
- Increased Visibility
Because special issues are focused, timely, and insightful collections, they often get more attention than regular magazine issues. As a result, your scientific colleagues will be able to read your special issue more often, leading to lively discussion and more citations of your work, thereby maximizing the visibility of your work. Some publishers actively promote special editions of their magazines via social media, search engines, and email, making their articles highly discoverable and reaching an international audience.
Special edition workflows vary by journal and publisher, but publishing as part of a special edition can speed up the publishing process. This format avoids publication delays and overcomes the traditional process of requiring all submissions to be completed before a special issue is published.
Special issues follow the same editorial and peer review guidelines as regular journals, including: B. indexing, rigorous peer review, and editorial oversight. Additionally, your manuscript may be edited by a guest editor who is likely to be an influential researcher in the field. Submitting or soliciting articles through a special issue guest editor is invaluable for networking opportunities and potential collaborations.
What is a Special Issue?
Special issues differ from regular journal issues because they focus on a specific research topic, usually with broad appeal. Special issues are still within the framework of research journals, but they explore specific topics, review previously unaddressed issues, or propose or develop entirely new approaches to the topic. is an excellent method for Can special issues also stimulate new ideas for research?
Some special issues were commissioned by research institutes and institutions, while others were proposed by researchers in the field. Special issues can also be published to honour or show appreciation for the work of researchers or research groups in a field or on a topic.
Why produce a special issue?
The special edition invites key guest editors seeking new research directions. This guest editor can manage the peer review process and publish approved articles in batches.
When it comes to readership, the guest editor can use research contacts to introduce new readers, authors, and reviewers to your journal. But the special issue is not just about:
Provide an opportunity to publish exciting and topical articles in specific areas.
Help increase the visibility of your journal in your target research community.
You can list topics that the journal thinks are important for future authors to know about.
Steps to Create a Special Issue
We’ve shown that it may be worthwhile, but what are the procedures you must follow in order to produce a special issue for your journal?
- Choose your topic
- Clarify the process
- Maintain the focus of your special issue
- Check on the progress of articles
- Tune your technology
First, you need to define and delineate the topic of your special issue. Remember, thousands of writers are looking for the right place for their articles. And some of these authors might read the call for papers with a broadly optimistic interpretation. Therefore, you need to be precise in your goals and scope.
Don’t be afraid to turn down Special Issue proposals that deviate from the journal’s goals. It can be hard to say no to help when it’s offered, but it’s important to stay on track.
The next step is to select a guest editor who is familiar with academic publishing and review procedures. Make sure they are also motivated to contact authors and find reviewers.
It takes a lot of time and effort to create a special issue, so you need to make sure that your guest editor is aware of this and willing to take on the responsibility.
Once you’ve found a guest editor for your topic of choice, you’ll want to make sure they understand the scope of the special issue and the criteria for accepting articles. During this discussion, take notes and create written instructions and checklists for the guest editors. This is an important step to keep your focus on a particular topic. It can take months from the meeting to the arrival of the items. Therefore, the two guest editors will need this written consent to remain clear and consistent throughout the special edition process.
Make it clear from the beginning that you want to meet monthly to discuss progress with your guest editor. To ensure that the articles are published on time, monitor their progress and adhere to the agreed-upon schedule. As an editor, you should always be available to answer questions from your guest editor.
Throughout the publication process, Special Issue articles must be identifiable. Giving them a label within the submission system is the simplest method for achieving this.
In the NISTEMR Manuscripts system, special issue articles for production, planning, and control, for instance, have the article prefix “SI.” They are held together by this. Find the best way to make your Special Issue articles easy to find and track in your submission system by working with your publisher.