Guidelines for Special Issues
Guidelines for Special Issues in JCDE
The JCDE invites researchers, whose work is well-aligned with the aims and scope of this journal, to act as a Guest Editor for a special issue. Guest editing a special issue not only helps to promote research on the chosen topic but also helps to establish the Guest Editor as an authority on the subject. This guide sets out the steps involved in proposing, preparing, and launching a special issue.
1. Topic Development
JCDE depends on the Guest Editor’s specialist knowledge to determine which topics warrant the thorough investigation and analysis that a Special Issue entails. The topic must be within the Guest Editor’s area of expertise such that they feel confident with handling papers addressing the subject. It should also be in keeping with the aims and scope of JCDE.
2. Preparing a Proposal
Once a topic is determined, the Guest Editor is asked to prepare a proposal. The Guest Editor will be responsible for handling the submitted papers and managing the peer-review process. There are two formats proposals.
(1) A detailed formal proposal
This proposal includes the titles and abstracts of the proposed papers. This proposal format must contain:
- The title of the Special Issue (should not exceed 15 words).
- A brief CV of the proposed Guest Editors (usually no more than three)
- A statement of the Special Issue’s significance for JCDE and a draft introduction if possible
- Titles and draft abstracts of each of the proposed papers and any draft papers that are available
- Brief details of contributors
- An outline timetable
(2) A proposal for a Special Issue Call for Papers
This proposal format must contain:
- The title of the Special Issue (should not exceed 15 words)
- A brief CV of the proposed Guest Editors (usually no more than three)
- A statement of the Special Issue’s significance for JCDE, and the likely content to be covered
- A draft of the Call for Papers
- An outline timetable
A proposal should be submitted along with an explanation of (i) why the subject is important and timely and (ii) what communities are expected to contribute to the special issue. When the proposal is ready, it should be sent to [email protected].
3. Proposal Validation
Once a proposal is submitted, the Editors of JCDE begin the validation process. We will ensure that the Special Issue’s proposed title, aims and scope are broadly suitable for the journal. The Editors assess whether the proposal is likely to attract sufficient submissions from the researchers in a relevant field. If any changes are required as a result of any of these assessments, the proposal must be reworked and resubmitted. Next, the proposal is forwarded to the Co-Editor-in-Chief’s of JCDE for their consideration. The Co-Editor-in-Chief’s are responsible for making the final decision on the acceptance of the proposal. They may have comments or concerns about the proposal. In such a case, the proposal has to be revised and resubmitted for the final decision. The proposal that satisfies all the requirements will be accepted.
4. Publishing and Promoting the Call for Papers
The Call for Papers is published on the journal’s page. The Guest Editor is encouraged to share the Call for Papers widely. Active dissemination of CFP will help to collect a sufficient number of high-quality submissions.
5. Managing Submissions and Peer Review
When papers are submitted to the Special Issue, they will be checked by the Co-Editor-in-Chief of JCDE to ensure that they are suitable for consideration. The papers that are suitable for the Special Issue are sent to the Guest Editor. The Guest Editor acts as a handling Editor for that paper. The Guest Editor assesses the quality and relevance of the submitted papers, ensuring that they are aligned with the topic of the Special Issue. Submissions to the Special Issue are processed exactly the same way as a regular submission to JCDE. They are thoroughly evaluated for scientific rigor and must go through the full peer-review process before they can be accepted for publication.
6. Publication and Promotion
The Special Issue is published and made freely available on the journal's website, as well as appearing in the relevant databases and repositories, leading to the maximum possible dissemination within the scientific community. We also ensure that the papers are added to the appropriate abstracting and indexing services, such as SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded) and Scopus.
