Special Issues Guidelines
AUCTORES Special Issue AUCTORES Guest Editor Guide AUCTORES Special Issue
What is a Special Issue?
Special Issues (SIs) are curated collections of papers focused on a specific topic of interest. They are organized and managed by expert researchers acting as Guest Editors. Unlike regular journal issues, Special Issues group related articles together, though all submissions undergo the same rigorous peer review as regular manuscripts. Accepted articles are published in regular issues but are also tagged as part of the Special Issue and can be easily discovered within the collection. [Click here to see feedback from Guest Editors about Special Issues.]
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
• Increased Discoverability: Articles in Special Issues are more easily found and tend to receive more citations due to their thematic grouping.
• Easy Navigation: Clustering papers on related topics makes it simpler for readers to explore relevant research.
• Promotion: Special Issue articles are often highlighted on the journal’s social media and other communication channels, increasing visibility.
• Rigorous Peer Review: All submissions follow the same independent peer-review process as regular articles and are typically overseen by an influential Guest Editor.
• Networking Opportunities: Special Issues connect researchers, providing a platform to identify potential collaborators.
• Reprints in Book Format: Successful Special Issues can be republished as AUCTORES Books, offering open access benefits including wide visibility and rapid dissemination. Proposing a Special Issue
Journals may invite scholars to guest-edit Special Issues, but proposals from authors and readers are also welcome. The journal’s Editorial Team and Editor-in-Chief review proposals for relevance and suitability. Proposals should include:
• The target journal and scope alignment
• Tentative title of the Special Issue
• Submission window (usually 6–12 months)
• List of Guest Editors, including affiliations, emails, ORCID, and research interests (teams
of 1–3 Guest Editors are recommended)
• A summary (150–200 words) and 3–10 keywords describing the Special Issue’s scope
• At least eight planned papers or a list of 20 potential authors with their affiliations
• Optional: a call-for-papers email and promotion plan
• Previous experience as a Guest Editor [Detailed guidance on submitting Special Issue proposals is available on the journal website.]
AUCTORES Guest Editor Guide
Guest Editors are responsible for managing the content of the Special Issue, while AUCTORES staff provide administrative support. Key responsibilities include:
• Ensuring content aligns with the Special Issue and journal scope
• Overseeing the peer-review process and making editorial decisions
• Maintaining confidentiality of submissions and reviewer identities
• Avoiding conflicts of interest and declaring competing interests
• Promoting the Special Issue via conferences, social media, or other channels Guest Editors may include early career researchers in the team but retain final responsibility for all editorial decisions.
Ethics and Policies
Guest Editors must adhere to AUCTORES’s publication ethics, including COPE guidelines. This includes avoiding citation manipulation, ensuring diversity of authorship, and limiting contributions from Guest Editors to maintain impartiality. Any conflicts of interest must be declared, and in cases of unresponsiveness or conflicts, an Editorial Board Member or the Editor- in-Chief may intervene. Editorial Process
Submissions to Special Issues follow the standard AUCTORES peer-review workflow. Guest Editors can:
• Accept, reject, request revision, or assign additional reviewers
• Verify relevance, quality, and ethical standards
• Oversee reviewers’ comments and authors’ responses The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board maintain oversight to ensure integrity and quality. Promoting Your Special Issue Guest Editors are encouraged to maximize visibility from the start by:
• Adding the Special Issue title and link to email signatures
• Promoting via social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, ResearchGate) with banners provided by AUCTORES
• Featuring the Special Issue on personal or institutional websites
• Using AUCTORES’s SciProfiles Discussion Group service to engage peers
• Presenting the Special Issue at conferences with flyers, posters, or slides Guest Editor Benefits
• Networking with peers and expanding research collaborations
• Accelerating dissemination of research in the field
• Opportunity to republish the Special Issue as a book through AUCTORES Books (online and print)
Using AUCTORES’s Submission System (SuSy)
Guest Editors manage the editorial process via SuSy, AUCTORES’s online submission platform. Registered Guest Editors can track all submissions, monitor review progress, and manage decisions for their Special Issue.
