Guest Editor Guide

The Guest Editor plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of a Special Issue while adhering to ethical standards set by Hilltopub. Here's a breakdown of the responsibilities and ethics associated with being a Guest Editor:

Guest Editor Responsibilities and Ethics:

1. Content Relevance: Ensure that the content published within the Special Issue aligns with the journal's title and stated scope.
   
2. Citation Policies: Avoid requesting authors to include references solely to increase citations to their own or associates' work, to the journal, or to another associated journal. Addition of irrelevant references is strongly discouraged, and proper citation practices must be followed.
   
3. Editor’s Submission: Limit the number of contributions from Guest Editors to 25% to maintain diversity and inclusiveness of authorship representing the research area of the Special Issue. Any article submitted by a Guest Editor will be handled by a member of the Editorial Board.
   
4. Confidentiality: Protect the confidentiality of all material submitted to the journal, including communications for Editors only and the identity of reviewers, unless it is an open peer review after publication and reviewers have signed their review report.
   
5. Conflicts of Interest: Carefully consider and declare any conflicts of interest when participating in the review, decision-making process, and publication of a paper. Remove yourself from the process if a conflict of interest exists. In the event of a conflict of interest, an alternative Editor will be found.
   
6. Declaration of Competing Interests: Disclose any potential editorial conflicts of interest to the publisher in writing before your appointment as Editor and update as necessary. The publisher may publish such declarations in the journal. Apply Hilltopub’s policy relating to the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by authors and reviewers.

By upholding these responsibilities and ethical standards, Guest Editors contribute to maintaining the integrity and quality of the Special Issue and the journal as a whole.

 

The duties and benefits of being a Guest Editor for a Special Issue are essential components of the editorial process and offer significant advantages to both the editor and the research community. Here's a summary:

Guest Editor Duties:

1. Preparing Special Issue Content: Develop the title, summary, and keywords to introduce the Special Issue to authors and readers, ensuring clarity and relevance.

2. Inviting Contributors: Compile a list of potential contributors and invite investigators in the field to submit their work for consideration in the Special Issue.

3. Supervising Peer Review: Oversee the entire peer review process, including pre-screening submissions, assigning reviewers, and making decisions about new submissions within the Special Issue.

4. Promoting the Special Issue: Actively promote the Special Issue at conferences, on social media, and other relevant platforms to increase visibility and attract submissions.

It's recommended to aim for at least 10 papers for a successful Special Issue, along with an optional editorial. To achieve this goal, Guest Editors may need to collect more than 10 planned papers, considering that some manuscripts may not pass the peer review process or may not be submitted.

Guest Editor Benefits:

1. Networking Opportunity: Guest Editing provides an ideal platform for networking and communication with scholars in the research community, fostering collaborations and knowledge exchange.

2. Global Dissemination: Contribute to accelerating the dissemination of science worldwide by curating a Special Issue that showcases cutting-edge research in the field.

3. Special Issue Reprints: Benefit from the option to have the Special Issue reprinted in book format, with reprints available for free on the platform. Guest Editors receive a complimentary hardcopy of the reprinted Special Issue if it publishes more than 10 papers (excluding editorials). Additionally, Guest Editors can purchase print copies at a 20% discount.

Overall, serving as a Guest Editor offers a rewarding experience for researchers looking to make a meaningful impact on their field and engage with the scholarly community on a global scale.

Promoting your Special Issue

Promoting a Special Issue is crucial for maximizing its visibility and attracting submissions from the wider research community. Here are some effective strategies for Guest Editors to promote their Special Issue:

1. Email Signature: Incorporate the title and URL of your Special Issue into your email signature. This simple step ensures that every email you send serves as a promotional tool for the Special Issue.

2. Social Media: Leverage platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and ResearchGate to reach a broader audience. Share posts about the Special Issue, accompanied by a banner provided by the Editorial Office, to inform your peers about the project. Tagging Hilltopub or the journal's Twitter account can help amplify the message.

3. Website Announcement: Announce the Special Issue on the homepage of your website to increase its visibility among visitors. You can request images or text from Hilltopub staff in various formats to suit your website's needs. Additionally, inform Hilltopub about related research websites or mailing lists that could list the Special Issue for further promotion.

4. Academic Events: Take advantage of academic events to introduce the Special Issue to colleagues. Request Special Issue flyers and posters from Hilltopub to distribute at these events. If you're giving a presentation at a conference, prepare a slide about the Special Issue to broadcast the open call for submissions to your audience.

By implementing these promotional strategies, Guest Editors can effectively raise awareness about their Special Issue and encourage contributions from researchers across the field.

 

Editorial Procedure of Submissions to the Special Issue

The editorial procedure for submissions to a Special Issue involves several key steps to ensure the quality and integrity of the publication process. Here's an overview:

1. Peer Review Process: Submissions to the Special Issue undergo a rigorous peer review process. The Guest Editor(s) oversee the review process, which includes selecting suitable reviewers, collecting review reports, and making decisions based on reviewer feedback.

2. Editorial Decision: Upon receiving review reports, the Guest Editor(s) are responsible for making an editorial decision on the submission. They can choose to accept, reject, request revisions, or seek additional review. The decision-making process considers various factors, including the manuscript's suitability for the journal or Special Issue, adherence to ethical standards, and scientific rigor.

3. Plagiarism Check: If there are concerns about plagiarism in a submission, Hilltopub editors will conduct a thorough check using industry-standard anti-plagiarism software, such as iThenticate, to ensure the originality of the content.

4. Conflict of Interest Management: Guest Editors must manage any conflicts of interest that may arise during the review process. If conflicts exist between the Guest Editor(s) and authors, or if the Guest Editor(s) are unavailable to make timely decisions, an alternative Editor from the journal's Editorial Board may step in to ensure impartiality.

5. Consultation with Editorial Board: In cases where the Guest Editor(s) support the acceptance of a manuscript despite a reviewer's recommendation to reject, Hilltopub staff may seek a second independent opinion from an Editorial Board member or the Editor-in-Chief before communicating the final decision to the authors.

By following these editorial procedures, Hilltopub ensures that submissions to Special Issues undergo thorough review and assessment to maintain the quality and integrity of the journal's content.