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Guidelines for Editors
Editorial Workflow
Submitted manuscripts are initially handled by an in-house Managing Editor, who oversees the full editorial process. This process includes:
- Assignment and coordination – Assigning appropriate peer reviewers and, where necessary, an Assistant Editor, while coordinating all communication between authors, reviewers, and editors.
- Quality assurance – Ensuring that reviewers hold a PhD, have recent publications in the relevant field, and have not collaborated with the authors within the past three years.
- Peer review – Collecting at least two independent peer review reports for each manuscript. A third review is obtained if the first two reports differ substantially. This stage also includes assessing the quality of the English language, with attention to clarity, coherence, and consistency of academic expression.
- Coordinating author revisions and editorial decisions – Authors may be requested to revise their manuscripts, with no more than two rounds of major revision typically allowed. The final decision on acceptance or rejection is made by the Editor-in-Chief, Section Editor, Guest Editor, or an appropriate Editorial Board Member.
- Production – Managing post-acceptance production tasks and overseeing copyediting, metadata preparation, final formatting for online publication, and related processes.
- Publication – Accepted articles are published online in the First Online section as soon as they are ready for release, upon completion of the production process, without waiting for assignment to a specific issue, and are later organised into scheduled volumes and issues.
Editors who have made acceptance decisions may choose to have their name displayed in the published manuscript, whereas Guest Editors of Special Issues are required to have their name included.
This structure ensures transparency, maintains scientific quality, and supports a smooth and efficient editorial process.
Editorial Roles
The journal distinguishes between several editorial roles, each with specific duties and functions.
Editor-in-Chief
The Editor-in-Chief leads the journal, ensuring its scientific quality and prominence within the discipline. Key responsibilities include:
- Representing the journal within the academic community and advocating for Open Access.
- Defining the section’s scope and shaping its long-term strategic priorities.
- Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board.
- Suggesting topics and themes for Special Issues.
- Supporting Section Editors and other Editorial Board members in manuscript handling and editorial decisions.
- Making final decisions on manuscript acceptance after peer review and revision.
- Ensuring that peer review procedures and ethical standards are consistently maintained.
- Leading the annual Editorial Board meeting.
Section Editors
Section Editors oversee specific subject areas of the journal, ensuring quality, development, and coherence. Their responsibilities include:
- Supervising the editorial handling of manuscripts within their section, including final acceptance decisions.
- Promoting the section’s growth and development.
- Recommending and supporting Special Issue topics.
- Supporting Editorial Board members and the in-house editorial team as needed.
- Acting as an ambassador for the journal within their scientific community.
Associate Editors
Associate Editors provide support to the Editor-in-Chief or Section Editors, particularly in decision-making and strategic development. Responsibilities include:
- Advising on the scope and aims of the journal or section.
- Advising on strategic development.
- Managing manuscript decisions on behalf of senior editors when required.
- Suggesting topics and inviting Guest Editors for Special Issues.
- Promoting the journal and engaging with relevant scholarly networks.
Editorial and Advisory Board Members
Board Members contribute their expertise to ensure high standards in manuscript evaluation and the journal’s development. Their responsibilities include:
- Reviewing and pre-screening submissions relevant to their field.
- Participating in Special Issue development and manuscript assessment.
- Contributing to strategic discussions and journal promotion.
- Offering input on editorial policies and initiatives.
- Encouraging leading researchers to join as Subject Editors or to oversee specific topics as Topic Editors.
- Inviting established scholars in the field to submit their work to the journal.
Guest Editors
Guest Editors manage Special Issues, guiding them from concept to publication. They are expected to:
- Define the scope, objectives, and keywords for their Special Issue.
- Invite contributors and oversee manuscript submissions.
- Manage peer review and make final acceptance decisions.
- Promote the Special Issue through conferences and relevant channels.
- Encourage prominent researchers to serve as Subject Editors or lead individual topics.
- Request contributions from respected scholars in the field.
Early Career Editorial Board Members
Early Career Members provide fresh perspectives and energy to the editorial team. They are expected to:
- Promote the journal within their networks.
- Review a minimum number of manuscripts annually.
- Provide input on new initiatives and journal development strategies.
- Support outreach to leading researchers for submissions.
Launching New Sections / Journals
We welcome proposals for new initiatives, including the creation of new sections, the launch of entirely new journals, or the conversion of subscription-based journals to Open Access.
Researchers, institutions, and editorial teams are invited to submit their proposals to eldridge@lapub.co.uk for consideration.