Guidelines for Editors of Special Issues of Global Environmental Politics

GEP publishes a Special Issue each year on a topic of special interest to our readers. We may also at times publish a Special Section, which contains a smaller grouping of articles on a topic. This document contains information for all who plan to submit a proposal for either a Special Issue or a Special Section. Note that we are willing to consider the same topic with the same group of editors for either a full issue or a section if you wish us to do so.

This guide is useful to read when developing a proposal. It will also be important for use by the editors or team whose proposal is chosen by the GEP co-editors.

If you have any questions after reading this information, feel free to get in touch with Susan Altman, the GEP managing editor, at [email protected].

General Information for both Special Issue and Special Section Proposals

Anonymity

When submitting articles for review, authors should not reveal their identities either explicitly or implicitly. A common oversight is multiple self-citations in the reference list, which often infers authorship.

Word Count

As a general guideline, a Research Article should be around 8,000 words including footnotes and references, a Research Note 3,000-5,000 words, and a Forum Article 2,000-3,000 words.

Originality

GEP does not evaluate works already published elsewhere or under current review by another publisher. As a partial exception, a piece that is promised to a future edited book can normally be published if (1) the book will appear at least six months after the GEP article, (2) and the GEP editors have agreed to the author’s request at time of submission. As guest editor, it is your responsibility to ask the GEP editors if they will agree to such a request.

Format and Style of Manuscripts

Articles should be submitted as Word documents if possible, although figures may be PDFs or JPGs. Information about style and formatting of manuscripts is contained in the GEP Style Guide. Please read the Style Guide carefully and ask your authors to follow it when preparing their articles for first submission.

Review Process

As a guest editor, you will be responsible for suggesting possible qualified reviewers for articles submitted to your special issue. GEP’s managing editor will send out review requests. Please provide GEP with the following information:

1. A copy of each article that is to be sent for review.
2. Five-six possible reviewers (including verified email addresses) for each article. Note that GEP may or may not contact any of these individuals, and may also invite other reviewers not on this list.

Most articles need substantial revisions after review, and once the author submits a revised version, the manuscript is sent out again for re-review. Be sure to plan for this in scheduling (see Review Process and Schedule, below). It is also possible that some articles may not be considered suitable for publication after all reviews have been received and discussed. Both you and the GEP co-editors will go over all reviews. The journal’s editors have final veto authority over all articles.

If you have a paper of your own to submit, there is a slightly different process. If you have a co-editor, s/he will be responsible for the review of this paper. Otherwise, the GEP co-editors will handle the review process, identities of the reviewers will not be disclosed to you, and the managing editor will send you the decision.

Content Management

GEP uses an online content management system called Scholastica. GEP’s managing editor will register you and your fellow special editors in the system before manuscripts first need to be submitted, so that you can work within the system. Authors should submit their manuscripts directly to Scholastica.

Information Specific to a Special Issue

Length

You should include a brief introduction (4-8 pages), written by your and your co-editors, if any, that discusses the overall purpose and structure of the issue and points out the general themes that are explored in the issue, how they connect to each other, and why they are important.

Review Process and Schedule

Please adhere to the following timeline to ensure that the publication process goes smoothly. It is important for you to make every attempt to meet these deadlines, as failure to do so will likely mean a delay in publishing your special issue. Our relationship with our publisher, MIT Press, hinges on our meeting our obligations faithfully.

Most special issues are published as the third issue of the year (August). Unless your special issue is scheduled for a different issue, the following deadlines pertain.

1. In August of the year before the issue is to be published, authors should submit articles to be reviewed to the GEP content management system (at https://scholasticahq.com), to start the review process. The primary (or corresponding) author should submit the manuscript directly to Scholastica, indicating that the article is intended for the Special Issue by adding (SI) after the title.
2. You should submit to the managing editor a list of potential reviewers and their verified emails for each article. The review process for first submissions typically takes up to four months (i.e., August to November). Stay in touch with authors, your co-editors if relevant, and the GEP editors and the managing editor about how the review process is going. The managing editor may request your help in following up late reviewers; as reviewers often may respond to you when all else has failed. Please understand that it is your responsibility to contact reviewers if need be.
3. When the required number of reviews have been received for an article, you will need to look them over and write draft text to guide the authors in making revisions. The GEP co-editors will discuss the decision with you and possibly make suggestions about the wording of the decision letter. The managing editor will send the letter to the authors once you and the co-editors are in agreement.
4. Authors are expected to turn around revised drafts quickly, because the time frame for a Special Issue is tight. All revised articles should be submitted to GEP no later than January.
5. By March to early April of the year in which the issue is to be published, the review process should have been completed for all articles, and GEP should have received final manuscripts from the authors.
6. In early May at the latest, all the articles will be sent by GEP to MIT Press for copyediting.
7. In early June copyedited articles are returned to the authors for review. Authors have up to a week to make any last changes and return the manuscripts to GEP.
8. First proofs are emailed to authors in late June, and uncorrected proofs are posted on the MIT Press website. Again, authors have a week to review and return the proofs to GEP.
9. The issue publishes in early August.

Information Specific to a Special Section

Length

The length of the Special Section will depend on the number and mix of articles that are proposed and accepted through the review process. The GEP co-editors will write an introduction to the complete issue, so you do not need to do this, aside from supplying a brief conceptual overview of the rationale, scope, and connections between the articles in the Special Section.

Review Process and Schedule

Please adhere to the following timeline to ensure that the publication process goes smoothly. It is important for you to make every attempt to meet these deadlines, as failure to do so will likely mean a delay in publishing your special section. Our relationship with our publisher, MIT Press, hinges on our meeting our obligations faithfully.

A Special Section may be published in any issue other than issue 3 (August), which is typically reserved for a Special Issue.

1. Authors should submit the articles to be reviewed to the GEP content management system (at https://scholasticahq.com) 11-12 months before the publication month of the journal (Issue 1: February, Issue 2: May, Issue 4: November), to start the review process. Be sure to indicate that each article is intended for the Special Section by adding (SpS) after the title.
2. At the same time or earlier, you should submit to the managing editor a list of potential reviewers and their verified emails for each article. The review process for first submissions typically takes up to four months. Stay in touch with authors, your co-editors if relevant, and the GEP editors and managing editor about how the review process is going. The managing editor may request your help in following up with late reviewers, as reviewers often may respond to you when all else has failed. Please understand that it is your responsibility to contact reviewers if need be.
3. When the required number of reviews have been received for an article, you will need to look them over and write draft text to guide the authors in making revisions. The GEP co-editors will discuss the decision with you and possibly make suggestions about the wording of the decision letter. The managing editor will send the letter to the authors once you and the co-editors are in agreement.
4. Authors are expected to turn around revised drafts quickly, because the time frame for a Special Section is tight. All revised articles should be submitted to GEP by at least six months before the publication month.
5. All articles should have been accepted (or declined) four months before the pub month, and GEP should have received final manuscripts from the authors. An accepted article is sent to MIT Press for copyediting when we receive the final version as requested in the acceptance decision letter.
6. Copyedited articles are returned to the authors for review. Authors have approximately a week to make any substantive changes and return the manuscript to GEP.
7. Within 1-2 months, typeset proofs are emailed to authors and posted on the MIT Press website. Authors have up to a week to review and return the proofs to GEP.
8. The final PDFs are posted to the MIT Press website at the time of publication.