All journals published by ADS@AU use a distributed Editorial Board model. An individual Editor assesses the scope and quality of each submitted manuscript and makes a recommendation based on feedback from peer reviewers. The board comprises highly qualified academics from institutions around the globe. These Editors are collectively responsible for ensuring that the journal publishes high-quality research that falls within its scope and objectives.
Handling Manuscripts
One of an Academic Editor’s most important tasks is to decide whether or not a manuscript should be published in one of our journals. This guide explains the steps involved in the decision-making process and offers help for new Editors. View our guide on handling manuscripts »
Publication Ethics
ADS@AU consults Editors when ethical issues arise with published articles. ADS@AU’s journals are members of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and we recommend that you read their guidelines and other resources. We have a comprehensive list of ADS@AU’s publication ethics policies on our dedicated ethics page.
For questions or to report research integrity issues, contact [email protected].
Approving Special Issues
Special Issues are one-off issues of a journal, which focus on a specific topic or contemporary theme. Special Issues are proposed and managed by a team of Guest Editors from outside the Editorial Board.
ADS@AU’s staff perform essential due diligence on all Special Issue proposals. Our team ensures that key information is present and verified, as well as assessing the likelihood of receiving sufficient submissions in response to the Call for Papers.
Editorial Board members are best placed to make a decision on whether the topic of a Special Issue is a good fit for the journal. Therefore, we contact Editors for advice on a Special Issue proposal.
See Special Issues Guidelines for more information. Submit your Special Issue proposal to [email protected].
Editorial Board Special Issues
Editorial Board members may also act as Guest Editors for their own Special Issue. These issues are referred to as Editorial Board Special Issues and they benefit from additional support and promotion from ADS@AU.
See our guide ‘Editorial Board Special Issues: An Overview’ for more information.
Providing Feedback
We ask Editors to provide feedback on a journal’s direction or performance. We use this feedback to improve all aspects of our operations.
Our Publishers serve as the point of contact for our Editors. These ADS@AU employees are publishing professionals who also have a research background. They provide subject-specific support to our Editors and also work to promote the journals in their areas of expertise.
Promoting the Journal
We hope that our Editors will be keen to share their hard work with colleagues, collaborators, and other connections. The most successful journals are those that are supported and promoted by their Editorial Boards.
We encourage Editors to discuss their journals at conferences, add them to their online profiles, and promote them at conferences.
Appointing Editors
The size of the Editorial Board is determined by many factors. These include the number of submissions a journal receives, the average amount of time a manuscript takes to be processed, and the time commitment of individual board members. In the event that a board member retires, or if our analysis suggests that a larger board is required, ADS@AU will handle the recruitment of new Editors.
In order to be invited to become an Editor, an individual must have a track record of publishing well-received papers within the journal’s scope. ADS@AU thoroughly assesses any potential candidates before issuing an invitation.