Special Issue Policies

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Publication process

The Special Issue process involves a detailed understanding of the journal’s editorial workflow. This guide aims to streamline communication and enhance the success of Special Issues. A Special Issue adheres to the same rigorous ethical standards of the publication process as our regular journal issues.

This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and strictly adheres to its guidelines and standards.

Initial check

Upon submission of a manuscript in a special issue, an initial check is conducted to ensure it meets the journal’s basic requirements. This involves verifying that the manuscript adheres to the prescribed authors’ guidelines and copyright policy. Additionally, the check confirms the inclusion of all necessary sections such as the abstract, keywords, introduction, methodology, results, and references. Figures and tables are reviewed to ensure they are properly labelled and cited in the text. The manuscript is also scanned for plagiarism using iThenticate, and it is confirmed that all required ethical approvals and disclosures are documented. This thorough initial review helps streamline the subsequent stages of the peer review process, ensuring efficiency and adherence to quality standards.

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Peer Review

After submission, the in-house Managing Editor oversees the entire editorial workflow, which includes peer review.

To ensure quality, originality, and novelty, Special Issue articles are reviewed by at least two independent experts. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal uses double-blind review, in which the identity of both the reviewer and the author are unknown to each other. Each manuscript receives at least two reviews, or three if the initial reviews differ significantly. It follows our established peer review process under the Editorial Policy guidelines, ensuring the highest quality and integrity in published research.

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Editorial decision

The final decision on acceptance or rejection is typically made by the Guest Editor often following author revisions. Once accepted, articles are promptly published online after production by our in-house editorial team.

Criteria for Selecting a Guest Editor

When selecting a guest editor, it is crucial to adhere to the following criteria to ensure the special issue’s success:

Subject Expertise and Professional Network: The guest editor should possess a high level of expertise in the chosen subject area and maintain a robust international professional network. This capability will attract leading authors to contribute to the journal.
Organizational Proficiency and Availability: The prospective guest editor must demonstrate exceptional organizational skills and have adequate time to manage the project from inception to completion.
Credential Verification: It is imperative to thoroughly validate the credentials of potential guest editors to confirm their qualifications and ensure they meet the journal’s standards.
Comprehensive Understanding of Editorial Processes: Ensure the guest editor possesses a clear and thorough understanding of the journal’s editorial processes, guidelines, and policies. The guest editor must commit to complying with these standards throughout the editorial process.
Adherence to Peer Review Best Practices: The guest editor should be fully dedicated to upholding the highest standards of peer review best practices as recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Role of the Guest Editor

Guest Editors recognized as experts in their respective fields, are responsible for proposing themes for Special Issues, coordinating the call for papers, and managing the peer review process. They ensure that each manuscript adheres to the journal’s standards and plays a crucial role in the final publication decisions.

Special Issues are overseen by either a single Lead Guest Editor or a team of 2 to 3 Guest Editors, each with experience in scholarly editing or reviewing. Existing members of the journal’s editorial board may also take on the role of guest editors for special issues published by the same journal.

Additionally, Guest Editors have the following responsibilities:

Preparation: Prepare the Special Issue’s title, summary, and keywords to introduce the issue to authors and readers.
Content Relevance: Ensure the published content aligns with the title and scope of the journal.
Contributor List: Provide a list of potential contributors and invite investigators in the field to contribute.
Peer Review: Pre-screen and supervise the entire peer review process, making decisions about new submissions.
Promotion: Promote the Special Issue at conferences, on social media, and other relevant platforms.

Decisions on accepting or rejecting submissions by Guest Editors are based on reviewer reports. Guest Editors can contribute up to two papers for their Special Issue, including one introductory short Editorial and one extensive Review Article. Editorial Board members will handle any paper submitted by a Guest Editor. Guest Editors must not participate in decisions regarding papers they have authored. These submissions should undergo an independent peer review process, separate from the Guest Editors and their research groups, with a clear statement indicating this on any published paper. It’s important to note that the Editor-in-Chief and/or Editorial Board Members also oversee and may be involved in the decision-making process. This collaboration ensures the quality and integrity of the Special Issue. In general, the Guest Editor will oversee the content of the Special Issue, while the in-house Editors will offer administrative support.

Propose a Special issue

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