Propose a Special Issue
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- Propose a Special Issue and Become the Lead Guest Editor
- Benefits and Responsibilities of the (Lead) Guest Editor
- Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Detailed Guide on Special Issue Proposals
About Special Issues
At RSIS International, Special Issues are dedicated collections of research articles focused on a specific theme or emerging area of study. These issues are curated and overseen by domain experts who serve as Guest Editors. All submissions to a Special Issue undergo the same rigorous peer-review process as regular journal articles, ensuring high standards of originality, quality, and relevance. Once accepted, articles are published within the regular volumes of the journal while being distinctly tagged as part of the Special Issue. This dual visibility ensures that the work is both accessible as part of the journal and easily discoverable within the themed collection.
Propose a Special Issue
RSIS International welcomes Special Issue proposals that align with the aims and scope of our journals. The primary goal of Special Issues is to bring together high-quality research, highlight emerging areas of study, and showcase significant advancements in theory, practice, and applications.
Authors contributing to a Special Issue are eligible for an exclusive 20% publication fee discount upon acceptance.
- If you are interested in organizing a Special Issue:
- Download the Special Issue Proposal Form.Complete all required details.
- Submit the form through one of the following options provided by RSIS International.
Important: You may serve as the Lead Guest Editor once your proposal form has been reviewed and approved by our editorial board.
Benefits and Responsibilities of the (Lead) Guest Editor
Each Special Issue is managed by a Lead Guest Editor along with a team of Guest Editors. The Lead Guest Editor may invite experts and researchers from relevant fields to join as Guest Editors. Both roles come with unique benefits and important responsibilities.
| Benefits | ||
|---|---|---|
| Benefit | Lead Guest Editor | Guest Editor |
| Receive an official Certificate of Honor (electronic) | ✔ | — |
| Name displayed on the RSIS International website | ✔ | ✔ |
| Opportunity to be at the forefront of academic publishing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Gain recognition from the global research community | ✔ | ✔ |
| Build and collaborate with a strong editorial team | ✔ | — |
| Responsibilities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Responsibility | Lead Guest Editor | Guest Editor |
| Recruit Guest Editors to support the Special Issue | ✔ | — |
| Promote the Special Issue and invite quality submissions | ✔ | ✔ |
| Make final decisions on acceptance or rejection of manuscripts | ✔ | — |
| Cross-check manuscripts to ensure quality and integrity | ✔ | — |
| Participate in the peer-review process for submissions | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ensure the review process is fair, unbiased, and timely | ✔ | ✔ |
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Publishing in a Special Issue with RSIS International offers authors significant academic and professional advantages. Special Issues not only enhance the visibility of your research but also provide opportunities for collaboration, recognition, and long-term impact.
Publishing in a Special Issue with RSIS International offers authors significant academic and professional advantages. Special Issues not only enhance the visibility of your research but also provide opportunities for collaboration, recognition, and long-term impact.
Faster Publication
Articles in Special Issues are processed and published more quickly than regular submissions.
Higher Citation Impact
Special Issue papers receive noticeably more citations within the first two years compared to regular articles.
Greater Visibility
Open access Special Issue articles are more widely read and cited, giving your research stronger global reach.
Collaborative Platform
Publish alongside peers and benefit from diverse expert perspectives on a shared theme.
Rigorous Peer Review
Every submission undergoes strict, unbiased, and independent peer review.
Sustained Impact
Articles remain part of a themed collection, ensuring long-term discoverability.
Focused Promotion
Special Issues receive dedicated online promotion for maximum visibility and readership.
Opportunities for Collaboration
Connect with fellow authors and researchers within the Special Issue to expand your network and future research opportunities.
Detailed Guide on Special Issue Proposals
A strong Special Issue proposal should include a clear title, a well-written description, and a capable editorial team. Follow the steps below to prepare and submit your proposal.
1. Propose a Special Issue Title
- The title must align with the scope of RSIS International journals and your area of expertise.
- Keep it concise, academic, and descriptive.
- Ensure it is broad enough to attract submissions yet focused enough to maintain cohesion.
- Consider topics at the intersection of disciplines, recent advancements, or emerging challenges.
- Recommended: include 2–3 core terms that clearly reflect the main research focus.
2. Write a Description
- Background – context, current developments, challenges, or importance of the research area.
- Aim – objectives of the Special Issue and the problems/questions it seeks to address.
- Subjects/Scope – list of key themes or topics to be covered, along with the type of papers encouraged (research articles, reviews, case studies, etc.).
- Consider topics at the intersection of disciplines, recent advancements, or emerging challenges.
- Recommended: include 2–3 core terms that clearly reflect the main research focus.
3. Submission Deadline
- Plan the timeline carefully; most Special Issues take 6–12 months from the call for papers to final publication.
- Longer than 12 months may reduce the timeliness and relevance of the issue.
- Some Special Issues may be planned further in advance for large or evolving themes.
4. Recruit an Editorial Team
- A Special Issue should have one Lead Guest Editor supported by a team of Guest Editors.
- Team responsibilities include:
- Promoting the Special Issue.
- Submitting/inviting quality papers.Engaging with interested authors.
- Overseeing and organizing peer review.
- Editorial qualifications will be reviewed by RSIS International to ensure standards are met.
- Editors are encouraged to include members from different institutions and countries to minimize conflicts of interest and increase reach.
Assessment and Approval of Special Issues
- All submitted Special Issue proposals undergo an initial evaluation by the RSIS International editorial team.
- This preliminary review checks the clarity, detail, structure, and focus of the proposal, along with the diversity and expertise of the proposed Guest Editor team.
- If needed, the editorial staff may request revisions or additional details before moving the proposal to the next stage.
Editorial Board Review
- After the initial check, the proposal is forwarded to the Editorial Board of the journal.
- The Editorial Board evaluates:
- The overall quality and strength of the proposal.
- The alignment of the topic with the scope of the journal.
- The potential of the Special Issue to attract high-quality submissions.
- Revisions may be requested to improve the proposal and enhance approval chances.
Final Approval
- The final decision is made jointly by the RSIS International editorial staff and the journal’s Editorial Board.
- RSIS International reserves the right, at its discretion, not to proceed with a Special Issue proposal at any stage.
Avoiding Overlap
- The editorial team ensures that Special Issues on similar or overlapping themes do not run simultaneously.
- If your proposal overlaps with an ongoing Special Issue, the launch may be postponed until the current issue closes.
Timeline
- The complete assessment process usually takes 2–4 weeks after submission.
- Once approved, the Special Issue will be:
- Launched online on the journal’s website.
- Opened for submissions.
- Promoted with the Lead Guest Editor’s name highlighted in announcements and outreach activities.
Organize a Special Issue
This section explains the key responsibilities of both the Lead Guest Editor and Guest Editors, ensuring the effective management and success of a Special Issue.
- The complete assessment process usually takes 2–4 weeks after submission.
- Once approved, the Special Issue will be:
- Launched online on the journal’s website.
- Opened for submissions.
- Promoted with the Lead Guest Editor’s name highlighted in announcements and outreach activities.
1. List Planned Articles or Potential Authors
- A Special Issue must publish at least 5 accepted articles.
- To achieve this, Guest Editors are expected to provide details of at least 10 planned articles or potential authors.
- Recommended: propose more than 10 to account for possible rejections during peer review.
- Information required
- Corresponding author’s name
- Email address
- (Optional) Tentative title of the planned article
- Download and complete the Planned Articles/Authors Form to submit details.
2. Prepare the Call for Papers Letter
- Lead Guest Editor prepares a Call for Papers (CFP) to invite submissions.
- The CFP should:
- Include a short description of the Special Issue.
- Encourage scholars to contribute.
- Highlight the Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue (visibility, citations, collaboration, etc.).
- A well-crafted CFP attracts high-quality submissions and ensures greater participation.
3. Promote Your Special Issue
- Promotion is critical to attract submissions beyond personal invitations. Suggested strategies:
Assessment and Handling of Submissions
- Initial Screening: Each submitted manuscript is reviewed by the Lead Guest Editor and RSIS editorial staff to check academic quality and relevance.
- Conflict Check: Lead Guest Editor ensures there are no conflicts of interest.
- Peer Review Coordination:
- Information required
- Manuscripts are assigned to Guest Editors and external reviewers.
- Peer review is conducted independently, ensuring fairness and integrity.
- Final Decision: Based on reviewers’ reports, the Lead Guest Editor makes the acceptance or rejection decision.
- Editorial Support: RSIS International assists with:
- Contacting delayed reviewers.
- Sending reminders to authors/reviewers.
- Communicating editorial decisions.
- Tracking missing materials.
- Managing other administrative tasks.
Special Issue Ethical Guidelines
To maintain academic integrity and ensure fairness, all Guest Editors and Lead Guest Editors must adhere to the following ethical guidelines when organizing and managing a Special Issue with RSIS International.
Editor Authorship
- Lead Guest Editors and Guest Editors may contribute their own articles to a Special Issue.
- However, these manuscripts cannot be handled by the same editorial team.
- Such submissions will be managed by the journal’s Editorial Board to avoid conflicts of interest.
Conflict of Interest
- Editors must not handle manuscripts authored by colleagues with whom they share close professional or personal connections.
- Examples include recent co-authorship, shared institutional affiliation, or other relationships that may compromise objectivity.
- Editors must declare any conflicts and request reassignment of the manuscript to another editor.
Citation Ethics
- Editors should not pressure authors to cite specific works for the purpose of artificially increasing citations to their own publications, to RSIS International, or to other journals.
- Citations should be recommended only when academically relevant.
- Such submissions will be managed by the journal’s Editorial Board to avoid conflicts of interest.
Article Processing Charges (APCs)
- APCs are generally the responsibility of authors.
- If a Lead Guest Editor wishes to provide financial support for authors’ APCs, this must be discussed and approved with RSIS International’s editorial office at the proposal stage (or immediately after the Call for Papers is issued).
- Any such financial arrangements may need to be openly declared in the Conflict of Interest statements of the published articles and in the Special Issue editorial.