Special Issue Policy

Definition of a Special Issue

A special issue is a collection of articles focusing on a specific research area within the Journal’s scope. These issues provide a platform for exploring emerging fields, emphasizing significant sub-disciplines, or investigating new cross-disciplinary applications.

Proposal Submission Procedures

Special issue proposals are typically solicited by the Journal’s Editorial Office from scholars invited to guest edit on topics of interest to the scientific community. However, we also welcome direct submissions from readers and authors in their area of expertise. If you have a special issue idea, please submit the required information through the Journal’s website.

When submitting a proposal, the Journal’s Editorial Office will thoroughly evaluate the content of the proposal as well as the qualifications and credentials of the guest editors. The Editor-in-Chief will approve and oversee the special issue. Proposals should include the following information:

· A title of the proposed special issue;

· The names, affiliations of all proposed guest editor(s) together with brief biographical details;

· A brief description to explain the significance, novelty, technical advancement, and relevance to the scope of the Journal of the proposed theme;

· A list of keywords;

· A proposed schedule including submission deadline and completion of the editorial process;

· A list of potential papers and authors for inclusion, with a brief description of each (completed manuscripts are not required at this stage, though some may already be in progress).

The Journal’s Editorial Office welcome proposals that meet our standards of suitability and qualification but reserve the right to reject proposals that do not meet these standards.

To submit a special issue proposal, please click here to access the application page.

Content Relevance

Guest editors are responsible for ensuring that the published content of the special issue adheres to the specified title and scope of the Journal. The Journal’s Editorial Office reserves the right to review content for relevance.

Timeline

The timeline for the special issue will be determined by the guest editor(s) in consultation with the Journal’s Editorial Office. The special issue announcement, along with the submission deadline, will be posted on the Journal’s website.

Conflicts of Interest

All participants in the peer review process must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect impartiality. If an editor has a conflict, they should recuse themselves to ensure the integrity of the process. Substitute editors will be assigned as necessary. Any editorial conflicts of interest should be disclosed to the Publisher in writing before appointment and updated if new conflicts arise.

The special issue may publish submissions from the guest editor(s); however, the proportion of published papers in a special issue where at least one author is a guest editor must not exceed 25% of the total content. The guest editor(s) must not be involved in decisions regarding papers they have authored. Peer review of such submissions should be managed independently of the relevant guest editor(s) and their research groups. A clear statement to this effect will be included in any such published papers to ensure transparency.

Open Access

The special issue will be published in an open-access format, allowing all readers free access. Authors will be required to pay the standard article processing charge to cover publication costs.

Review Process and Editorial Procedures

The review process for special issue papers follows the same protocol as regular papers. Initially, our in-house editor will review all submitted papers to assess quality, originality, and significance, rejecting or requesting revisions before proceeding to peer review. Each paper will undergo rigorous peer review through TSP Submission System, managed by in-house editors and the guest editor(s).

A special issue typically includes 5 to 20 full-length articles, along with an editorial by the special issue organizers. As not all submissions may pass peer review, guest editors are encouraged to consider more papers than the anticipated upper limit. If fewer than 4 articles are accepted for publication, the articles might be published as stand-alone articles in the Journal.

Once the reviews are complete, the guest editor(s) will provide an initial recommendation for all manuscripts based on the peer review reports. However, all manuscripts (including revisions) will be forwarded to the editorial board members for final review. The Editor-in-Chief has the final decision-making discretion, including the right to accept or reject any manuscript, or to arrange additional independent peer review prior to final acceptance for publication. During the review process, the editorial team reserves the right to reject individual papers or the entire special issue if they fail to meet quality standards. Any editorial disagreements will be resolved by the Editor-in-Chief.

Learn more about TSP’s Guest Editor Policy.