JESTIE - Organizing Special Sections (SS)


Best practice for organizing Special Sections (SS) in IEEE JESTIE

  1. There should be preferably two and maximum three Guest Editors (GEs), when all GEs are from academia. It is strongly encouraged to have one or more experts as GEs from Industry. When GEs are from both academia and Industry or only from Industry, a Special Section may have upto a maximum of four GEs. GEs should be all experts on the subject-area and should preferably be from different countries. More than one GE from the same university/industry is discouraged. All GEs should individually confirm the EIC that they agree to organize the SS proposed. One of the GEs, who has enough prior-experience as an Associate Editor (AE) will do all communications with the EIC. Note that EIC may add one of the regular AEs of the journal or any other renowned expert as one of the GEs.
  2. The responsibility of organizing the SS is equal for all the GEs and it is not divided between them. All GEs are 100% responsible for taking any decision on any manuscript. All GEs are equally congratulated for the success of the SS.
  3. When submitting the proposal, the GEs should select an area that is EMERGING and having great potential (that is within the scope of JESTIE) and prepare the proposal in the prescribed format available from the EIC. SS should be on a focused area of research. SS out of a conference is not encouraged.
  4. When submitting the proposal, GE should submit also CVs of all GEs (maximum 5 page pdf-file for each GE, highlighting GE’s expertise in the proposed area of SS) and a list of reviewers (preferably not less than 50 names with affiliation and email address).
  5. The submitted-proposal is reviewed by the Steering Committee (SC) of JESTIE or by the experts suggested by the SC. Steering Committee may add one GE from the editorial board of JESTIE to the list of GEs of the SS.
  6. All papers submitted in the SS will be treated at par with the regular submissions of JESTIE. It is a good practice to have at least 3 reviews (optimally four) and preferably not more than six to take the first decision. All decisions at any stage should be taken within 40 days of the submission of the paper. It is preferred that no new reviewers are added for revised manuscript in subsequent stages of reviews.
  7. Reviewers should be experts in the area of the SS and to be selected from different countries. All reviewers should preferably not be from the same country. More than one reviewer from the same university is discouraged. Reviewers should not have any conflict of interest with any of the authors.
  8. GEs can submit manuscripts (maximum two authored or co-authored by them). These papers will be assigned to the other regular AEs of JESTIE as decided by the EIC. GEs should not handle any manuscript where they have any conflict of interest. GEs should refer these papers to EIC to handle.
  9. Each paper submitted to the SS should be handled by one of the GEs. Other GE/GEs should see that the review process is happening properly. GEs should regularly communicate to EIC with an EXCEL file showing who is handling which manuscript submitted to the SS. As the assignment of the papers will be done by the EIC through a common email address, it is not possible for the EIC to know who is handling which paper.
  10. GEs are encouraged (but not mandatory) to write a state-of-the-art article on the subject of SS. This will be assigned to a regular AE selected by EIC. GEs are expected to write a Guest Editorial to the SS (normally maximum 3-page including the GE-biography and photos). This preface will be overview of the articles those are accepted for the SS. In case the articles are split in to two or more issues, there will be only one such Editorial that will be published in the first issue. If there are less than 5 papers accepted in any SS, a separate SS will not be published and instead the papers will be published as regular papers.

The above points are best practices for organizing a Special Section in JESTIE. For details of rules and regulations, one is referred to the IEEE PSPB Operations Manual and also IES publications guidelines and policy.