This document has been created as a guideline for preparing and administering thematic special issues of the Journal Knygotyra .
Step 1. Coming up with the idea to organize a special thematic issue
1. Topics for special thematic issues are suggested by Editor in Chief or other members of the Editorial Board, or by scholars from outside the Editorial Board.
2. The special thematic issue needs to align with the aims of the Journal.
3. Decision on whether or not to organize the proposed special thematic issue is taken by the Editor in Chief in consultations with these members of the Editorial Board who are denoted by expertise in the given thematic area.
4. There should be one or more than one Editor for a special issue.
5. The formal decision to launch a special thematic issue must always be supported by the written Call for Papers (CfP) for the special thematic issue. The CfP must be 1) written in a concise form; 2) following academic tradition; 3) arguing for the currency/novelty and importance of the topic. Once special thematic issue has been approved by the Editor in Chief, CfP is published on the Journal’s web site.
6. The editors of special thematic issue are expected to establish for the special thematic issue a board of reviewers which shall include not only the regular members of the Editorial Board, but also scholars and practitioners from outside the Board who have expertise in the special thematic issue topic (superior to that of the core editorial board of the Journal). Practitioners should be included when special thematic issue topics involve topics for which practitioners may exert a big influence. The peer review process for special issues is the same as for regular content.
Step 2. Evaluation of the qualification of the Editors of a special thematic issue
7. The candidate(s) to the role of the Editor(s) of a special issue must possess sufficient qualification for the job.
8. Qualifications are evaluated based on the publications record of the candidates, or by alternative means which can prove sufficient expertise of the candidate in the given topic and in the familiarity (and experience) with the academic publishing practice (how to organize the review process, how to evaluate reviews, etc.).
9. If none of the candidates to the role of editors of the special issue has sufficient qualifications to run the special thematic issue, Editor in Chief (in consultations with Editorial Board) shall nominate an editor with sufficient qualifications to complement the list of the candidate editors.
Step 3. Establishing quality controls for a special thematic issue
10. Special thematic issue CfP, developed according to the accepted CfP Template, is an important tool for establishing the quality and process control, as it contains references against which the process can be benchmarked: 1) justification of the novelty & fit to the aims of the Journal; 2) important dates; 3) the number of review iterations; 4) other specific aspects of relevance.
11. Additionally to CfP, the Editors must present to Editor in Chief plans for 5) the planned number of papers for special thematic issue; 6) envisioned promotional and dissemination activities; any other information relevant to the Journal’s administration.
Step 4. Publication of a special thematic issue
12. Special thematic issue publication is preceded by the publication of the special thematic issue CfP (see Step 1. Coming up with the idea to organize a special issue) once the special issue has been formally approved by the Editor in Chief.
13. Editors of the special thematic issue are expected to prepare an editorial introduction to the special issue. Ideally, the editorial shall provide an overview of the papers included in the special issue complemented by the editors’ views on how the selected papers and/or the special thematic issue contribute(s) to the development of the field and the Journal.