Special Issues

Process for Getting Special Issues on the Publication Schedule

Oceanography, the quarterly journal of The Oceanography Society (TOS), regularly publishes special issues that are sponsored by outside organizations. Sponsor funds support editing, design, printing, and distribution of special issues. The TOS Executive Director determines budget for special issues in consultation with the Oceanography Editor. Oceanography makes every effort to ensure timely publication of special issues. In some circumstances, special issues may be produced within one year of being proposed. This typically occurs when sponsor funds have already been identified and there is an opening in the special issue schedule. Proposers should allow additional time if a sponsor must review a funding request for a special issue. Special issue topics already on the scheudle can be found here.

Special Issue Process

1. Special issue topics are proposed to Oceanography Editor Ellen Kappel. The proposal should include a brief title and description (~250 words). Anyone may propose a special issue.
2. If the Oceanography Editor deems the topic appropriate for a special issue, the proposer will be asked to provide a two-page proposal. Proposals must include a title, background on the topic, draft table of contents (including potential authors), desired publication date, and potential guest editors. The proposal must include information about the source and amount of potential or available funding. The amount of available funds determines the total number of special issue pages that can be allocated. The proposer can request a budget estimate from the Oceanography Editor at any time.
3. Complete proposals are reviewed by the Oceanography Editor. The Editor may seek advice from the Editorial Board.
4. Proposals will be accepted, returned with requests for revision, or rejected. This decision is made at the sole discretion of the Oceanography Editor. All decisions are final.
5. If necessary to secure funding, TOS will work with a proposer to develop a funding request to a sponsor (federal agency or institution) for an accepted special issue proposal.

Guest Editor Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the guest editor(s) to invite authors to submit a manuscript for the special issue and to provide directions regarding manuscript length and style. Author guidelines are available here. If any authors are not familiar with Oceanography, they can request a hard copy of a back issue from TOS ([email protected]) or they can review the online archive.

Guest editors are responsible for acquiring at least two substantive peer reviews of submitted manuscripts and following the production schedule (below) as closely as possible. Guest editors can request review templates from the Oceanography Editor. Guest editors are expected to follow ethical practices for obtaining peer reviews. Oceanography's publication policy, excerpted from the TOS Policy on Professional Integrity, Ethics, Conduct, and Implementation Guidelines, is available here, and should be read by all guest editors and authors. Guest editors provide the Oceanography Editor with recommendations as to whether special issue manuscripts should be accepted or rejected after peer review; however, the Editor (or a desiginated Oceanography Associate Editor) has sole responsiblity for final acceptance or rejection of manuscripts. Deadlines for each step in the manuscript process are provided below for magazine issues.

Deadlines