Special issue guidelines
Thank you for considering publishing a special issue with Earth System Science Data (ESSD). ESSD offers an efficient way of publishing special issues that gather thematically linked sets of papers. The individual manuscripts are peer-reviewed and published as soon as they are available in regular issues. They are then labelled as part of the special issue and linked electronically.
The specific advantages of publishing a special issue with ESSD are the following:
- All papers are published open-access.
- Every individual paper in the special issue is posted as soon as it is available. That means that the publication date is not delayed by late papers.
- Efficient interactive discussion of the common theme takes place on the ESSDD forum.
- Posting of preprints in ESSDD allows efficient cross-referencing between the final revised papers in ESSD.
- All contributions are efficiently linked and coherently presented on dedicated special issue web pages (an appropriate logo is welcome as a *.jpg file), easily accessible from the ESSD online library.
- Guest editors can define the order of the published papers on the special issue web page.
- Either a non-peer-reviewed editorial preface or a peer-reviewed scientific paper can be used to introduce a special issue.
Inter-journal special issues
A special issue can comprise publications in any number of Copernicus’ open-access journals, of which one should be nominated as the lead journal for administrative purposes. The handling of individual manuscripts follows the standard procedures for special issues in the journal to which the manuscript is submitted. Afterwards, all published papers are co-listed on a joint special issue web page (in addition to the regular chronological volume of each journal).
If you intend to propose an inter-journal special issue, please first send your proposal to the chief editors of the lead journal. If your proposal is accepted, please also contact the chief editors of the constituent journals to find out if they want to participate in the inter-journal special issue. Only after all journals have agreed, should all information (see above) on the inter-journal special issue be sent to the Copernicus Publications Editorial Support.
Special issue proposal and guidelines for editors
Our guidelines are aimed at helping you with the process of submitting a proposal so that you might better understand your responsibilities as a special issue editor. We encourage contact with one of the chief editors (see editorial board) to informally discuss a possible proposal or in case of questions not answered by these guidelines. Please note that we
- require editor team diversity in terms of representing a variety of institutes, career stages, and gender;
- particularly encourage review articles for a special issue, with an average of one review article solicited for every 8–10 papers in the special issue;
- welcome a preface by the special issue editors, contextualizing the articles; and
- encourage the special issue editors to work with the authors so that each set of authors are aware of what others are submitting, thus enabling cross-referencing of other papers in the special issue where appropriate.
To propose a special issue, please submit a short (one- to three-page) outline to one of the chief editors (see editorial board) including the following information:
- Title of the special issue;
- Names, affiliations, complete contact details, and short CVs of the proposed special issue editors. Note that the editors' affiliations will be published in the SI TOC on the ESSD website should the SI be accepted;
- Short (<1 page) description of the SI including its purpose and whether it arises out of a conference or similar meeting. Note that this will be published in the SI TOC on the ESSD website should the SI be accepted;
- Suggestion of a topic editor or chief editor to accompany the special issue (please contact the suggested topic editor/chief editor and obtain their agreement prior to submission of the proposal);
- Start date and end date of submission;
- Any other useful information that will help to evaluate the proposal, including tentative or confirmed contributions and number of expected papers.
The proposal will be reviewed by the chief editors, who will render a decision based on the expected contribution of the special issue and its appropriateness for ESSD. Special issues are in principle open for all submissions within their scope.
Responsibilities of special issue editors
The editors of the special issue will assume the following responsibilities: