Guest Edited Issues

1. What is a Special Issue?

A Special Issue is a dedicated collection of high-quality research articles focused on a specific theme, emerging research area, interdisciplinary topic, or contemporary issue. Unlike regular journal issues, a special issue brings together scholarly contributions addressing a common subject under the guidance of Guest Editors and the Editorial Team.

Special Issues provide researchers with an opportunity to contribute to focused academic discussions and promote collaboration among scholars working in similar domains.

2. Special Issue Guidelines (How to Propose One)

Aethel Research Digest Juncture: An International Journal (ARDJIJ) invites universities, departments, research centers, academic associations, and individual scholars to propose Special Issues on emerging and significant themes across disciplines.

Eligible Proposers

  • Universities and Colleges
  • Research Centers and Institutes
  • Academic Associations
  • Independent Scholars with recognized expertise
  • Research Groups and Networks

Proposal Must Include (Click for Download Proposal)

  • Title of the Special Issue
  • Theme and Rationale (300–500 words)
  • Scope and Objectives
  • Proposed Timeline
  • Name and Affiliation of Guest Editor(s)
  • Expected Number of Papers
  • Target Research Areas
  • Brief Biography of Guest Editor(s)
  Download Special Issue Guidelines (DOCX)

3. Role and Responsibilities of Guest Editors

Regular journals have Editor-in-Chiefs, but they don't always have time to manage niche topics. That’s why they appoint Guest Editors—experts in that specific field who temporarily manage the special issue.

If you are a Guest Editor, your responsibilities include:

Ø Academic Responsibilities

  • Develop the Special Issue theme and scope.
  • Promote the Call for Papers through academic networks.
  • Encourage quality submissions from researchers.
  • Conduct initial screening of manuscripts.
  • Recommend suitable peer reviewers.
  • Monitor the review process.
  • Provide editorial recommendations to the Chief Editor.

Ø Quality Assurance

  • Ensure submissions align with the Special Issue theme.
  • Maintain academic integrity and publication ethics.
  • Prevent conflicts of interest.
  • Ensure reviewers provide constructive feedback.

Ø What Guest Editors Cannot Do

  • Cannot guarantee acceptance of any manuscript.
  • Cannot bypass peer review.
  • Cannot make final publication decisions independently.
  • Cannot alter journal policies or ethical standards.

4. Role and Responsibilities of ARDJIJ Journal

ARDJIJ shall provide complete editorial and publication support throughout the Special Issue process.

Ø Editorial Responsibilities

  • Evaluate and approve Special Issue proposals.
  • Publish and promote the official Call for Papers.
  • Assign manuscript tracking and editorial support.
  • Manage peer-review operations.
  • Conduct plagiarism screening.
  • Ensure compliance with publication ethics.

Ø Publication Responsibilities

  • Copyediting and proofreading.
  • DOI assignment (where applicable).
  • Online publication of accepted papers.
  • Indexing and metadata management.
  • Issue compilation and archiving.

Ø Quality Control

  • Maintain double-blind peer review standards.
  • Ensure transparency and fairness.
  • Handle ethical complaints and disputes.
  • Make final decisions regarding acceptance or rejection.

5. Chronological Step-by-Step Workflow

Launching a Special Issue requires seamless synchronization between the Guest Editors (GE), the core editorial team, and the publisher. The end-to-end processing pipeline is outlined below:

Timeline

Operational Phase

Detailed Action Items & Deliverables

Weeks 1-2

Proposal & Approval

The prospective Guest Editor submits a comprehensive Special Issue Proposal to the Editor-in-Chief (editor@ardjij.com). The proposal defines the core theme, target scope, academic relevance, and tentative list of core contributors.

Weeks 2-3

Official CFP Launch

Upon administrative approval, the journal’s IT cell configures a dedicated submission track on the Open Journal Systems (OJS) portal. The Guest Editor and publisher (Rhutharsh Publication) broadcast the Call for Papers (CFP) via academic networks like ResearchGate.

Month 1-2

Manuscript Intake & Screening

Authors submit original manuscripts via the ARDJIJ dashboard by selecting the designated Special Issue track. The Guest Editor conducts initial desk screenings and performs a strict plagiarism analysis using certified indexing software by ARDJIJ.

Month 1

Double-Blind Peer Review

The Guest Editor routes eligible papers to at least two external, independent domain experts. Based on peer critiques, the Guest Editor coordinates revision cycles (Minor/Major) or issues formal rejection notices.

Months 1

Editorial Audit & Processing

The Editor-in-Chief executes a final quality check to ensure compliance with indexing metrics (Google Scholar, Index Copernicus, etc.). Corresponding authors complete Article Processing Charge (APC) formalities directly with the publisher.

Month 1

Production & Publication

The complete compiled Special Issue is deployed online as an open-access segment under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licensing model.

6. Benefits for Guest Editors of ARDJIJ Special Issues

Serving as a Guest Editor for an ARDJIJ Special Issue offers several academic and professional advantages:

Ø Academic Recognition

  • Official recognition as Guest Editor of an international peer-reviewed journal Special Issue.
  • Name and affiliation prominently displayed on the Special Issue webpage and published issue.
  • Opportunity to demonstrate academic leadership in a specialized research area.

Ø Professional Development

  • Gain valuable editorial and peer-review management experience.
  • Enhance academic profile and curriculum vitae (CV).
  • Develop expertise in scholarly publishing and editorial decision-making.

Ø Research Networking

  • Connect with leading researchers, scholars, and professionals from different institutions and countries.
  • Foster national and international research collaborations.
  • Build long-term academic partnerships and research networks.

Ø Visibility and Reputation

  • Increase professional visibility within the academic community.
  • Strengthen reputation as an expert in a specific field of research.
  • Showcase leadership in promoting emerging and interdisciplinary research topics.

Ø Contribution to Knowledge

  • Shape scholarly discussions on contemporary and emerging research themes.
  • Encourage high-quality research contributions in the chosen area.
  • Contribute to the advancement of academic knowledge and innovation.

Ø Editorial Certificate

  • Receive an official Guest Editor Certificate from ARDJIJ upon successful completion of the Special Issue.
  • Certificate may be used for academic appraisal, promotion, and professional portfolios, subject to institutional policies.

Ø Publication Opportunities

  • Opportunity to contribute an editorial/introduction article to the Special Issue (subject to journal policies and peer-review requirements where applicable).
  • Early access to emerging research trends and findings within the Special Issue theme.

Ø Institutional Benefits

  • Enhance the visibility of the Guest Editor's institution or research organization.
  • Promote institutional research strengths through association with the Special Issue.
  • Encourage faculty and research engagement in international publishing activities.

Ø ARDJIJ Support

  • Dedicated support from the ARDJIJ Editorial Team throughout the Special Issue process.
  • Assistance with manuscript management, peer review coordination, publication workflow, and issue production.

Important Note

The role of Guest Editor is an academic and editorial responsibility. Appointment as a Guest Editor does not guarantee publication of any manuscript, and all submissions must successfully complete the journal's standard peer-review and editorial evaluation process.

"Lead scholarly conversations, build academic networks, and contribute to global research through ARDJIJ Special Issues."