Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology

Special Issue and Guest Editor Policy

The Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology (J-PSP) may publish special issues devoted to focused, emerging, or timely topics that fall within the aims and scope of the journal. Special issues are subject to the same standards of editorial independence, peer review, publication ethics, research integrity, and transparency as regular journal content.

1. Editorial Responsibility and Oversight

The Editor-in-Chief retains overall responsibility and authority for all content published in the Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, including all special issues and other collections managed by Guest Editors.

Special issues must fall within the established aims and scope of J-PSP. Guest Editors may coordinate the scholarly development of a special issue, recommend suitable reviewers, and make editorial recommendations. However, the appointment of a Guest Editor does not transfer the journal’s editorial responsibility.

The Editor-in-Chief oversees the editorial process for every special issue and retains final authority over editorial decisions. The Editor-in-Chief may intervene in, reassign, or independently review the handling of any manuscript whenever necessary to safeguard editorial independence, research integrity, or compliance with journal policies.

2. Selection, Approval, and Oversight of Guest Editors

Guest Editors are appointed only after review and approval by the Editor-in-Chief.

Potential Guest Editors are evaluated on the basis of:

  • demonstrated scholarly expertise relevant to the proposed special issue;

  • an appropriate record of peer-reviewed research;

  • editorial and/or peer-review experience;

  • familiarity with publication ethics and responsible editorial practices;

  • ability to manage the proposed special issue impartially and within the agreed timeframe; and

  • absence of conflicts of interest that may compromise the integrity or independence of the special issue.

The journal may appoint more than one Guest Editor where appropriate to strengthen disciplinary, institutional, geographical, or methodological diversity.

Before appointment, Guest Editors must agree to comply with all J-PSP policies concerning peer review, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, research integrity, publication ethics, and editorial independence.

The Editor-in-Chief monitors the progress and editorial handling of each special issue. The journal reserves the right to replace or remove a Guest Editor if journal policies, ethical requirements, editorial standards, or agreed responsibilities are not adequately followed.

3. Peer Review of Special Issue Submissions

Manuscripts submitted to special issues are subject to the same editorial screening, quality standards, and peer review requirements as manuscripts submitted to regular issues of J-PSP.

All scholarly manuscripts submitted to a special issue:

  • must be submitted through the journal’s official manuscript submission system;

  • undergo the journal’s standard initial editorial and ethical screening;

  • are screened for originality and potential publication ethics concerns;

  • undergo double-blind peer review;

  • are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with appropriate subject expertise; and

  • must meet the same standards concerning originality, methodological rigor, scholarly significance, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal’s scope as regular submissions.

Guest Editors may recommend reviewers and editorial decisions, but final editorial responsibility remains with the Editor-in-Chief.

Submission to a special issue does not guarantee external peer review, acceptance, or publication. The journal does not modify or lower its peer review standards or acceptance criteria for special issues.

4. Conflicts of Interest

Guest Editors, editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest relevant to the editorial or peer review process.

A Guest Editor must not handle a manuscript when a conflict of interest exists. Such conflicts may include, but are not limited to:

  • recent or ongoing research collaboration with an author;

  • employment at the same institution or a close institutional relationship with an author;

  • supervisory, personal, family, or financial relationships;

  • direct academic competition that may reasonably affect impartiality; or

  • involvement in the research reported in the manuscript.

Where a conflict of interest exists, the manuscript will be reassigned to the Editor-in-Chief or to another independent editor who has no relevant conflict.

The Editor-in-Chief may remove a Guest Editor from the handling of any manuscript whenever necessary to preserve the independence and integrity of the editorial process.

5. Manuscripts Authored by Guest Editors

Guest Editors may submit manuscripts for consideration in a special issue for which they serve as editors. Such submissions receive no preferential treatment and are subject to the same editorial and peer review standards as other submissions.

Where a Guest Editor is an author or co-author of a manuscript, that Guest Editor will have no involvement in:

  • the initial editorial assessment;

  • the selection or invitation of reviewers;

  • access to confidential reviewer information;

  • evaluation of reviewer reports;

  • correspondence concerning editorial deliberations; or

  • the editorial decision on the manuscript.

Such manuscripts will be handled independently by the Editor-in-Chief or by an independent editor designated by the Editor-in-Chief who has no conflict of interest with the authors.

Papers authored or co-authored by Guest Editors must constitute no more than 25% of the total articles published in a special issue.

The journal may apply a lower proportion or decline Guest Editor submissions whenever necessary to maintain editorial independence and avoid excessive editorial endogeny.

6. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions for special issue manuscripts are based exclusively on scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, relevance to the journal’s aims and scope, and the outcome of independent peer review.

Guest Editors must not guarantee or imply acceptance or publication when inviting submissions.

Financial considerations, Article Processing Charges, institutional relationships, sponsorship, personal relationships, or the academic status or reputation of an author must not influence editorial decisions.

The Editor-in-Chief may require additional peer review, appoint additional reviewers, reassign editorial responsibility, reject a manuscript, or discontinue a special issue if concerns arise regarding scholarly quality, research integrity, conflicts of interest, editorial independence, or compliance with journal policies.

7. Complaints and Appeals Related to Special Issues

Complaints and appeals concerning manuscripts submitted to or articles published in special issues are handled according to the same standards and procedures that apply to regular journal content.

Complaints concerning the conduct or decision of a Guest Editor will be considered by the Editor-in-Chief.

Where an appeal concerns a decision made or recommended by a Guest Editor, the appeal will be assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or by an independent senior editor who was not involved in the original decision.

A Guest Editor who is the subject of a complaint, is an author of the manuscript concerned, or otherwise has a conflict of interest will not participate in the investigation or resolution of the complaint or appeal.

Complaints and appeals may be submitted to the J-PSP editorial office at:

admin@j-psp.com
jpsp.editor@gmail.com

The journal will consider complaints and appeals fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with its publication ethics policies and relevant Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance.

8. Corrections, Retractions, and Other Post-Publication Actions

Articles published in special issues are subject to the same correction, retraction, expression of concern, and other post-publication procedures as regular J-PSP content.

Post-publication concerns involving special issue articles are investigated under the authority of the Editor-in-Chief and in accordance with the journal’s Ethics and Malpractice Statement and relevant COPE guidance.

Where appropriate, the journal may issue:

  • corrections or corrigenda;

  • expressions of concern;

  • retraction notices; or

  • other appropriate updates to the scholarly record.

Guest Editors may be consulted where their subject expertise is relevant, but decisions concerning corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, or other post-publication actions remain under the authority of the Editor-in-Chief.

If a post-publication concern involves a Guest Editor or an article authored or co-authored by a Guest Editor, that Guest Editor will have no role in the investigation or decision-making process.

9. Relationship with Other Journal Policies

All special issues and Guest Editors are subject to the Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology policies concerning:

  • Peer Review Process;

  • Ethics and Malpractice;

  • Conflicts of Interest;

  • Authorship and Contributorship;

  • Research Integrity;

  • Corrections and Retractions;

  • Open Access and Licensing;

  • Copyright; and

  • Article Processing Charges.

Unless otherwise expressly stated in this Special Issue and Guest Editor Policy, the journal’s standard editorial and publication policies apply equally to regular and special issue content.