A young lecturer received four emails in one month, each opening the same way: “We were impressed by your recent article and cordially invite you to contribute to our special issue on…”. Three of the topics had nothing to do with her work. The fourth matched her research exactly and was guest-edited by two scholars she had cited. Only that one deserved a second look.
A special issue (also called a thematic issue or research topic) collects papers around a focused theme, usually coordinated by one or more guest editors. It can be a genuine opportunity, or a channel some journals use to increase volume. Learning to tell them apart lets you use the first without being caught by the second.
Why special issues are attractive
- The right readership: your paper sits alongside others on the same theme, read by people who care about exactly that question.
- Specialist editors: guest editors often know the topic more deeply than the standing editorial team.
- A clear deadline that helps many authors finish a stalled paper.
- An editorial introduction that is often well cited and mentions each paper in the issue.
The risk: special issues as a production line
In some venues the number of special issues has grown very quickly, each launched with a broad theme and many guest editors, and review compressed to meet deadlines. Some journals have been re-evaluated or removed by indexing databases, partly over quality concerns linked to special issues. If a journal loses its indexing, your paper may no longer count where that indexing is required.
That does not make every special issue suspect. Many reputable journals publish excellent themed issues reviewed exactly like regular submissions. The point is to check each case.
Reading a call for papers
| Element | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Theme | Focused, with a clear question and a reason it matters now | As broad as a whole discipline, stitched from fashionable keywords |
| Guest editors | Published on the theme, from different institutions | No relevant publications, or planning to submit several papers themselves |
| Size | A moderate expected number of papers | Unlimited, with rolling calls |
| Process | States that review is the same as regular papers, with standing-editor oversight | Silent on review, emphasises speed |
| Invitation | Personal and relevant to your work | Mass-mailed, unrelated to anything you have written |
Vetting guest editors in ten minutes
- Look up each person on Google Scholar or ORCID: do they publish on the issue’s theme?
- Check their institutions: are they all from one small group?
- See how many special issues they have guest-edited in a short period; an unusual number is worth noting.
- Look at the journal’s past special issues: are the papers solid, and how many were authored by the guest editors themselves?
Standard guidance from bodies such as COPE is that papers by guest editors in their own issue should be handled independently by someone else, and should not make up most of the issue.
Vet the journal, not just the issue
A special issue inherits everything from its parent journal. Check the journal as you normally would: is it in the databases your institution recognises, is its indexing current, are fees clearly published, and are the submission-to-acceptance times of recent papers plausible for your field? Some journals label on each article page which special issue it belongs to; look at the share of papers published through special issues versus regular issues.
Write the paper to fit the issue
Once you decide to submit, make the link to the theme visible from the abstract onwards. In the introduction, say which question in the call your paper answers; in the discussion, connect your findings to the issue’s wider theme. Guest editors often have to turn down good papers that sit off-theme in order to keep the issue coherent. A short email to the guest editors before submission, with a 200-word abstract and a simple question about fit, is accepted practice and can save you weeks waiting for an out-of-scope decision.
If you are invited to guest-edit
Guest editing can teach you a great deal about editorial work and build your network, but it takes more time than people expect: finding reviewers, chasing deadlines, writing the editorial. Before accepting, ask who makes final decisions, how many papers are expected and whether you can reject unsuitable submissions. If the invitation comes from a journal you have never read, on a theme you have never worked on, think carefully.
In practice: a 20-minute decision routine
- Does the theme fit a paper you have or will soon have? If you would have to bend the paper to fit, stop.
- Vet each guest editor using the four steps above.
- Check the parent journal: indexing, fees, turnaround.
- Open one published special issue from the journal and skim three papers.
- Compare with submitting to a regular issue of another journal on your shortlist.
- If you submit, note the deadline and budget time for revisions; special-issue timelines are usually tighter.
Next step: search your inbox for special issue invitations from the last three months and run this routine on one of them. After the first time, you will be sorting similar emails in under a minute.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
What is a special issue in a journal?
It is a collection of papers on a focused theme within a journal, usually coordinated by guest editors, with its own call for papers and deadline.
Are special issue papers peer reviewed like regular papers?
In reputable journals, yes. Read the call and the journal’s policy; if review is not mentioned and speed is emphasised, be cautious.
How can I tell if a special issue invitation is legitimate?
Check that the theme fits your research, that guest editors have real publications on it, and that the parent journal has clear indexing, fees and turnaround times.
Is publishing in a special issue faster?
A firm deadline gives the process a rhythm, but it is not necessarily faster. Turnaround that is far quicker than normal for your field is a reason to look more closely.
Should I accept an invitation to be a guest editor?
Possibly, if the theme is your expertise and the journal is reputable. Clarify responsibilities, expected numbers and your right to reject unsuitable papers before agreeing.
