[xmca] FW: CSSE - Submission Confirmation

[Peter Smagorinsky <smago@uga.edu>]

The journal review process is occasionally a topic here; thought some might be interested in this one, sent to me by someone who has submitted something to CSSE:


Dear xxxx,

Thank you for submitting your work to Cultural Studies of Science Education. We are delighted to receive your manuscript, "xxxx", and will enter it into our multitiered review process. As soon as the Editors in Chief receive a manuscript we assign it to a Lead Editor who is usually selected from the Editorial Board. We do not use a blind review process, accordingly when the lead editor accepts the assignment to review your paper you will be informed of the assignment of Lead Editor. This process should be relatively quick. If you have not heard from CSSE one week after receiving this letter please write to inform us about the breakdown in communication.

The Lead Editor will review your manuscript in what we describe as an initial screening review. In this review the concern is whether or not the article can contribute to what we know about science education by publishing it in CSSE. At this stage the lead editor decides whether or not the article fits the mission of the journal. The Lead Editor also will identify aspects of the article that need to be changed before it is submitted for the review of 2 to 3 well-qualified scholars. These may be science educators, scientists, sociologists, cultural studies people, or other suitably qualified researchers. As is the case for all stages of review, you will know the identities of these reviewers and they will know your identity. We believe that the integrity of the peer review process rests upon careful reading and scholarly critique. We prefer open identity review. The purpose of the external review is to strengthen the paper. When we send the paper for the review of external scholars we do not ask them whether the paper should be accepted or rejected. The Editors in Chief and the Lead Editors will make the accept/reject decision.

When the Lead Editor decides that the manuscript is acceptable it will be submitted to production. Prior to submission, the author will have the option of deciding whether or not an executive summary will be written and published in a language other than English. In exceptional circumstances, usually involving co-authored work, the executive summary might be published in two or more languages. Recent examples of this in CSSE include a paper with executive summaries in Spanish and Turkish.

When you receive your initial communication from the Lead Editor please respond to her/him so that you can stay in regular communication. The purpose of our review process is to produce the finest possible work in the journal.

Once the manuscript is accepted and sent to production, a forum will be initiated. The forum can take several forms but the purpose is always the same -- to expand the dialogue about important issues raised in the paper. The purpose is not to identify weaknesses and strengths in the paper but to select from the issues addressed to open up the conversation and thereby expand the potential interest of the science education community. We expect all parts of the forum to do one or more of the following: elaborate, clarify, critique, etc. Accordingly, it is unusual for the lead editor to invite the authors of the original paper to provide a rejoinder or a response. However, if the lead editor judges that the authors can say more about the topic and add to the conversation rather than reiterate previously published points, an invitation might be extended. By all means be proactive and participate in the forum by volunteering to review the Forum papers and propose additional input from the authors (i.e., you).

The review process between you, as the author, and the Lead Editor may involve multiple iterations and additionally there may be multiple iterations involving you and the reviewers before a manuscript is finalized. You should only communicate directly with the Lead Editor (not the other external reviewers) about the review and the review process. The number of iterations can be reduced considerably by attending to all of the style issues from the outset. Accordingly, look closely at the material we have published in the Journal and adopt a style that is acceptable.

Should you require any further assistance please feel free to contact the Editorial Office by clicking on the "contact us" in the menu bar to send an email to us.

Alternatively, please call the editorial office at +91 44 42197752 anytime between 9.00 - 17.00 hrs IST/5.00 - 13.00 hrs CET.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Tobin and Catherine Milne
Coeditors in Chief, CSSE











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