You might have already been knowledgeable about the OJS being a platform for seamless launches of brackets of journals. Therefore, there seems to be a sudden rise in the popularity of the OJS Development. However, there is a whole lot of work behind the scenes of this journal management and publishing. We seek to make it easier for you. So today, we will walk you through the handy guide to OJS editorial and publishing workflow.
Let’s dive in!
A bit about OJS
For people not having any know-how of OJS, let us brief it. OJS is a free and open-source software for assisting in publishing journal for all niches, scholarly, research, open access, etc. You might have to spend on its installation or OJS hosting to get the most of it. Besides, it offers a great OJS Theme wealth along with OJS Theme Customization to let you be peculiar from the rest. So after starting the journal, you are the boss of your journal branding from design to appearance.
So, in short, it is a reasonable solution that individuals with a small budget can afford, too, for online journals. In addition, you can find a lot concerning the efficient cost models for running an online open journal.
OJS editorial and publishing workflow
Editorial and publishing departments walk hand in hand for any online journal. OJS has a highly flexible editor-operated system and cost-effective publishing. However, despite this convenience, managing an OJS journal can be moderately twisted and intricate from the first author submission to the final publication stage. Obviously, expertise is a must to get going with this system.
Background of the editorial process and roles
Editors are the ones to evaluate any submission or manuscripts’ potential. That is what will work out and what won’t. Also, they assist authors with the revision guide to improve the writings/ manuscripts. In return, they create the final version that has to undergo publication.
Journal Management Editorial Roles
The tree starts with the Journal Manager that takes care of the journal and workers’ editorial roles in the workforce. Then comes the Editor that deals with the content scheduling for publishing. Next, it encompasses the submissions assignment to Section Editors. Afterward comes the Section Editor that works on the Submission Review and Submission Editing of the allocated submissions.
The workforce then extends to the copyeditor, who tweaks and improves the grammatical and text coherence. In addition to this, eradicating the glitches and being in contact with the author of submissions. In addition, submissions coherency with the journal’s standard style (bibliographic, textual) is also inclusive in the duty. Finally, ahead is the Layout Editor and Proofreader. The former deals with the formatting of the submissions pass on by the copyeditor for electronic publishing. The formatting can vary according to the requirement, for instance, HTML, PDF, PS files. Similarly, the latter proofreads the typographic and formatting loopholes.
So let’s take a sneak peek of OJS editorial and publishing workflow, in general.
The procedure, to put it simply, categorizes into four phases. In OJS Development and workflow, the editorial process, being the foundation, is the starter that finally leads to the end phase of publishing.
- Submission/ Unassigned Queue
The first phase is where you start getting submissions from the authors (invited or selected). This process is also called because the submissions are unassigned yet. So it involves assigning the tasks and items (manuscripts) to the editorial staff (editors and section editors). So the respective person reviews and edits the assigned submissions. The content pieces that qualify pass on to the next stage. However, those that are up to par and do not meet the standards and eliminated.
- Submission Review/ Review
The manuscripts have to go through peer review and editorial decisions in the second step of the OJS editorial and publishing workflow. Peer review, particularly, assists in validating the quality and originality of the academic work. Moreover, it serves to keep the publishing quality standards high and improve the quality of published articles. Also, if needed, the reviewers can ask the authors for the suggested revisions.
Again here, the submissions that don’t qualify the criteria get expelled from the candidature. At the same time, those that are accepted and approved proceed next for the copyediting.
- Submission Editing/ Copyediting
As mentioned above, in the editorial roles, the copyeditor has to give a makeover to the submission. Be it the grammatical, textual coherence (content, style, structure, purpose, etc.), and article clarity. Also, this stage covers the submission overhauling per the respective journal’s textual and citation style.
- Production – Layout Editing + Proofreading
In the fourth phase of the OJS editorial and publishing workflow, the copyedited submissions then pass on for formatting and proofreading. Finally, layout editing deals with the formatting in JATS, XML, PDFs, HTML to streamline electronic publishing.
Thus, the approved content pieces (article) files get modified into galleys. In simple words, galley refers to the final version of the article/ book before it goes for publishing. The motive behind this creation is to provide them to the editors and proofreaders. Even authors too do a final review to cease the chances of missing any error so that the article/ journal is perfect when it goes to the public.
- Publishing
The last yet not the least phase (normally doesn’t count as a phase) is publishing. It is when the submissions all-in-all get approved by undergoing the above steps and get added in line for the publication.
By now, you know that a well-organized OJS editorial and publishing workflow is possible only with seasoned skills and a strategic approach.
Extensive help for OJS
For instance, PKP Publishing Services assist OJS, too, due to OJS being developed and released by KPK. These services render a pay-for model facility that covers the OJS installation and hosting, regular data backups, security patches and upgrades, and so forth. In addition to these amenities, customer support to respond to the user queries is inclusive. If a company takes care of this burden, you can have more time to focus on the editorial AND publishing.
To make OJS more viable for you, you can upgrade your OJS older versions to the current version, which is OJS 3. Then, you can simply ask an OJS Development providing company, and the tech-savvy experts will upgrade it. Eventually, you will have advanced features ranging from management and users to OJS Theme and OJS Theme Customization. By doing so, you will definitely have more opportunities and resources for whichever purpose; university journals, research, and scholarly journals, you hope to achieve.
Select OJS as your chosen platform for full control from online submissions to manage your publications.