Special Issues
JSIBT Special Issues Guidelines
The Journal of Sports Industry & Blockchain Technology (JSIBT) publishes Special Issues, which are curated collections of articles highlighting emerging research areas or providing an in-depth exploration of existing topics. The aim is to foster a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are overseen by Guest Editors, who are subject matter experts responsible for managing the editorial process of the articles. For any inquiries regarding a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.
Special Issue Proposal
The Journal Editorial Board invites academics to serve as Guest Editors for Special Issues on topics of interest to the scientific community. We welcome proposals directly submitted by our readers and authors on subjects within their areas of expertise. The Journal’s Editorial Team and Editor-in-Chief will oversee the appointment of Guest Editors and the evaluation of Special Issue proposals, ensuring the content’s relevance and alignment with the journal’s scope. As the Lead Guest Editor of a Special Issue, you can position yourself at the forefront of scientific communication, promote ongoing research in critical areas, gain editorial experience, and enhance your academic profile. Serving as a Guest Editor offers numerous additional benefits. If you have an idea for a Special Issue, please contact the journal’s Editorial Board.
Topic Selection
You should choose a topic closely related to your research interests. The Special Issue’s theme should reflect a growing interest in your field. For instance, if you have noticed increased attention to a specific topic at recent conferences, this could be a strong indicator that a related proposal will attract significant interest. Ensure the topic of your proposal falls within the scope of the journal to which you are submitting. The scope of your Special Issue should be broad enough to attract a reasonable number of submissions but narrow enough to present a cohesive collection of articles. The Special Issue should cover a small portion of the journal’s scope, not its entirety.
Benefits of Publishing an JSIBT Special Issue
Increased Visibility: Articles published in Special Issues benefit from higher visibility and more frequent citations due to their inclusion in a thematic collection, compared to individually submitted articles. Ease of Navigation: Articles grouped under specific themes help scholars easily access content within broader journals. External Promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal’s social media channels in relevant subject areas to enhance visibility and readership. Rigorous Peer Review: Articles in JSIBT Special Issues undergo the same rigorous and independent peer-review process as regular articles and are published in the journal’s Special Issues. They are typically overseen by a Guest Editor who is an influential researcher in the discipline.
Special Issue Proposal Requirements
Please ensure the topic of your proposal aligns with the scope of the journal to which you are submitting.
1. Journal name and provisional title of the Special Issue: The title should clearly reflect the topic of interest. Submission deadline: The Special Issue may remain open for submissions for 6 months.
2. Guest Editor(s): Guest editing is time-consuming and challenging; therefore, most Special Issues are managed by a team of Guest Editors. If needed, invite 3–5 colleagues or academics in the field to co-edit the Special Issue with you, and collectively define responsibilities and task distribution. The Guest Editor list should include:
Names, affiliations, email addresses, websites, research areas, and optional social media handles, ORCID, or SciProfiles accounts.
- Summary of the Special Issue (up to 250 words) and relevant keywords (3–6 words).
- Information on at least twelve planned articles or a list of at least 30 potential authors: This should include authors’ names, email addresses, affiliated institutions, and optionally, provisional titles of planned articles.
- Customized Call for Papers Letter: Prepared by the Guest Editor(s) to invite scholars to submit their research to your Special Issue. The letter should include a brief description of the Special Issue and encourage potential contributors to submit their work. The Editorial Office can assist by providing a list of potential contributors or sending invitations on your behalf.
- Promotion of the Special Issue: Crucial to its success. Please inform the JSIBT Editorial Board of your promotion plans and how you intend to attract potential contributors. Also, specify how we can assist you in this process.
JSIBT Special Issues Guest Editor’s Guide
This guide clarifies the role of Guest Editors involved in the Special Issue process and provides further details about the JSIBT journal’s editorial workflow, facilitating effective communication to support the success of the Special Issue. Generally, the Guest Editor is responsible for the content of the Special Issue, while JSIBT Editors provide administrative support. Guest Editors should represent multiple institutions and be as geographically diverse as possible to reach a broader audience and minimize conflicts of interest. All Guest Editors must read and agree to JSIBT guidelines. If there are multiple Guest Editors, a Lead Guest Editor should be appointed. The Lead Guest Editor will serve as the official point of contact for the Editorial Office and the Editor-in-Chief.
JSIBT Guest Editor’s Duties and Ethical Responsibilities
JSIBT Publication Ethics Policies apply to Special Issues. Please review the JSIBT journal guidelines. JSIBT fully adheres to and complies with COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines.
Special Issue Content
The Guest Editor is responsible for ensuring all content published in the JSIBT Special Issue aligns with both the Special Issue’s specific scope and the journal’s broader scope. Additional oversight is provided by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or Editorial Board.
Citation Policies
Guest Editors must not ask authors to add references solely to increase citations to their own work, a colleague’s work, or the journal. Irrelevant references are strongly discouraged. This condition also applies to the authors’ own work. COPE has prepared a discussion document with best practice recommendations on citation manipulation.
Editor’s Submission
Contributions by Guest Editor(s) may be published in the Special Issue, but the number of such contributions should be limited to ensure diversity and inclusivity of authorship representing the research area. All articles submitted by the Guest Editor will be reviewed by a member of the JSIBT Editorial Board.
Confidentiality
The Guest Editor is obligated to maintain the confidentiality of all materials submitted to the journal.
Conflict of Interest
All individuals involved in the peer-review process must carefully evaluate and disclose any conflicts of interest when participating in the review, decision-making, or publication of an article. All relationships that could influence or be perceived to influence the peer-review or decision-making processes must be disclosed. Even if an Editor believes a conflict of interest would not affect their judgment, they should recuse themselves to avoid any perception of bias and uphold the integrity of the peer-review process. In case of a conflict, an alternative Editor will be appointed.
Conflict of Interest Declaration
Potential editorial conflicts of interest must be reported in writing to the publisher before the Editor’s appointment and updated as new conflicts arise. The publisher may publish such declarations in the journal. The Editor will enforce JSIBT policies regarding the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by authors and reviewers (e.g., ICMJE’s “Disclosure of Interests” guidelines).
Final Decision Policy for Special Issues
Special Issue submissions undergo peer review and are published according to the "JSIBT Editorial Process." Guest Editor(s) may take one of the following actions in response to a submission: accept, reject, request revisions from the author, or request an additional reviewer after the peer-review process. When making an editorial decision, you are expected to verify the following:
Preliminary Approval:
The article’s general suitability for the journal/section/Special Issue. The article’s adherence to high-quality research and ethical standards. The rigor required for further review.
Initial or Final Decision:
The suitability of selected reviewers. The adequacy of reviewer comments and author responses. The overall scientific quality of the article. If an article is suspected of containing plagiarism, an JSIBT Editor will recheck it using the plagiarism detection software iThenticate.
Final Decision Policy for Guest Editors
An article may undergo further processing for revision by the Guest Editor based on reviewer reports, but the final decision rests with the Guest Editor. Guest Editors are independently responsible for making final decisions regarding the Special Issue’s content. They have the right to evaluate and/or reject any article or make final decisions regarding its publication. The permanent members of the editorial team will not interfere with the oversight or final decisions of the Guest Editors, who independently manage and control the entire process.
Additionally, lease note the following:
If there is a conflict of interest between the Guest Editor(s) and authors, or if the Editorial Office does not respond to acceptance or rejection matters, the journal’s Editorial Board will invite another Editor with appropriate research expertise to review and make a decision. If the Guest Editor(s) supports accepting an article despite a reviewer’s recommendation to reject, JSIBT staff will seek a second independent opinion from an Editorial Board member or the Editor-in-Chief before notifying the authors of the final decision. Every article submitted by the Guest Editor(s) will be reviewed by a member of the Editorial Board.
Publication
Once an article is finalized, it will be uploaded to the relevant Special Issue section of the website without waiting for other articles to be finalized. The Special Issue webpage will include information about the Guest Editors, table of contents, submission deadline, author details, etc.
