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Becoming an Editor at ATA Press
At ATA Press, we regard our editors as the driving force behind the excellence that defines our publications. Academic Editors play a pivotal role in evaluating the scope and quality of each manuscript submitted to our journals. They draw upon feedback from peer reviewers to make well-informed recommendations. Our Editorial Boards collectively bear the responsibility of upholding the journal’s commitment to publishing high-quality research that aligns with its defined scope and objectives.
Here’s how to get started:
If you are interested in joining our esteemed community of editors, take the first step by completing our editor application form through the link below. You may also recommend a qualified colleague to join the ATA Press Editorial Board by sharing the link.
We may contact you regarding possible peer review opportunities within your area of expertise. It’s important to understand that completing this form doesn’t guarantee automatic invitations to join our editorial boards. Our editorial team carefully reviews each application to ensure that we appoint the most qualified and suitable academics and professionals for these roles.
Editorial Management at ATA Press
At ATA Press, Academic Editors bear the independent responsibility of determining whether a manuscript should be accepted for publication in our journals. Whether you’re a newly appointed Editor, a Guest Editor, or revisiting the process after some time, this guide offers a comprehensive, step-by-step overview of the editorial journey.
Manuscript Handling
Manuscripts are efficiently managed through ATA Press’s online journal system. Editors receive email notifications when invited to handle a new manuscript.
ATA Press editorial team assigns manuscripts based on an Editor’s area of expertise and current workload. While Editors should be familiar with the manuscript’s topic, an exhaustive understanding is not obligatory. Technical assessment is the responsibility of peer reviewers. However, if an Editor considers the manuscript to fall significantly outside their expertise, they should decline to handle it.
In cases where Editors suspect a conflict of interest (e.g., affiliation with the same institution as an author or involvement in a competing project), they should also decline manuscript handling.
Initial Evaluation
ATA Press conducts essential editorial screening of all submissions before assigning them to Editors. Upon receiving a manuscript, Editors should assess its suitability for publication. This evaluation encompasses alignment with the journal’s scientific scope and basic article quality.
Published research in ATA Press journals must also meet specific criteria:
- Relevance: align with the journal’s scope and pursuits.
- Technical accuracy: the methodology, data and results are complete and valid.
- Scientific authenticity: adheres to accepted research standards.
- Impact: Represents a noteworthy advance, replication, or contribution to the existing body of knowledge.
- Maximizes reproducibility: by sharing underlying data, code, and supporting materials when possible.
- Ethical: Upholds ethical standards concerning animal and human studies, consent to publish, and transparent declaration of conflicts of interest.
Submissions failing this evaluation should be promptly rejected. All other articles should undergo formal peer review.
Peer Review Management
The ATA Press editorial team assists Editors by providing reviewer suggestions to reduce administrative burdens. However, Editors can also invite at least two reviewers of their choice to assess the manuscript.
Several factors should guide reviewer selection:
- Neutrality: Reviewers should not share the same institution or maintain active or recent collaborations with the authors. Referee invitations should align with authors’ preferences to avoid conflicts of interest. If potential conflicts are detected, Editors will be asked to assign different reviewers.
- Qualifications: Reviewers should possess significant expertise in the relevant field, evident from their publication history. Reviewers span the spectrum from post-doctoral researchers to emeritus professors, with occasional industry experts.
- Expertise Coverage: Editors should ensure that selected reviewers collectively encompass the breadth of techniques employed in the manuscript. Some manuscripts may necessitate multiple reviewers to adequately assess different aspects.
Editors may draw upon their academic network, acquired through conferences, collaborations, or professional relationships, to identify suitable reviewers. Keyword searches in abstracting and indexing services and examination of a manuscript’s reference list are also effective ways to find referees. Asking declining reviewers for recommendations from their research group or institution can further expand the pool of potential reviewers.
Reviewers may, upon request, consult with colleagues from their research group, provided manuscript confidentiality is maintained. In such cases, the reviewers should include the colleague’s name in the ‘comments to the editor’ section of their report.
Making a Decision
After reviewing and assessing the manuscript, each reviewer provides a report with one of the following recommendations:
- Publish Unaltered
- Consider after Minor Changes
- Consider after Major Changes
- Reject
Determining the manuscript’s fate based on reviewer recommendations may not always be straightforward. If a majority of reviewers recommend rejection, the manuscript must be rejected. However, even a single reviewer identifying a fundamental technical flaw with a rejection recommendation can justify manuscript rejection, despite positive reviews from others.
Published manuscripts must meet stringent technical standards. Concerns regarding experimental validity or logical coherence should lead to rejection. While the perceived importance and potential impact are secondary considerations, manuscripts must present original research contributing to scientific knowledge. ATA Press journals publish work of significance to specialists, but replication or derivative work requires a compelling scientific rationale for publication.
If reviewers raise insurmountable issues, such as critical experimental flaws or prior presentation of results, Editors should reject the manuscript. ATA Press supports depositing manuscripts in preprint servers and considers this practice compatible with result novelty.
If the manuscript has potential for improvement but requires revisions, Editors can invite authors to revise and resubmit. Editors should use ‘Consider after Minor Changes‘ if they are confident in personally assessing the proper implementation of suggested changes. If reviewer expertise is needed to evaluate changes, ‘Consider after Major Changes‘ should be chosen.
For manuscripts with no identified issues and unanimous suitability for publication, Editors may opt for ‘Publish Unaltered‘.
Publication Ethics
Our editorial screening team conducts thorough checks on manuscripts and authors’ publication records to detect issues such as plagiarism and research misconduct.
If Editors encounter publication ethics concerns during manuscript handling, such as plagiarism, authorship disputes, duplicate submissions, data and figure manipulation, they should promptly contact the Research Integrity Team via ethics@atapress.org.
We may also consult Editors on ethics issues related to published articles from time to time. ATA Press adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, and we encourage familiarity with their resources.
For more information, explore our publication ethics page.
Managing Conflicts of Interest
As a member of a journal’s Editorial Board, being vigilant about potential conflicts of interest when handling a manuscript is crucial.
Editors should begin by evaluating their own potential conflicts. Recent co-authorship with the manuscript’s authors or shared affiliations and employment histories could raise questions about impartiality. While ATA Press strives to avoid such conflicts when assigning papers, Editors are expected to disclose any conflicts. If a conflict is detected, Editors should decline to handle the manuscript.
As subject matter experts, Editors play a vital role in assessing conflicts declared by submitting authors. They are also well-placed to identify any undeclared conflicts. Editors should take these factors into account when making recommendations on the manuscript.
When assigning reviewers, Editors should also consider potential conflicts. Typically, reviewers should not:
- Work at the same institution as the author(s) or have recent affiliations.
- Have recently co-authored papers with the author(s).
- Currently engaged in collaborations with the author(s).
Discretion may apply when publications involve a consortium.
In cases where concerns arise about potential reviewers, Editors can opt to select alternative reviewers. If an Editor suspects that a reviewer’s recommendation is influenced by personal interests, they may inform the authors that such concerns need not be addressed.
In specialized fields with a higher likelihood of association and overlap between researchers, Editors should notify the ATA Press editorial team, who can then involve our Research Integrity team for review.
Confidentiality
Manuscript confidentiality must be strictly maintained. Editors should refrain from utilizing insights until after publication.
Reviewer identities should remain anonymous to authors unless reviewers voluntarily disclose their identity by signing the review report. Editors must not reveal reviewer names to authors or anyone else in the academic community.
Benefits for Editors
When you become an Editor at ATA Press, you become part of a dynamic and growing community of scholars, leaders, and changemakers. Together, we are passionately committed to shaping a brighter academic future for Africa, fostering innovation, and nurturing excellence in research dissemination.
- Pioneering Research Leadership: We provide editors with a multidisciplinary platform to lead pioneering research endeavours that address Africa’s distinctive challenges and prospects. ATA Press empowers editors to drive innovative scholarship in their field, contributing to a brighter academic future for the continent.
- Mentorship and Expertise Contribution: As an Editor, you hold a leadership role, guiding and mentoring emerging scholars. Your expertise contributes significantly to establishing robust academic publishing standards in your field, nurturing the next generation of African researchers.
- Uphold Academic Excellence: With us, you’re at the forefront of upholding uncompromising standards through sound peer review and editorial management. Ensure that only quality research finds its place in ATA Press journals, fostering a culture of academic excellence.
- Expand Your Network: Forge meaningful connections with fellow scholars and experts within a supportive and collaborative community. ATA Press offers you the platform to broaden your professional network, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and knowledge exchange.
- APC Waivers: Enjoy the exclusive benefit of 100% full waivers on article processing charges (APC) when publishing in a journal where you serve as an editor. This cost-saving advantage is available quarterly to all our esteemed editors.
- Visible Acknowledgment: Your name and affiliation take center stage, prominently featured in both the journal and the website. This recognition allows readers and peers to acknowledge and appreciate your invaluable contributions to African academia.
- Certificates and Recommendations: Editors receive annual certificates and recommendation letters, serving as a credit for your commitment to advancing academic excellence and research dissemination.
- Rewards for Dedication: Qualified editors receive annual gift packs and honorariums, demonstrating our appreciation for your unwavering commitment and performance.
- Dynamic Community: By collaborating with ATA Press, you join a vibrant and growing community of scholars, leaders, and changemakers. Together, we are passionately committed to shaping a brighter academic future for Africa, fostering innovation, and nurturing excellence in research dissemination.
Join ATA Press as an Editor, and together, let’s build a dynamic academic community committed to Africa’s academic progress. Your leadership is key to our shared mission
Editors’ Roles and Responsibilities
Editors play a vital role in the publishing of scholarly publications and in ensuring that published research meets the highest standards. With the support of our dedicated editors, we collectively contribute to enhancing the quality, integrity, and impact of African scholarship.
Manuscript Evaluation: Editors are responsible for assessing the suitability of submitted manuscripts for publication in ATA Press journals.
Conflict of Interest Management: Editors must actively manage conflicts of interest. They should decline to handle manuscripts if they suspect a conflict, such as shared affiliations or competitive projects with the authors.
Assignment of Reviewers: Editors play a crucial role in selecting peer reviewers for manuscripts. They should consider impartiality, qualifications, and expertise coverage when choosing reviewers.
Decision Making: Editors make final decisions on whether to accept, reject, or request revisions for manuscripts based on peer reviewers’ recommendations and their assessment.
Publication Ethics: Editors are responsible for upholding the highest ethical standards in research and publication. They should promptly report any ethics concerns, such as plagiarism or data manipulation, to the Research Integrity Team.
Confidentiality: Editors must maintain strict confidentiality regarding all aspects of manuscript handling, including reviewer identities and manuscript content, until after publication.
Assistance to Authors: Editors guide authors when revisions are requested, ensuring that manuscripts meet publication criteria.
Promotion: Editors actively promote the journals within their subject area, encouraging colleagues, collaborators, and professional connections to consider submitting and reading articles.
Research Integrity: Editors are vigilant in identifying and addressing potential conflicts and ethical issues in submissions, upholding the integrity of the publication process.
Special Issues: Editors may be involved in the creation and management of Special Issues. They collaborate with Guest Editors from outside the Editorial Board and actively participate in the process of proposing, reviewing, and overseeing Special Issues related to their field of expertise.
Providing Feedback to Publisher: Editors provide valuable feedback to the publisher regarding the journal’s direction, performance, and overall operations. This feedback helps in continuous improvement and alignment with the needs of the academic community.
Ambassador for the Journal and ATA Press: Editors serve as ambassadors for both their specific journal and ATA Press as a whole. They actively engage in discussions within their professional networks, promote the journals at conferences, and include journal affiliations in their online profiles. This promotion helps increase the visibility and impact of ATA Press journals.
