Authors should confirm thematic fit before submission and include complete ethics, data, and disclosure statements. Scope alignment in abstract and cover letter improves reviewer matching.

Special issue papers receive the same scientific scrutiny as regular submissions, with journal editors maintaining final decision authority.

When submitting to a special issue, clearly identify the special issue title in your cover letter and select the correct submission classification. This simple step prevents routing errors and ensures your manuscript is evaluated by the intended guest editor pathway without administrative delay.

Authors should provide complete declarations at initial submission, including ethics approval, funding details, contributor roles, data availability, and conflict disclosures. Comprehensive first submission packages reduce clarification requests and support faster reviewer assignment.

Manuscripts submitted to special issues follow the same peer-review rigor as standard submissions. Editorial teams assess methodological quality, novelty, and relevance to the issue theme. Topic fit alone is not sufficient; evidence quality and reporting transparency remain primary acceptance criteria.

If you are unsure whether your study fits an active theme, send your title and abstract to [email protected] before submission. Presubmission alignment can reduce reclassification and improve first-round editorial decisions.

To improve first-round success, include a short scope statement describing how your manuscript addresses the specific special issue objective. Manuscripts that explicitly connect methods and findings to issue goals are easier for editors to route, review, and prioritize within active publication timelines.

Program pages are most effective when contributors understand both thematic fit and delivery expectations. Whether proposing, submitting, or joining an active initiative, contributors should define goals clearly, prepare complete files, and confirm timeline feasibility before entering the workflow. This level of planning helps guest editors maintain issue coherence and allows accepted work to move through review and production without avoidable disruption. JIG emphasizes predictable execution because high-quality thematic collections can accelerate evidence synthesis and improve translation into practice. Teams that communicate early, document responsibilities, and keep revision capacity available are more likely to meet publication targets with consistent quality.