Journal Roles

• Journal Manager: The Journal Manager handles the initial setup and ongoing administration of the journal's website. Their duties include configuring system settings, managing all user accounts (enrolling editors, authors, reviewers, etc.), and using web-based tools to create journal sections, edit email templates, and access statistics. No advanced technical skills are required for these tasks.

• Author: Authors use the journal's website to submit their manuscripts directly. During submission, they provide essential metadata for indexing and can upload supplementary files, such as datasets or research instruments, to support their work. After submission, authors can log in to track their paper's progress through the review and editing stages and participate in the final copyediting and proofreading phases if their paper is accepted.

• Editor: The Editor has complete oversight of the journal's review, editing, and publishing operations. Working with the Journal Manager, they establish the journal's policies. The Editor assigns incoming manuscripts to Section Editors for review, monitors their progress, and resolves any issues. After a paper is accepted, the Editor typically manages it through the final editing stages (copyediting, layout, and proofreading) and is responsible for creating journal issues, setting the table of contents, and officially publishing them.

• Section Editor: A Section Editor is responsible for managing the peer review and editing processes for the specific manuscripts assigned to them. While some Section Editors oversee a manuscript from initial review through to final editing, it is also common for them to manage only the review process, after which an Editor takes over for the final production stages. The exact division of these duties depends on the journal's specific policy.

• Reviewer: Appointed by an Editor or Section Editor, the Reviewer's role is to evaluate a manuscript. They submit their feedback through the journal's website and have the option to upload additional files for the author and editor to see. Depending on the journal's policy, reviewers may also be rated on the quality of their feedback.

• Copy Editor: The Copy Editor focuses on improving the language of a manuscript. They correct grammar and enhance clarity, ensure the text and references strictly follow the journal's style guide, and collaborate with the author to finalize the content. Their work results in a polished final draft that is ready for layout and publication.