Special Issue Guidelines

PSR Press Special Issue Policy Guide

Ptolemy Scientific Research Press (PSR Press) welcomes high-quality Special Issue proposals that support focused scholarly discussion, encourage collaboration among researchers, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge within the scope of its journals. Special Issues are intended to publish carefully selected, peer-reviewed articles on current, important, and clearly defined research themes.

A Special Issue must maintain the same editorial quality, ethical standards, peer-review requirements, and publication policies as regular issues of the journal. Publication in a Special Issue is not automatic. Every manuscript submitted to a Special Issue must pass editorial screening, peer review, revision where required, and final editorial approval.

About Special Issues

A Special Issue is a focused collection of scholarly articles that collectively examine a specific, current, and significant topic within the aims and scope of a journal. Special Issues are usually organized around a well-defined research theme, emerging scientific development, academic event, interdisciplinary topic, or subject area of growing international interest.

Special Issues may also be organized to recognize the scholarly contribution of an influential researcher, to present selected extended papers from a conference, workshop, or symposium, or to bring together new research on a specialized topic that requires concentrated academic attention.

A Special Issue should not be a general collection of unrelated papers. It should have a clear intellectual focus, a defined subject area, and a meaningful connection among the articles included in the issue.

Purpose and Academic Value

The purpose of a Special Issue is to create a structured scholarly platform for discussion of an important research topic. A well-planned Special Issue can help researchers understand recent progress, compare different approaches, identify unresolved problems, and develop new directions for future work.

Special Issues are valuable because they:

highlight current and emerging research areas;
bring together scholars working on related questions;
support focused academic discussion;
encourage interdisciplinary collaboration;
provide readers with a concentrated source of knowledge on one theme;
help authors position their work within a broader scholarly conversation;
support the visibility of important research topics within the journal’s scope.

Each Special Issue should contribute to the academic mission of the host journal and should serve the needs of its readers, authors, reviewers, and research community.

Key Advantages of Publishing in a Special Issue

Publishing in a Special Issue offers several advantages for authors, readers, Guest Editors, and the broader research community.

Increased visibility is one of the main advantages. Special Issues are often promoted through journal websites, academic networks, calls for papers, editorial announcements, and communication with relevant research communities. Because the issue is organized around a specific theme, it attracts readers who are already interested in that subject area.

Topical impact may also be strengthened. Articles published in a Special Issue are placed alongside other works on the same theme, which can increase readership and encourage citation by researchers working in that area.

Thematic coherence improves the value of each article. When related articles are published together, readers can compare methods, theories, findings, and interpretations across different studies. This creates a stronger scholarly dialogue than isolated publication.

Networking opportunities may arise for authors and Guest Editors. Contributors to a Special Issue may engage with leading researchers, early-career scholars, and interdisciplinary collaborators working on similar problems.

Academic recognition is also an important benefit. Guest Editors and contributing authors may gain recognition for helping advance a focused research area and for contributing to a significant scholarly collection.

Timely dissemination is another advantage. Special Issues are often organized around current topics or academic events, allowing important research to reach the community while the topic is still active and relevant.

Proposal Submission and Contact Person

Researchers, academic groups, conference organizers, and scholarly societies interested in organizing a Special Issue with PSR Press should first submit a Special Issue proposal for consideration.

All Special Issue proposals should be sent to:

Dr. Absar ul Haq
Secretary, PSR Press
Email: absarulhaq@hotmail.com

The Guest Editor or proposing team should contact Dr. Absar ul Haq before announcing the Special Issue publicly. This allows PSR Press to review the suitability of the topic, the proposed journal, the Guest Editor team, and the planned publication schedule.

After the initial check, Dr. Absar ul Haq will present the proposal to the Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editor of the respective journal for their review and approval. A Special Issue may proceed only after approval is granted by the relevant journal leadership.

Information Required in a Special Issue Proposal

A Special Issue proposal should be clear, complete, and academically justified. The proposal should provide enough information for the journal to assess the relevance, quality, feasibility, and scholarly value of the proposed issue.

The proposal should normally include:

proposed title of the Special Issue;
name of the target PSR Press journal;
brief description of the proposed theme;
academic rationale and importance of the topic;
aims and objectives of the Special Issue;
main subject areas to be covered;
proposed list of topics or subthemes;
names, affiliations, emails, and academic profiles of the proposed Guest Editor or Guest Editors;
short biography of each Guest Editor;
publication record or relevant expertise of the Guest Editor team;
expected number of submissions;
proposed timeline for submission, review, revision, and publication;
possible sources of submissions, such as research networks, conference participants, or invited authors;
draft call for papers, if available;
statement confirming that all manuscripts will undergo peer review;
statement confirming that Guest Editors will follow PSR Press publication ethics and editorial policies.

The proposal should show that the Special Issue is academically focused, feasible, and suitable for the journal’s readership.

Initial Assessment and Approval Process

After receiving a Special Issue proposal, PSR Press will conduct an initial check. This check may consider whether the proposal is complete, whether the topic is suitable for the selected journal, whether the Guest Editor team has appropriate expertise, and whether the proposed issue meets the editorial and ethical expectations of the press.

After the initial check, Dr. Absar ul Haq, Secretary of PSR Press, will forward the proposal to the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor of the respective journal for approval. The journal leadership may approve the proposal, request revisions, suggest a different journal, recommend changes to the title or scope, ask for additional Guest Editors, or decline the proposal.

Approval will normally depend on:

relevance to the journal’s aims and scope;
academic importance of the proposed topic;
qualifications and independence of the Guest Editor team;
clarity of the proposed call for papers;
feasibility of the timeline;
expected quality of submissions;
compliance with publication ethics;
absence of conflicts of interest;
benefit to the journal’s readers and research community.

No Special Issue should be announced as approved until formal approval is given by the relevant journal authority.

Role and Responsibilities of Guest Editors

Guest Editors are responsible for helping develop, organize, and manage the academic content of the Special Issue. Their role is important, but it must remain within the editorial policy and authority of the journal.

Guest Editors may be responsible for:

preparing the title, aims, and scope of the Special Issue;
drafting the call for papers;
inviting suitable authors to submit manuscripts;
promoting the Special Issue within relevant academic networks;
assisting with preliminary assessment of submitted manuscripts;
recommending qualified reviewers;
evaluating reviewer reports;
advising on revision requirements;
supporting timely communication with authors and the editorial office;
helping ensure that manuscripts fit the theme of the Special Issue;
preparing an editorial introduction, where requested.

Guest Editors must act fairly, confidentially, and professionally. They must not use their position to favor friends, colleagues, students, institutional partners, or their own research group. They must also avoid citation manipulation, reviewer manipulation, or any practice that could compromise editorial independence.

The final editorial authority remains with the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, or authorized editorial representative of the host journal.

Suitability of Manuscripts

Manuscripts submitted to a Special Issue must fit both the Special Issue theme and the aims and scope of the host journal. A manuscript may be rejected if it is outside the Special Issue topic, outside the journal’s scope, incomplete, poorly prepared, ethically problematic, or not suitable for peer review.

Suitable manuscripts should normally:

address the Special Issue theme clearly;
present original research, review, analysis, case study, or scholarly discussion;
make a meaningful contribution to the field;
follow the journal’s author guidelines;
include complete author information;
include proper references;
include all required declarations;
follow ethical standards for research and publication;
avoid plagiarism, duplicate submission, and redundant publication.

Submission to a Special Issue does not guarantee acceptance. Each manuscript must be evaluated on its own academic merit.

Peer Review Standards

All manuscripts submitted to a Special Issue must undergo the same peer-review and editorial standards as regular submissions to the journal. Special Issue manuscripts are not exempt from review, revision, ethical screening, or final editorial approval.

The peer-review process used by PSR Press journals is single-blind. Reviewers know the identity of the authors, but authors do not know the identity of the reviewers. At least two review reports are required before a peer-review decision is normally made. Reviewers are normally given eight weeks to complete their review reports.

The review process may include:

initial editorial screening;
assessment of scope and article type;
similarity or plagiarism check;
assignment to a handling editor or Guest Editor;
external peer review;
author revision;
further review, where required;
final editorial decision.

Reviewers should be selected on the basis of expertise, independence, availability, and absence of conflicts of interest. Guest Editors may recommend reviewers, but reviewer selection and editorial decisions must remain consistent with the journal’s peer-review policy.

Conflicts of Interest

All conflicts of interest must be declared and properly managed. Guest Editors, reviewers, authors, and journal editors should not handle manuscripts where personal, professional, financial, institutional, or academic relationships could influence judgment.

A conflict of interest may include:

recent collaboration with an author;
same institutional affiliation;
supervisor-student relationship;
close personal or professional relationship;
financial interest in the research;
involvement in the manuscript preparation;
academic competition or dispute;
participation in the same grant, project, laboratory, or research group.

If a manuscript is submitted by a Guest Editor, by a close collaborator of a Guest Editor, or by someone from the same institution, that manuscript should be handled independently by another editor appointed by the journal. Guest Editors must not make editorial recommendations on manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.

Publication Ethics

Special Issues must follow all publication ethics policies of PSR Press and the host journal. The same ethical standards apply to regular articles and Special Issue articles.

The following practices are not acceptable:

plagiarism;
duplicate submission;
redundant publication;
data fabrication or falsification;
image manipulation;
citation manipulation;
inappropriate authorship;
peer-review manipulation;
undisclosed conflicts of interest;
use of copyrighted material without permission;
unethical research involving humans, animals, plants, biological materials, clinical data, or sensitive information;
undisclosed or improper use of AI tools;
submission of manuscripts without author approval.

If ethical concerns are identified before publication, the manuscript may be rejected or returned for clarification. If concerns are discovered after publication, the journal may issue a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other editorial notice.

Call for Papers

After approval, the Guest Editor team may prepare a call for papers in consultation with the journal. The call for papers should clearly state the theme, scope, topics of interest, submission deadline, expected publication timeline, manuscript requirements, and contact information.

The call for papers should include:

Special Issue title;
name of the host journal;
names and affiliations of Guest Editors;
background and rationale;
list of suggested topics;
manuscript types accepted;
submission instructions;
important dates;
peer-review statement;
publication ethics statement;
contact details.

The call for papers should not promise automatic acceptance or guaranteed publication. It should clearly state that all submissions will be subject to editorial assessment and peer review.

Timeline and Management

A Special Issue should have a realistic timeline that allows sufficient time for submission, editorial screening, reviewer invitation, peer review, revision, re-review where necessary, final decision, production, proof correction, and publication.

A proposed timeline may include:

announcement of call for papers;
manuscript submission deadline;
initial screening period;
peer-review period;
author revision deadline;
final decision period;
production and proofing period;
expected online publication date.

Guest Editors should work with the editorial office to monitor progress and avoid unnecessary delays. If a Special Issue does not receive enough suitable submissions, the journal may extend the deadline, revise the scope, publish accepted papers in a regular issue, or cancel the Special Issue.

Publication Format and Diamond Open Access

Accepted Special Issue articles are published according to the policies of the host journal. Articles may be published together as a complete Special Issue or individually online as they become ready, depending on the journal’s publication model and editorial schedule.

Articles published by PSR Press are made available online under the Diamond Open Access model. This means that readers can access published articles freely without subscription barriers, and authors are not required to pay article processing charges for standard publication unless a separate approved arrangement applies.

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal the right of first publication. Published articles are licensed under a Creative Commons license, which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited and the author names are given.

Withdrawal, Cancellation, and Editorial Control

PSR Press and the host journal reserve the right to withdraw, suspend, or cancel a Special Issue if serious concerns arise. These concerns may include lack of suitable submissions, failure to follow editorial policy, conflicts of interest, peer-review irregularities, ethical concerns, poor manuscript quality, or failure to meet agreed timelines.

The journal may also remove or replace a Guest Editor if necessary to protect editorial integrity, confidentiality, quality, or fairness.

Final editorial control remains with the host journal. The Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, or authorized editorial representative may reject manuscripts, request further review, revise timelines, approve final publication, or decline to proceed with the Special Issue when required.

Contact for Special Issue Proposals

Researchers or academic groups interested in proposing a Special Issue should contact: