Thematic Issue Policy

Pedagogical Perspective (PedPer) (eISSN: 2822-4841) publishes Thematic Issues (TIs) to provide a scholarly platform for research on current, emerging, and field-specific topics in education. The purpose of TIs is to support in-depth academic discussion, strengthen interdisciplinary dialogue, and highlight critical themes aligned with the journal’s Aim & Scope.

PedPer may publish up to one Thematic Issue per year, unless otherwise decided by the Editorial Board.

1) Scope and Eligibility

  • Proposed TI topics must fall within PedPer’s Aim & Scope and meet the journal’s quality and ethical standards.
  • All TI manuscripts must comply with PedPer’s Author Guidelines, Peer Review Policy, and Publication Ethics & Malpractice.

2) How to Propose a Thematic Issue

TI proposals may be submitted in two ways:

  1. Editorial Board–initiated proposals
    Members of the Editorial Board may prepare and submit a TI proposal.
  2. Researcher-initiated proposals
    External researchers or research groups may submit a TI proposal to the journal.

All proposals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) and the Editorial Board for academic relevance, feasibility, alignment with the journal’s scope, and overall quality. The Editorial Board makes the final decision on TI approval and the appointment of Guest Editor(s).

3) Required Components of a TI Proposal

A TI proposal should include:

  • Proposed title and theme
  • Rationale and relevance to current scholarship
  • Scope (topics/questions to be covered)
  • Proposed Guest Editor(s) with short bios and affiliations
  • A draft timeline (CFP date, submission deadline, review window, publication target)
  • A statement on ethics, peer review, conflicts of interest, and citation integrity

4) Call for Papers (CFP)

Guest Editor(s) prepare the Call for Papers (CFP) in accordance with PedPer policies and in coordination with the Editorial Office. The CFP must include:

  • Title and theme of the TI
  • Scope and rationale
  • Key deadlines and timeline
  • Article types accepted and word limits (as applicable)
  • Submission instructions (via PedPer’s OJS submission system)
  • Contact information (Guest Editor(s) + journal contact)

5) Thematic Issue Workflow

Step 1 – Expression of Interest / Proposal Stage (optional, if used)
If PedPer uses an initial screening stage (e.g., extended abstracts), the CFP must clearly state the format and criteria.

Step 2 – Full Manuscript Submission (mandatory)
All manuscripts intended for a TI must be submitted via PedPer’s OJS system (not by email) to ensure traceability and auditability.

Step 3 – Editorial Screening
The Editorial Office/EIC conducts an initial check for scope, basic quality, completeness, and ethics compliance (including similarity screening where applicable).

Step 4 – External Double-Blind Peer Review
All TI manuscripts undergo external, double-blind peer review in line with PedPer’s Peer Review Policy and are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers.

Step 5 – Decision and Revisions
Guest Editor(s) may recommend decisions based on reviewer reports; however, the final decision authority remains with the Editor-in-Chief (or a delegated independent editor when conflicts exist).

Step 6 – Production and Publication
After acceptance, the Editorial Office manages copyediting, layout, and publication.

6) Guest Editors: Roles, Responsibilities, and Oversight

Guest Editor(s) must:

  • Ensure all manuscripts align with PedPer’s Aim & Scope and quality expectations
  • Follow PedPer’s Publication Ethics & Malpractice and maintain confidentiality
  • Declare and manage conflicts of interest (COI); manuscripts with COI must be handled by an independent editor
  • Avoid any action that could compromise review integrity (including reviewer manipulation)

Editorial Oversight:
The EIC/Editorial Office oversees TI workflows and may intervene when ethical or procedural concerns arise.

7) Citation Integrity (No Coercive Citations)

Guest Editor(s) must not require or pressure authors to cite:

  • the Guest Editor(s)’ own work,
  • PedPer, or
  • any associated journals,
    unless academically necessary. Coercive or irrelevant citation requests are prohibited.

8) Guest Editor Submissions to the TI

Guest Editor(s) may submit manuscripts to the TI under the following safeguards:

  • Guest Editor-authored manuscripts must not exceed 25% of the total number of articles in the TI (excluding the editorial).
  • Such manuscripts are handled by an independent editor (e.g., Associate Editor) and undergo external, double-blind peer review.
  • Guest Editor(s) have no access to reviewer identities or editorial correspondence for their own manuscripts.

9) Policy Compliance

All submissions to Thematic Issues are subject to PedPer’s:

  • Peer Review Policy (double-blind; ≥2 independent reviewers)
  • Publication Ethics & Malpractice
  • Conflict of Interest Statement
  • Author Guidelines

Related Policies: Publication Ethics & Malpractice • Handling Allegations of Misconduct Policy • Peer Review Policy • Corrections, Retractions & Expressions of Concern Policy • Conflicts of Interest Statement • Plagiarism & Similarity Policy • Complaints & Appeals Policy

Contact: For TI proposals, please contact: info@pedagogicalperspective.com