Special Topics are collections of articles advancing a novel debate, idea or field. Ideas for new Special Topics may come from a variety of sources, like suggestions of the Editorial Board or scientists working in the field. Scholars who are interested in publishing a Special Topic with us are advised to consider the following guidelines.

Proposal of a Special Topic

All Special Topics must receive initial approvals from the Editor-in-Chief. Guest Editors should provide a proposal of the Special Topics for the Editor-in-Chief's consideration. The proposal format must contain:

• A CV of the Guest Editor;
• The title, brief abstract (about 200-300 words) and 3-8 keywords of the Special Topic;
• A statement of the Special Topic's significance to the field and attractiveness to authors;
• An outlined timeframe;
• A list of potential contributions and abstracts if possible.

Responsibilities of Guest Editors

Guest Editors are expected to:

• provide a short introduction, an image and other necessary information for the Special Topic;
• provide a table of contents for the Special Topic if possible;
• draft a Call for Papers invitation;
• recommend and/or invite contributors;
• oversee the peer review process, make decisions on Special Topic articles and ensure the quality of the Special Topic publication;
• write an Editorial to summarize the content and rationale of the Special Topic.

Note: Journal Editors will assist Guest Editors with editorial work of the Special Topic. Editor-in-Chief may participate in operations of certain Special Topics.

Notices for Authors

Authors who are invited or intend to publish in a Special Topic should pay attention to the following items:

• Read Editorial Polices and Author Instructions carefully, ensuring the manuscript meets all requirements before submission;
• Submit the manuscript by the deadline. Overdue submissions may be excluded from the Special Topic and processed as regular submissions;
• Submit the manuscript via the Online Submission System;
• Indicate "This article is for the Special Topic XXXX" in cover letter when submitting;
• Note that being invited to contribute a paper to a Special Topic is not a guarantee of publication. Special Topic articles undergo the same high-standard editorial procedure as other submissions.

Peer-review and Editorial Procedure

All Special Topic articles are subject to rigorous and impartial peer-review like other regular submissions. Guest Editors supervise the editorial process of all Special Topic articles and make recommendations on them comprehensively on the basis of all review comments. Guest Editors are welcome to recommend reviewers for submission before peer review. Manuscripts with conflicts of interest with Guest Editors are sent to other Academic Editors for decision. For more information of OAE editorial handling, please refer to Peer Review Guidelines and Editorial Process.