About Special Collections

What is a "Special Collection"?

A "Special Collection" contains a select group of scientific contributions focused on a central theme, particular topic, or research direction. Such collections are initiated and supervised by a guest editor, which is responsible for the content.

How is "Special Collection" content reviewed?

All material in a Special Collection is peer-reviewed. Each submission must meet the requirements of our Scientific Review Board and be accepted for publication according to the same standards as all other journal content. There are no exceptions to this rule. In addition, material submitted to a Special Collection also required the approval of one or more of the guest editors. Guest editors are responsible for defining the scope of the topic and the content of the collection. Each Special Collection topic and its editor(s) are assigned or confirmed by the journal’s Editor, Nico Keilman. There may be one or more project editors for each Special Collection.

How is "Special Collection" content published?

Special Collection contributions appear on the journal website in two complementary ways. Once a contribution has been accepted for publication, it is published immediately in the current volume of Demographic Research. Thus, it is available online without delay and can be announced to readers and library services. Once the final contribution to a Special Collection has been published, the guest editor issues an editorial (perhaps in the form of an introduction or a summary) for the entire collection. This editorial, which appears as a contribution of its own, describes how the project came about and outlines the focus and content of the collection. The editorial is followed immediately by a list of the specific URLs or links for all contributions in the collection so that readers can find the material easily. As a final step, the editorial and all the related contributions are then grouped together under a separate heading in the section of the journal website reserved for Special Collections. Although each contribution retains its original publication release number and is listed in the volume in which it first appeared, this second listing enables readers to view the collection of material as a whole. In the Special Collections section it is also possible to list additional material or to provide links to related websites or publications.

As an alternative all contributions to a Special Collection may appear simultaneously in the current volume of Demographic Research together with the editorial. In this case as well they also appear at the same time on the journal website reserved for Special Collections. This can only occur on the initiative of the guest editors of a Special Collection and with approval of the Editor and Publisher.

How can I become a guest editor of a Special Collection?

The typical process for starting a Special Collection project is as follows:

A person wishing to edit a Special Collection first submits a short proposal to the Editor, preferably through the support staff (). This first proposal should contain a description of the topic or issue and a list of possible papers and authors. Should the group of contributions be the product of a workshop or seminar, the guest editor should also submit information about this event and list any sources of funding or other sponsors.

If the Editor decides the project shows promise, he will request to see all papers and drafts thereof, together with any comments or suggestions that might have already provided. The editor will then convey his decision to the editorial support staff, either rejecting the proposal or approving the project. Once the project is approved, the responsibility for content is shifted to the "guest editor(s)".

What are my responsibilities as a guest editor?

Once the Editor has approved a proposal, the guest editor(s) will work together with the office support staff () to begin the review process for the submissions. It is expected that submissions will be subjected to the review process within the same time frame, but the actual length of the review period might vary for each. The guest editor is responsible for maintaining contact with the office staff during the review period, for contacting additional external reviewers should the need arise, and for evaluating the reports, including any editorial adjudication decisions. The guest editor is also the person who will work closely with the authors to ensure that revisions and problems are dealt with quickly. Once the reviewers have recommended the publication of a submission, the guest editor must also approve the final version of the work before it can be published.

After the submissions are published, the project editor must then submit an introduction, summary, or editorial for the collection. Depending on the length and content of this piece, it will itself be subject to a full peer review. This piece is also published in the current volume of the journal, either as a "reflexion", as "research material", or as a "summary". Once this introduction is published, all Special Collection material is listed for a second time in the section of the journal website reserved for Special Collections.

Can I obtain a print version of my Special Collection?

The volumes of the journal Demographic Research appear in a softbound print-on-demand (POD) version a year or two after being published online. Hence, all Special Collection material is automatically printed in the POD version of the volume (or volumes) in which it was first published. (Special Collections 1 through 3 are an exception to this, as the material of these collections was not initially assigned to a specific journal volume. A special print-on-demand book for each of these items will be available in 2009.)

If the guest editors of a Special Collection would like a separate bound book of their material, this must be discussed with the journal’s Publisher. Guest editors may consider using the same POD services that Demographic Research employs, and the office staff will be happy to advise project editors on this and other matters pertaining to print versions. Should the guest editor decide on another outlet for a print version, the office staff of Demographic Research will supply data files for formatting and will help ensure that the reprint rights are granted for such endeavors.

As with all reprints of all journal content, we do request that a full citation to the online journal Demographic Research be given, including the full URL and DOI for each publication. We also encourage authors and editors to label the material as being open access and as having been peer-reviewed. Demographic Research will be pleased to list information about a book or bound POD version which includes reprints of original work published in our journal.