The Journal of Global Smallholder Studies (JGSS) utilises the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform, a comprehensive journal management and publishing software package. Integrated into the JGSS workflow, this platform is accessible to authors, reviewers, and academic editors via the official journal website: https://www.smallholderstudies.com. Through their secure login, authors can submit manuscripts, monitor the status of their submissions, and track their progress. Reviewers and academic editors can access and complete their assigned tasks, ensuring a streamlined and efficient process of manuscript evaluation and publication.
The JGSS Editorial and Publishing Process is summarised in Figure 1. The following notes are provided for each step:
1. Manuscript Submission: Authors are required to submit their manuscripts via the JGSS online submission platform. Manuscripts submitted by email will not be accepted, unless authors encounter technical difficulties in accessing the journal website. To submit, authors must provide the article metadata and upload the manuscript file, along with a cover letter, through the journal website. Upon successful submission, authors will receive an automatic acknowledgement email confirming receipt of their submission.
Figure 1: The JGSS Editorial and Publishing Process
2. Technical Check: Upon receiving a new submission, the Editor will perform an initial technical review to ensure the manuscript meets the journal's basic requirements, aligns with its aims and scope, and is free from plagiarism. All manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening using Similarity Check, powered by iThenticate. Manuscripts that do not align with the journal’s aims and scope, fail to adhere to the submission guidelines, or contain apparent plagiarism issues may be returned to the authors or rejected without further review.
3. Reviewing Process: Once a manuscript passes the preliminary technical check, it will be assigned to at least two independent experts for peer review. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise, relevance to the manuscript’s subject, availability, and the absence of any conflicts of interest. The peer review process follows a single-blind system, whereby reviewers are aware of the authors' names and affiliations, but their identities remain anonymous to the authors (please refer to the Peer Review Policy for further details). Reviewers are required to complete an online evaluation form provided by the JGSS, offering constructive feedback and recommending one of the following actions: Accept, Request Revisions, or Reject.
4. Decision Making: Upon receiving at least two reviewer reports, the Editor-in-Chief will make the final decision regarding the manuscript—whether it is Accepted, Requires Revisions, or Rejected—based on the reviewers’ evaluations. The corresponding author will be promptly notified of the decision. If revisions are required, the author(s) must address the reviewers' comments, revise the manuscript accordingly, and submit the revised version by the specified deadline, along with a detailed response to each comment. If the revisions are deemed satisfactory by the Editor and reviewers, the Editor will inform the author that the manuscript has been accepted for publication.
5. Technical Review: Once any revisions are deemed satisfactory, the accepted manuscript is forwarded to the production team for editing and formatting. Additionally, the manuscript undergoes language checks by a language editor to ensure clarity, accuracy, and consistency.
6. Galley Proof: This is the final step before the manuscript is published online. The publication-ready file is sent to the galley for the author’s final review prior to publication. The author will receive a notification with a link to access the galley proof, which will be available through their dashboard on the journal's OJS platform.
7. Publish: Once the author has reviewed and approved the galley proof, the final article will be published immediately and made publicly accessible. The JGSS follows a continuous publication model, ensuring that accepted articles are promptly published online as soon as the peer review, revision, and production processes have been completed.
Indexing
The Journal of Global Smallholder Studies (JGSS) is thrilled to invite submissions for its first issue, to be published in 2025. We are seeking original research and review articles that explore various aspects of smallholder activities worldwide. This inaugural issue presents a unique chance for scholars and field experts to contribute to a novel forum that promotes the dissemination of knowledge and stimulates dialogue on smallholder-related topics.
