Mechanical Sciences (MS) offers an efficient new way of publishing special issues, which are commonly the result of a session or multiple sessions at conferences, but they can also be from a small group of people that came to the conclusion that a special issue on a given subject or theme would be appropriate. The individual papers are peer-reviewed and published as soon as they are available in regular issues, but they are then labelled as part of the special issue and linked electronically.
The specific advantages are the following:
A special issue can comprise publications in any number of Copernicus’ open-access journals, and the special issue editors can be from the same or different journals. It may, however, be advantageous to have representation from Editorial Board members from more than one of the constituent special issue journals. One journal should be nominated as the notional lead for administrative purposes. The manuscript processing follows the standard special issue procedure of the journal in which the manuscript is submitted. Afterwards, all published papers are co-listed on a joint special issue web page (in addition to the regular chronological volume of each journal).
Thank you for considering publishing a special issue with MS. We have drawn up some brief guidelines to help you with the process of submitting a proposal so that you might better understand your responsibilities as a special issue editor. Please note that we (a) particularly encourage review articles for a special issue, with an average of one review article solicited for every 8–10 papers in the special issue, (b) welcome a preface by the special issue editors, pulling together articles, and (c) encourage the special issue editors to work with the authors so that each set of authors are aware of what others are submitting, thus enabling cross-referencing of other papers in the special issue where appropriate.
Please submit a two- to three-page prospectus for the special issue to the executive editors including the following:
The prospectus will be reviewed by the journal's executive editors, who will render a decision based on the expected contribution of the special issue and its appropriateness for MS.
If the executive editors decide to pursue the publication of a special issue, a topical editor of MS will be assigned as liaison, and the editors of the special issue will assume the following responsibilities:
To browse existing special issues follow the link MS special issues.
Please note that no special issues are currently scheduled.