Special Issue Model 

The SPE Special Issue Model is publish-as-you-go with real-time issue compilation. This means that papers approved for publication in a special issue will publish online as articles in press in the main journal and will later be paginated into a regular issue of that journal. At the same time, these papers will be compiled in the special issue in the order of their publication to OnePetro. 

Special Issue Proposal Process 

1. Designate 1–2 special issue editors. 
2. Draft a proposal to the executive editor(s) and editor-in-chief of the journal. The proposal should include: 
   1. Scope of the special issue and a brief introduction. 
   2. Explanation of why the special issue is a good fit for the journal. 
   3. Explanation of why this topic is important enough to warrant a special issue. 
   4. Timeline for “call for papers” and finalized issue goal date. 
   5. List of at least 10 potential papers to be included in the special issue. While this list may change, we need to see that there is sufficient content to warrant a special issue designation. 
   6. List of any invited review papers or other special article types that will be included in the issue. 
3. Submit the proposal to the journal via email to peer@spe.org in care of Bryan Hibbard, Journal Editorial and Production Manager. Make sure “Special Issue Proposal” and the name of the journal are included in the subject line. 
4. You will be notified by email of a decline or accept of the proposal. 

Special Issue Guidelines 

1. Once the proposal is approved, the special issue editors will work as “guest associate editors,” and will be assigned all submissions for the special issue by the executive editor(s). If there is only one special issue editor and the editor is a co-author on a special issue paper, then the journal’s executive editor(s) will select an appropriate associate editor for the submission. 
2. A call for papers will go out and authors will be given 12 to 18 months to submit a paper [or another timeline approved by the executive editor(s) of the journal]. As long as the original submission is received within the chosen deadline, the paper can be included in the special issue. 
   1. Revisions/resubmissions can extend outside of the deadline. Papers submitted for the special issue will be flagged within the system (ScholarOne). 
   2. New submissions received after the deadline will be treated as a normal submission and will not be included in the special issue. 
3. As special issue papers are accepted for publication, they will be published as articles in press and paginated into a regular issue when a space is available. They will be tagged with the title of the special issue when they are paginated into the regular issue. The provenance blurb for each paper will mention the special issue title for clarity. 
4. The papers for the special issue will be compiled in order of publication to OnePetro. Papers can be read as they are published or seen as a compilation. This will serve as the table of contents for the special issue. 
5. The special issue will be closed once all submitted papers (that came in during the 12- to 18-month timeframe) have received a final decision. 
6. Special issue editors [with the approval of SPE executive editor(s)] may choose other papers published within the journal to include in the special issue page as related content (but they will not be officially part of the special issue). 
7. Any deviations from this plan for new special issues will need to be approved by the editor-in-chief.