Proposing a Special Issue

A Special Issue is a collection of peer-reviewed articles centered around a defined topic within the scope of the Journal of 21st Century Pathology. These Issues may focus on trending research areas, highlight important subdisciplines, present novel cross-disciplinary applications, or mark significant events such as conferences, anniversaries, or tributes to influential figures in the field of pathology and diagnostics.

To ensure relevance and specificity, proposals must reflect a topic that:

• Is closely aligned with the Guest Editors' own research interests
• Represents an area of growing interest across pathology, diagnostics, or allied fields
• Falls within the journal’s scope—broad enough to encourage submissions, yet narrow enough to ensure a cohesive editorial vision

We encourage prospective Guest Editors to explore currently open Special Issues via the Calls for Papers section on the journal homepage to avoid topic overlaps.

Preparing Your Proposal

Your proposal should be concise and compelling (ideally under 400 words), and structured as follows:

1. Title
   • Keep it under 10 words
   • Avoid generic phrasing like “Recent advances…” or “New insights…”
   • Do not use a question format
2. Topic Overview (1–2 paragraphs)
   • Introduce the topic and its relevance within the broader scientific or clinical context
   • Provide background on recent developments or emerging areas of interest
3. Challenges (1 paragraph)
   • Briefly outline the primary challenges, unanswered questions, or limitations facing the research area
4. Aims and Scope (1 paragraph)
   • Define the objective of the Special Issue
   • State the types of submissions encouraged (e.g., original research, reviews)
   • Emphasize unique aspects of the theme and its potential impact
5. Expected Submission Topics (10–20 bullet points)
   • Act as signposts guiding prospective authors
   • Each bullet should be descriptive (max 250 characters), not just keywords
   • Topics must reflect the focused scope of your Special Issue

Editorial Team Requirements

Special Issues are typically led by 1–2 Lead Guest Editors, supported by a team of 2–5 Guest Editors. Guest Editors must:

• Hold a strong publication record within the proposed topic’s domain
• Be available to manage manuscript workflows and peer review
• Represent diverse institutions and geographic locations

Please list full names and institutional affiliations of your proposed Guest Editor team. Note: An individual may serve as Guest Editor on no more than two concurrent open Special Issues.

All editor nominations undergo standard verification by our publishing team. We may recommend changes to the team structure to preserve diversity and minimize conflicts of interest.

Evaluation and Approval Process

Submitted proposals undergo the following steps:

• Initial review by editorial and publishing teams for completeness, structure, and expertise
• Peer assessment by the journal’s Editorial Board for thematic quality and journal fit
• Revision requests may be issued to refine the proposal for clarity and success

Final approval is at the discretion of the Journal of 21st Century Pathology Editorial Board. We reserve the right to postpone or decline Special Issues based on overlap, editorial capacity, or strategic considerations.

Approval decisions typically take 2–4 weeks post-submission. Overlapping topics may be sequenced to avoid concurrent launches and optimize visibility.