Special Issue Submission: Faster Publication or Higher Risk?

A special issue is a collection of papers on a defined topic, published within a journal and usually managed by one or more guest editors. For authors, the appeal is real: a focused audience, often a faster review queue, and a clear fit for a paper that might not stand out in the journal's general stream.

The risk is also real. Special issues have been the weakest link in open access publishing: some have been used to collect APCs with light review, and a few have been discontinued or retracted in bulk. The difference between a good special issue and a bad one comes down to the journal and the guest editors, not the format.

How a special issue works

The journal's editorial board approves a proposal from the guest editors. The guest editors solicit submissions, manage review with the journal's oversight, and recommend decisions; the editor-in-chief retains the final decision and the editorial office handles production. Papers are published in the journal and indexed like any other article, with the same ISSN.

That is the model when it works. It fails when oversight is nominal and the guest editors decide alone.

The upside

• Focused readership. The papers are read together by people working on the topic.
• Faster handling. Pre-screened scope and an engaged editorial team often shorten the path to review.
• Fit for interdisciplinary work. A special issue can be the natural home for a paper that straddles two fields.
• Guest-editor feedback. Engaged guest editors often give detailed comments before submission.

The risks

• Light review. If the guest editors are collecting papers rather than curating them, review can be shallow.
• APC pressure. Some special issues exist mainly to generate revenue; the acceptance bar drops when the business model is per-article.
• Weak guest-editor standing. A guest editor with no verifiable expertise may not be able to assess the work.
• Scope creep. A special issue that accepts anything vaguely related loses its focus.
• Closure or cancellation. If the special issue is cancelled or the guest editors are removed, papers can be left in limbo.

Questions to ask before submitting

1. Is the journal indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, or both, and is the status current?
2. Who are the guest editors, and what is their publication record in the topic?
3. How will review work, and who makes the final decision?
4. Is the special issue flagged clearly in the journal, and is the deadline real?
5. What is the APC, and does the journal's normal waiver policy apply?
6. Have similar special issues from this guest editor or journal resulted in retractions?

Ask the editorial office directly. A journal with nothing to hide will answer.

Red flags

• Acceptance promised or implied before review.
• A guest editor who cannot be verified in the field.
• An APC well above the journal's normal rate for the issue.
• No deadline, or a deadline that keeps moving.
• A journal that is not indexed but uses "special issue" branding to look indexed.
• Papers published within days of submission with no review record.

Is a special-issue paper worth less?

No, if the review is real and the journal is indexed. Indexing does not distinguish regular from special-issue articles. Some committees do not care; a few have become cautious. The safest position is the same as for any paper: choose the journal on indexing, scope and review quality, and treat the "special issue" label as context, not a shortcut.

If you are shortlisting, use the journal finder to check quartile, indexing, APC and decision time, and read the predatory journal guide for the warning signs. For the review process itself, see how peer review works.