The Editorial Board
The Editorial Board, or (Editorial) Advisory Board, is a team of experts in the journal's field. Editorial Board members:
Review submitted manuscripts
Advise on journal policy and scope
Identify topics for special issues, which they may guest edit
Attract new authors and submissions
Promote the journal to their colleagues and peers
Assist the editor(s) in decision making over issues such as plagiarism claims and submissions where reviewers can’t agree on a decision
Selecting Editorial Board members
Editorial Board members are selected by the journal’s editor(s), with input from the publisher. Editorial Boards generally undergo a complete revision every two or three years, with members joining, stepping down or continuing for another term. Changes also occur in the interim, for example, if a member resigns.
A journal’s Editorial Board can affect its quality, so editors should consider the following:
The location of Board members should represent the reach of the journal
Board members' expertise should represent the journal's scope
Representatives should be appointed from key research institutes
Former guest editors of special issues, authors of key reviews and top reviewers may be suitable
Existing Board members may have suggestions for new members
If you’re interested in joining a journal’s Editorial Board, locate the journal and contact the editor via the Editorial Board listings page. Please note, however, that Board members are normally invited directly by editors based on the above criteria; it is unusual for requests to join a Board to be accepted.
Tools & resources
Researcher Academy modules
Editors' Update articles
