Editors of the International Journal of Multicultural Education (IJME: ISSN 1934-5267) would like to invite scholars of multicultural education to submit a special issue proposal. The purpose of the special issue is to provide readers with a collection of articles on a specific topic of multicultural education that the journal has not covered substantively. We will consider one or two proposals of excellent quality a year. The special issue will be published as a separate issue and not on a set schedule. For any inquiry, please contact Dr. Heewon Chang, Editor-in-Chief, at ijme@eastern.edu or hchang@eastern.edu.
What is IJME?
IJME is an open-access peer-review online journal committed to promoting educational equity, cross-cultural understanding, and global awareness in all levels of education. The Journal publishes a variety of writings: (1) reports of empirical research, typically in qualitative research orientation; (2) literature-based articles advancing theories and scholarship of multicultural education; (3) praxis articles discussing successful multicultural education programs or practical instructional ideas and strategies; and (4) reviews of visual arts, professional and children's books, and multimedia resources. All research reports and articles are subject to blind peer review before being considered for publication. In 2010, we had an acceptance rate of 18%. The journal is included in the Directory of Open Access Journals that lists online journals with a quality control system.
The journal is sponsored by Eastern University's Loeb School of Education that houses the M. Ed. in Multicultural Education program. Currently the journal has over 2,000 registered users and over 600 reviewers internationally. The journal is also openly accessed by users around the world. For the month of March 2011, the journal was visited by over 1,500 users from 70 different countries according to Google Analytics. Upon request, we will provide our most recent annual report.
Editorial board provides pro bono service to the journal. No fees are charged for publishing in IJME.
What should be included in a proposal?
1. A plan describing the following:
● The topic for the issue and relevance of the topic to the scope of the journal with an obvious link to multicultural education;
● A plan of action (how submissions will be solicited, how peer reviewers will be secured, who will be involved in editing, and what timeline will be followed);
● The guest editor's personal statement about his/her ability to manage submission, editing, and proofreading process in a computerized journal management system that IJME uses (no prior experience with Open Journal System is required, but a willingness to learn to operate it is a must);
● A draft call for papers (300-500 words) that articulates the topic of the issue and submission guidelines (we will provide information about the journal, the submission process, and the blind peer review requirement to be added to the call for submissions);
● A list of 5 possible submissions with the information on authors, their institutional affiliations, and 150-word abstracts of their submissions (even some submissions may be solicited, they will undergo the same peer-review process as other unsolicited submissions), ;
2. The CV of the guest editor(s);
3. A sample journal publication by the guest editor on the special issue topic.
How should a proposal be submitted?
1. Register at www.ijme-journal.org as Author
2. Complete your author information and submit your proposal with a title "Special Issue Proposal: Your Topic"
3. If you have co-guest editor(s), add their author information as well.
4. Upload your CV and publication sample as supplementary documents.
5. Submit your proposal by July 1.
How will a proposal be selected?
1. A panel of internal and external reviewers will evaluate proposals in the month of July.
2. The best one or two proposals will be selected for publication in the following year.
3. Proposals with missing components will not be reviewed for selection.
4. The proposers will be notified of our decision by August 15.
5. The following criteria will be used for selection.
○ The proposed topic is within the scope of the journal.
○ The topic complements what the journal has already published and advances new perspectives on multicultural education.
○ The guest editor has an excellent track record of publishing (journal editing experience is a plus).
○ The plan of action convinces the evaluators that the guest editor is capable of securing high quality reviewers (2 per submission) and delivering the final product within the proposed deadline.
○ The list of possible submissions convinces the evaluators of a high quality of submissions.
What will be expected of the Guest Editor (GE)?
1. Once the proposal is accepted, GE will circulate the call for papers for the special issue and invite submissions.
2. GE will participate in an online editor orientation.
3. GE will manage submissions to the special issue in the Open Journal System (the web-based journal management system) including assigning reviewers, collating reviews, communicating with authors, making editorial decisions of acceptance and decline, editing, and proofreading.
4. GE will secure two subject experts as reviewers per submission (the third reviewer may be added from the journal reviewer database).
5. GE will coordinate the editorial process in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Editor.
6. GE will collaborate with the Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Editor to produce a high-quality issue.
7. GE will meet deadlines and deliver the final project as scheduled.
8. GE will conduct all business with reviewers, authors, and editorial staff in ethical and professional manners.
9. GE will not receive any monetary compensation for the work associated with publishing the special issue.
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