Bentham Open journals now publish all special issues as Virtual Special Issues (VSIs)

A Virtual Special Issue (VSI) is a curated collection of special issue articles, typically grouped under a single thematic topic. Each article in a VSI is assigned a unique identification number and is published promptly within a regular volume of the journal.

Articles included in a VSI retain their original citation information and are indexed accordingly.

A VSI is easily accessible on the journal's website, where it is featured alongside the regular journal issues. The VSI homepage includes a table of contents, a list of guest editors, and other relevant information.

One of the key advantages of a VSI is accelerated publication: unlike traditional special issues, a VSI does not require all articles to be finalized before publication begins. This allows individual articles to be published as soon as they are ready, ensuring timely dissemination of research.

The benefits of VSIs include the following:

Benefits of the New Process:

• Faster publication time: The overall time from acceptance to publication is reduced.
• Visibility: Special issues appear on ScienceDirect with the publication of the very first article, thereby increasing visibility as new articles are added over time.
• Improved management: Guest editors can manage submissions more efficiently, as late submissions no longer delay the special issue.

How the New Process Works?

• Editorial process remains unchanged: The editorial workflow—submission through the special issue portal and peer review—remains the same up to the point of acceptance.
• Concurrent publication: Once accepted, manuscripts are produced and published in the regular journal volume while also being grouped under the online special issue.
• Introductory text: There is space for introductory text to highlight the theme(s) of the special issue. This text can be updated until the special issue is closed and may serve as a placeholder for the editorial.

We believe this streamlined process will enhance the publication experience for authors and offer readers quicker and more efficient access to high-quality research.