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Elsevier
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Editorial Boards

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.