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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Correspondence with Editors

OJS provides a Discussion thread system for all communication between authors and the editorial team. Keeping correspondence inside OJS ensures a documented record and means all parties receive proper notifications.

Where to Find Discussions​

Within each submission, discussions are organised by stage:

  • Submission stage — initial communications with the editor
  • Review stage — revision requests and author responses
  • Copyediting stage — copyeditor queries and author responses
  • Production stage — proofing instructions and correction reports

To access discussions:

  1. Log in and open the submission from your Dashboard.
  2. Click the relevant stage tab (e.g., Review if you received a revision request).
  3. Scroll to the Discussions panel.

Reading an Editor's Message​

When an editor sends you a message, you receive an email notification with the message body. You can reply either:

  • By email — reply directly to the notification email (if the journal's OJS instance supports email threading).
  • In OJS — click the link in the notification email to go to the discussion thread in OJS, then click Add Message.

Replying inside OJS is preferred because it keeps the complete conversation history in the submission record.

Starting a New Discussion​

To contact the editor proactively (e.g., to report a conflict of interest, ask a question about your submission, or check on status):

  1. Open your submission.
  2. Click the appropriate stage tab.
  3. Scroll to Discussions and click Add Discussion.
  4. In the dialog:
    • Add Participants — search for the editor by name (type in the search box).
    • Subject — use a clear subject like "Query about submission #XXXX".
    • Message — write your message.
    • Attachments — attach files if needed (e.g., a revised figure, a cover letter).
  5. Click OK.

The editor receives an email notification and can respond in the thread.

What to Discuss in Threads vs. External Email​

SituationUse OJS threadUse external email
Responding to revision requests✅
Sending revised files✅ (upload via Revisions panel + add message)
Reporting a proofing correction✅
Asking about submission status✅
Personal or urgent matters✅
Technical issues with OJS login✅ (contact tech support)

Responding to a Revision Request​

The most common author-editor correspondence is a revision request. See Responding to Revisions for the step-by-step process. In brief:

  1. Upload revised files using the Upload File button in the Revisions panel.
  2. Add a message to the editor in the discussion thread confirming what you revised and attaching a point-by-point response to reviewers.
  3. The editor is notified automatically.

Responding to Copyeditor Queries​

During copyediting, the copyeditor may open a discussion thread to ask for clarification on ambiguous sentences, author queries, or reference details:

  1. Read the query in the discussion thread.
  2. Click Add Message to reply.
  3. Clearly state the correct text, provide the missing reference, or confirm the copyeditor's interpretation.

Respond promptly — copyeditor queries are often on a tight schedule.

Etiquette for Author-Editor Communication​

  • Be professional and concise — editors handle many submissions. Keep messages focused.
  • Reference the submission ID — include it in messages when contacting the editorial office outside OJS.
  • Be specific — when reporting a correction, state the exact location (page, section, line) and provide the corrected text.
  • Acknowledge messages — a brief "thank you, noted" keeps the communication record complete.
  • Avoid chasing decisions too soon — allow the journal's stated review timeline to pass before checking on status.

If You Cannot Access OJS​

If you have trouble logging in or cannot access your submission:

  1. Use Forgot Password on the login page to reset your credentials.
  2. Check whether the journal's URL has changed.
  3. Contact the journal's technical support email (found on the journal's About → Contact page).

Further Reading​