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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Correspondence & Communication

OJS provides discussion threads on every submission for structured communication between editors, authors, reviewers, copyeditors, and layout editors. All communication is logged in the submission's activity record, creating a full audit trail.

Discussion Threads​

Each stage (Submission, Review, Copyediting, Production) has its own Discussions panel. Threads at each stage are visible only to participants assigned to that stage — reviewers cannot read copyediting discussions, and authors cannot read editorial discussions unless explicitly included.

Opening a New Discussion​

  1. Open the submission and go to the relevant stage tab.
  2. Scroll to the Discussions panel.
  3. Click Add Discussion.
  4. In the dialog:
    • Add participants — search and select the users who should see this message.
    • Subject — give the thread a clear subject.
    • Message — write your message (supports basic rich text).
    • Attachments — optionally attach files.
  5. Click OK to send the message and email notifications to all added participants.

Replying to a Thread​

  1. Click the thread title to open it.
  2. Scroll to the bottom and click Add Message.
  3. Type your reply and click OK.

All participants in the thread receive an email notification when a new reply is posted.

Email vs. Discussion Threads​

Use caseRecommended method
Formal editorial decision notificationUse the built-in decision email (auto-triggered when recording decisions)
Follow-up questions about a decisionDiscussion thread
Private editorial team discussionDiscussion thread (do not include author)
Urgent or personal communicationExternal email (the editor's own email client)
warning

Avoid conducting substantive editorial communication outside OJS. Keeping correspondence in discussion threads ensures the full editorial history is preserved in the submission record, protects all parties if disputes arise, and is compliant with COPE transparency guidelines.

Notifying Authors of Decisions​

When you record a formal editorial decision (Accept, Request Revisions, Decline), OJS automatically generates a notification email to the author. You can:

  • Edit the email body before sending — add personalized comments, summarize key reviewer feedback, or set a revision deadline.
  • Include reviewer attachments — attach annotated manuscripts or supplementary reviewer files.
  • Suppress the email (uncheck "Notify Author") if you prefer to communicate via a discussion thread or external email.

Forwarding Reviewer Comments​

By default, reviewer comments marked "for the editor and author" are included in the author notification email. To control what authors see:

  1. When recording the decision, scroll to the reviewer comments section of the email composer.
  2. Deselect any reviewer's comments you do not want to forward (e.g., if a comment is inappropriate or contains identifying information in a double-blind review).

Communicating with Reviewers​

To contact a reviewer during or after their review:

  1. In the Review stage, click the disclosure arrow (▶) next to the reviewer's name.
  2. Select Email Reviewer for a freeform email.
  3. Or open a Review Discussion to create a logged message the reviewer can see in their dashboard.

Activity Log​

All emails sent by OJS (decision notifications, reminders, discussion messages) are recorded in the submission's Activity Log:

  1. Open the submission.
  2. Click the Activity Log tab (clock icon).
  3. See a timestamped list of every email sent, every stage transition, and every participant change.

The Activity Log is read-only and cannot be altered — it is the authoritative record of the submission's editorial history.

Email Templates​

Standard OJS email templates are customizable per journal. If you find yourself repeatedly editing a template before sending, ask your Journal Manager to update the template text globally under Settings → Workflow → Emails.

Further Reading​