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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Reporting Corrections

Once you have reviewed the galley and noted every error, the next step is to communicate those corrections clearly to the Layout Editor (and any other relevant team members) so they can be fixed before publication. OJS provides a built-in discussion thread for this purpose.

Using OJS Discussion Threads​

All communication about a submission should happen inside OJS rather than via personal email — this keeps a complete audit trail attached to the submission record.

Opening the Production Discussions Panel​

  1. Open the submission from your Dashboard → My Queue.
  2. Click the Production stage tab.
  3. Scroll down to the Production Discussions section.
  4. Click Add Discussion.

Creating a New Discussion​

FieldWhat to enter
SubjectA clear, brief subject, e.g. "Proofreading corrections — PDF galley"
MessageYour formatted corrections list (see below)
ParticipantsAdd the Layout Editor and, if instructed, the Editor

Click OK to post the discussion. All listed participants receive an email notification automatically.

info

You can reply to an existing discussion thread if one has already been started for proofreading. Avoid opening multiple separate threads for the same submission — keep all corrections in one thread to make it easy to track what has and has not been addressed.

Formatting a Clear Corrections List​

A well-structured corrections list saves the Layout Editor time and reduces the risk of corrections being missed or misunderstood. Use the following format for each item.

#FormatPage / LocationElementErrorSuggested Fix
1PDFPage 2, para 3Body text"recieve"Change to "receive"
2PDFPage 5, Table 2Column headerMissing bold formattingApply bold to header row
3HTMLSection 3.1 headingHeading levelRendered as <h4>Should be <h3>
4PDFPage 8, Figure 3 captionCaption text"Figure 2"Change to "Figure 3"

Column Explanations​

ColumnGuidance
#Sequential number so each correction can be referenced in follow-up messages
FormatPDF, HTML, XML — specify which galley has the error
Page / LocationPage number (PDF) or section heading / paragraph (HTML/XML)
ElementWhat type of content contains the error (body text, heading, table cell, caption)
ErrorDescribe the error exactly — quote the erroneous text in quotation marks where possible
Suggested FixWhat the corrected version should say or look like
Paste the table into the OJS discussion message

OJS discussion messages accept plain text. Format your table using Markdown (pipes and dashes) — it renders as readable columns in most email clients and browsers.

Attaching Annotated Galley Files​

In addition to the text corrections list, attaching the annotated PDF helps the Layout Editor locate each issue visually.

  1. In the Add Discussion (or Reply) window, click Upload File.
  2. Select your annotated PDF from your computer.
  3. In the Article Component dropdown, select Proofreading Notes (or the closest available option such as Other).
  4. Click Continue, confirm the file details, and click Complete.
  5. The file appears as an attachment in the discussion message.
note

Not all OJS installations enable file uploads in discussion threads. If the Upload File option is not visible, paste your full corrections list as formatted text in the message body and note that you can email the annotated PDF directly if needed.

Communicating Clearly with the Layout Editor​

Be Specific, Not Vague​

❌ "There are some font issues on page 4."
✅ "Page 4, paragraph 2: The word 'Introduction' in the body text is in Times New Roman, while the rest of the paragraph uses Cambria. Please standardise to Cambria."

Quote the Erroneous Text​

Always quote the current (incorrect) text alongside the correct version:

Error: "The results shows a significant…"
Fix: Change "shows" to "show"

This allows the Layout Editor to search the file for the exact text rather than scanning manually.

Use Neutral, Professional Language​

Proofreading is a collaborative process. Frame corrections as observations rather than criticisms:

  • "This appears to be a typo — 'teh' should be 'the'."
  • "The figure caption reads 'Figure 3' but this is the fourth figure in the article."

Prioritising Corrections​

Not all corrections carry the same weight. Flag the severity of each correction so the Layout Editor can triage efficiently.

PriorityTypeExamples
CriticalErrors that affect meaning, accuracy, or metadataWrong author name, incorrect DOI, missing figure, factual error introduced in typesetting
MajorErrors that significantly affect readability or layoutBroken table, missing section heading, garbled special characters
MinorSmall typographic or stylistic inconsistenciesSingle space vs double space, inconsistent capitalisation, minor alignment issue
How to flag priority

Add a Priority column to your corrections table, or group corrections under ### Critical, ### Major, and ### Minor headings in the discussion message.

Critical Corrections — Act Promptly​

If you discover a critical error (such as an incorrect author affiliation or a missing figure), notify the Layout Editor immediately via the discussion thread rather than waiting until you have finished the full review. Use "CRITICAL" in the message subject or at the top of your message so it stands out.

After Posting Your Corrections​

  1. Make a note of the discussion thread URL (copy it from your browser address bar) for your own records.
  2. Check back in OJS after one or two business days to see if the Layout Editor has replied.
  3. If you have not received a response within a reasonable time, send a follow-up reply in the same discussion thread — avoid starting a new one.

Further Reading​