Skip to main content
OJS for Everyone Logo
OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Advanced OJS Training — 3 Hours

Training Duration: 3 Hours
Training Method: Online (via Zoom)
Level: Advanced — assumes completion of Intermediate Training or equivalent hands-on experience

Who Should Attend​

This training is designed for:

  • Journal editors and managing editors handling the full editorial workflow
  • Senior editorial team members who need to manage peer review and production
  • Staff taking over responsibility from a departing editor
  • Publishing professionals building expertise in OJS editorial management

What You Will Learn​

By the end of this training, you will be able to:

  • Manage the full submission intake and initial review process
  • Assign and manage peer reviewers effectively
  • Oversee copyediting and the production stage
  • Schedule and publish individual articles within issues

Training Coverage​

Basic and Intermediate Training content is assumed as a prerequisite.

Module 1 — Introduction to the Submission Process​

Duration: 45 minutes

  • The full lifecycle of a submission in OJS: Submission → Review → Copyediting → Production → Publication
  • Desk review and initial screening: assessing submissions before sending to review
  • How to desk-reject a submission
  • Moving a submission from Submission stage to Review stage
  • Working with incomplete submissions
  • Managing submissions from multiple sections
  • Using submission notes and editorial flags

Module 2 — Managing the Peer-Review Process​

Duration: 45 minutes

  • Assigning reviewers: searching by expertise, checking availability and conflicts
  • Customising reviewer invitation emails
  • Setting and managing review deadlines
  • Monitoring review progress: accepted, declined, in-progress, overdue
  • Sending manual and automated review reminders
  • Reading and evaluating completed reviews
  • Managing multiple review rounds
  • Handling reviewer conflicts of interest
  • Making and recording editorial decisions after review
  • Forwarding reviewer comments to authors

Module 3 — Managing Copyediting​

Duration: 45 minutes

  • Sending an accepted article to the Copyediting stage
  • Assigning a copyeditor
  • The copyeditor's workflow from an editor's perspective
  • Sending the copyedited file to the author for review
  • Managing author responses to copyeditor queries
  • Approving the final copyedited version
  • Sending to Production
  • Handling copyediting for journals without a dedicated copyeditor

Module 4 — Understanding the Production Stage and Scheduling for Publication​

Duration: 45 minutes

  • The production workflow: from copyedited file to published galley
  • Assigning a layout editor
  • Understanding galley file formats: PDF, HTML, XML
  • Reviewing uploaded galleys as an editor
  • Coordinating proofreading (author and proofreader roles)
  • Handling galley corrections
  • The Publication tab: updating metadata before publication
  • Assigning articles to issues
  • Scheduling articles for publication (ahead-of-print and issue-based)
  • Publishing and unpublishing articles

Prerequisites​

  • Completion of Basic and Intermediate OJS Training (or equivalent experience)
  • Access to an OJS installation with Editor privileges and at least one test submission
  • Familiarity with your journal's peer review policy and copyediting style guide

After the Training​

Recommended next steps:

  1. Process a test submission through the full workflow end-to-end.
  2. Set up your reviewer pool and configure automated review reminders.
  3. Create review forms tailored to your journal's assessment criteria.
  4. Explore the Comprehensive Training for DOI registration, statistics, and advanced features.

Further Reading​