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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Intermediate OJS Training — 2 Hours

Training Duration: 2 Hours
Training Method: Online (via Zoom)
Level: Intermediate — assumes completion of Basic Training or equivalent familiarity with the OJS interface

Who Should Attend​

This training is designed for:

  • Journal managers and editors who have completed Basic Training or already understand the OJS interface
  • Staff who need to manage the day-to-day operations of a running journal
  • Editors ready to handle the submission intake and issue publication workflow
  • Anyone setting up a new journal's editorial policies and workflow configuration

What You Will Learn​

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

  • Navigate and manage the submission dashboard
  • Configure the full OJS editorial workflow for your journal
  • Create, assemble, and publish a journal issue
  • Write and implement journal policies in OJS

Training Coverage​

Basic Training content is assumed as a prerequisite. This course builds on that foundation.

Module 1 — Understanding the Submission Dashboard​

Duration: 30 minutes

  • Navigating the editorial dashboard and its tabs (My Queue, Unassigned, All Active, Archives)
  • Understanding submission cards and status indicators
  • Filtering and searching submissions
  • Assigning submissions to editors and section editors
  • Managing unassigned submissions
  • Using the Activity Log to review submission history

Module 2 — Creating and Publishing a Journal Issue​

Duration: 30 minutes

  • Creating a new issue: volume, number, year, title
  • Scheduling articles to an issue from the Production stage
  • Managing the issue table of contents — article order and section display
  • Adding cover images and issue descriptions
  • Publishing a back-issue vs. a current issue
  • Managing the "Future Issues" and "Back Issues" queues
  • Using ahead-of-print / continuous publishing model

Module 3 — Configuration of Journal Workflow​

Duration: 30 minutes

  • Submission checklist: defining author requirements
  • Author guidelines: writing and displaying them in OJS
  • Review settings: default review type, deadlines, and reminders
  • Configuring reviewer access and one-click review links
  • Copyediting stage settings
  • Production stage settings
  • Setting up the publisher library for shared files

Module 4 — Creating Journal Policies​

Duration: 30 minutes

  • Writing and entering the journal's Aims & Scope
  • Peer Review Policy: documenting the review model
  • Open Access Policy (if applicable)
  • Author Copyright and Licensing statements
  • Archiving and preservation policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Where policies appear on the site and how to update them

Prerequisites​

  • Completion of Basic OJS Training or equivalent experience
  • Access to an OJS installation with Journal Manager or Editor privileges
  • Basic familiarity with navigating the OJS dashboard

After the Training​

Recommended next steps:

  1. Create your first journal issue and publish it.
  2. Configure your submission checklist and review settings to match your journal's policies.
  3. Write and enter your journal's Aims & Scope and Peer Review Policy.
  4. Explore the Advanced Training to learn peer review and production management.

Further Reading​