Adopted by the EUSSET SC, 22 February 2019
The EUSSET Steering Committee has decided an evolution of the journal publication model for ECSCW that has been in place since 2017.
ECSCW considers two kinds of work being presented at the main technical tracks of the conference:
- “Exploratory Papers”, published in the EUSSET Digital Library, with a DOI.
- “ECSCW Contribution” papers published in the CSCW Journal.
The following information only concerns “ECSCW contributions”. The process for “Exploratory Papers” remains the same.
To avoid the strict temporal regime of the traditional conference model and make possible the high level of scholarly quality expected of an archival journal, the flexible R&R workflow of journal publication is adopted. In connection with each ECSCW conference, a CfP for “ECSCW Contributions” to the journal is issued.
Authors who would like to present their work in the journal track of ECSCW will submit their manuscripts to the CSCW Journal selecting the “ECSCW Contribution” Article Type.
As they become accepted, typeset, and proofed, “ECSCW contributions” will be published on Springer’s website, in the ECSCW collection, and in regular issues of the journal.
Authors of articles accepted and published as “ECSCW Contributions” on Springer’s website by April will be invited to present their work at the upcoming ECSCW conference, usually mid-June (and will have to register to the conference)..
In cases where substantive revisions of a submission turn out to be required with the effect that the R&R cycle for it has not reached a state where the manuscript can be nominated for the upcoming ECSCW conference, the manuscript will normally be transferred to the batch of manuscripts under consideration for the next ECSCW conference again.
This new model implies the definition of new roles:
- The ECSCW Editor is tasked with ensuring the continuity of the editorial process of ECSCW in the CSCW Journal across individual ECSCW conferences. The ECSCW Editor assigns the submissions to the program editors. Myriam Lewkowicz has been appointed since 1 April 2019.
- 3 ECSCW program editor(s) for each edition of ECSCW. They manage the assessment process for all “ECSCW Contributions” submitted to the journal. The responsibility for the ultimate decision to accept or reject a submission rests with the ECSCW Editor (in collaboration with the journal’s editor-in-chief, as per standard procedure).
- Reviewers to whom the coordinating or guest editors assign the submitted papers. They may, or may not, be part of the Program Committee for Exploratory Papers.
The expected benefits of this change are two-fold:
- For authors:
- Flexibility in submission timing.
- High visibility through presentation in the ECSCW conference.
- Journal quality reviews and the possibility to revise their work thoroughly.
- Publication of an archival version of their finished work including full technical details.
- For our practice-centered research community:
- A more satisfying reviewing process that allows to ask for important modifications of promising work.
- A reviewing workload that is less stressful and spread all over the year.
Standard schedule for ECSCW contributions in CSCW Journal:
April, Year N: ECSCW program editor(s) are appointed for ECSCW Year N+1.
June, Year N: ECSCW conference Year N.
June, Year N: CfP for ECSCW N+1 conference published.
From June Year N to April Year N+1: The standard manuscript reviewing process is followed, with revisions and notifications to authors for the program editors. At the end of November, authors will be notified if their submissions are likely to be presented at ECSCW N+1.
1 March Year N+1: Not-yet accepted papers (Major or Minor Revisions) are moved to the pipeline for ECSCW N+2.
April, Year N+1: ECSCW program editor(s) are appointed for ECSCW Year N+2.
June, Year N+1: ECSCW conference Year N+2.
June, Year N+1: CfP for ECSCW N+2 conference published.
From June Year N+1 to April Year N+2: The standard manuscript reviewing process is followed, with revisions and notifications to authors for the program editors. At the end of November, authors will be notified if their submissions are likely to be presented at ECSCW N+3.
And so on.
