EASE course: Editorial School for Journal Editors

Module 7 – Publishing quality: dealing with authors

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Part II of our popular Editorial School for Journal Editors took place in October 2025. Jason Roberts presented the third of the four modules.

The format was a lecture, followed by a moderated breakout session in which small groups consider two case studies, and then a final session to feedback the discussions from the breakout groups and answer further questions from delegates.

Each module was recorded and made available to participants together with handbooks for easy reference.

Module 7 content

In order to publish quality articles, journals must receive quality submissions from authors who are able to accept critiques of their articles and correct them appropriately. However many journals suffer from poor quality, or insufficient submissions. Too few submissions and editors are faced with the choice of lowering their standards or publishing too few articles, and a vicious cycle of poor quality can ensue. New or unindexed journals especially suffer from poor quality submissions. This can be exacerbated by regional focus whereby obtaining submissions from a wider community can be difficult to achieve.

This workshop looked at ways to encourage good authors to submit good research, and how to both engage with researchers, and to build trust and loyalty from them. Editors have the ability to influence an author’s decision on where to submit their work.

Learning objectives

1. What we know about authors – There is considerable research about the needs and wishes of research authors, and if a journal is going to attract good research and authors, then editors must be aware of what they can do to make their journals attractive. Delegates learned how they can motivate authors to submit their best work.
2. Outreach – What editors can do to encourage submission and build loyalty, and why an editorial board and team are so important  Delegates were encouraged to think how they can reach out and engage with their research communities, and more distant research communities, in order to raise visibility and encourage submission.
3. Making authors work for you – Good authors are good for a journal, and they can increase journal visibility within their communities. Delegates learned how they can encourage authors to promote their own work, and the journal within their own communities.