The Associate Editor (EA) plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and integrity of publications in the QUADERNI di GEOFISICA journal. The EA is responsible for the initial evaluation of manuscripts, determining their relevance to the journal’s editorial scope and their potential suitability for publication.

 

The Key Role of the Associate Editor

The EA’s role goes beyond this initial selection process and includes actively managing the entire peer review process : identifying expert reviewers, coordinating their feedback, and simultaneously performing a first level of in-depth editing of the manuscripts. This preliminary editing focuses on clarity, coherence, grammar, spelling, and punctuation , ensuring that each submission meets the journal's standards from the earliest stage.

Below is a detailed description of the submission review process, with specific emphasis on your key responsibilities as an Associate Editor.

 

Manuscript Assignment

The Editor in Chief assigns the article through the Editorial Office, which will send the manuscript together with the official assignment email.

 

Initial Manuscript Review and Originality Check

The first and crucial step is to examine the manuscript and verify its originality. This preliminary assessment is essential to ensure that the work complies with the journal's standards before proceeding to external peer review. Furthermore, although the Editorial Office performs a formal preliminary assessment of each manuscript to ensure it meets the QUADERNI di GEOFISICA Guidelines, Associated Editors are also requested to assess the manuscript’s conformity. If necessary, the manuscript will be returned to the authors with a request for resubmission after it has been adjusted to meet the standards required by the Guidelines.

 

Reviewers' Choice

The EA may personally review the manuscript or, more commonly, identify and select suitable external reviewers (a minimum of two peer reviewers). Reviewers should be chosen based on their expertise relevant to the manuscript's content.

 

Communication of the Reviewers' choices

Once the reviewers have been selected, their names and email addresses must be communicated to the Editorial Office. It is also useful to specify whether these reviewers have already been contacted in advance to verify their availability.

 

Assignment of the article to Reviewers

The Editorial Office will formally send the manuscript and the dedicated Reviewer Questionnaire to the selected reviewers. The Editorial Office will remind the reviewer of the deadline and provide the link to the Reviewer Guidelines.

 

Evaluation of EA review and assent feedback

Once the Editorial Office receives the completed reviews, the EA will be provided with the results. The EA is asked to carefully examine the reviewers’ feedback and to submit final approval or comments to the Editorial Office within one working week . The EA's critical evaluation of the reviewers' reports is essential before any communication with the authors.

 

Definition of Decision Letter

Based on the reviewers' reports and the EA's assessment, the Editorial Secretariat will communicate the final decision to the Authors.

 

Notification to Authors

Finally, the Editorial Office will handle the final communication by sending the acceptance or rejection letter directly to the Authors, together with the completed Reviewer Questionnaires.