Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

This journal is used to manage the submission, review, and ratification of TDWG standards. It is a means to implement the new TDWG Standards Development Process (or TDWG By-Laws) ratified in 2006.

Note that the information gathered by this system during standards submissions and reviews is presented on the TDWG website (www.tdwg.org) by Typo3 CMS rather than OJS.

Section Policies

Technical Specification

Technical Specifications are any descriptions of a protocol, service, procedure, convention, or data exchange format.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Applicability Statements

Applicability Statements specify how, and what circumstances, one or more standards may be applied to support a specific capability.

An AS may specify uses for standards from TDWG or from other standardization organizations as well.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Best Current Practice

Best Current Practice standards describe ways to standardize processes and practices as a result of community deliberations.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Peer Review Process

The review policy is determined by the TDWG Constitution that relates specifically to the Standards Development and Review Process (By-Laws) ratified in 2006. For details please refer to TDWG Standards Development Process.

Selection of reviewers is solely the prerogative of the Review Manager appointed by the TDWG Executive Committee. The Review Manager can seek advice on appropriate reviewers from the Executive Committee, Authors and the community.

The ideal reviewer is someone who has not been directly involved in the development of the standard (independence). Reviewers must have advanced technical skills as a standard is a technical document. The ideal reviewer has written or contributed to the development of another standard. An ideal reviewer ‘gets the job done’.

While it is appropriate to seek reviewers from different communities/disciplines, this is less important than their technical abilities. Ideally, good reviewers will have experience in a range of areas/applications.

At least THREE reviews are required for a proposed TDWG standard.

Reviewers MUST be anonymous to all but the Review Manager.

Due to the complexity of TDWG standards, 30 days would be fair review period.

Publication Frequency

This journal does not follow any specific schedule. Standards are published as they are ratified by the TDWG Executive Committee on the TDWG website at www.tdwg.org.

A summary of all TDWG standards as well as links to detailed information can be found at www.tdwg.org/standards

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

TDWG Standards Track

TDWG Standards Track is the 'journal' used for managing the complete review process of proposed TDWG standards.

Individual anonymous reviews and the (open) public review are managed by this journal by the Review Manager