The JOI is about to undertake a major change for Authors, Editors, and Reviewers. PeerTrack® Manuscript Tracking will make the task of submitting manuscripts and the process of reviewing more efficient. Authors will be able to login to the PeerTrack® website and fill in necessary information and upload their documents, figures, and tables with ease. They will also be able to go online at various times and track the progress of their manuscript. The Managing Editor, Ms. Beverly Lindeen, and I, as Interim Editor, will be notified via email that a new manuscript has been submitted. The Managing Editor will be able to review the submission and assure that all essential components are in place. Following this initial step the manuscript will be sent out to multiple reviewers. The entire submission process will be blinded to the reviewers and the reviewer will be blinded to the author. The author will be able to check online if the manuscript has been sent out for review and also if the review been completed and returned to the Interim Editor. If the manuscript needs major or minor modifications the author will be notified via email to go to PeerTrack® online to see the blinded comments and make necessary corrections for resubmission to the Interim Editor. Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the author will be informed.
For Reviewers this process will facilitate a more equitable distribution by assuring that manuscripts are distributed to the appropriate reviewers based on topic category. Once the Interim Editor has assigned the manuscript to reviewers, these reviewers will get an email informing them that they have been assigned a manuscript for review. Out of respect to the authors the JOI asks that all reviews be completed within 30 days. The Reviewer will login to PeerTrack® and be able to review the manuscript in one setting or over multiple settings if desired. Comments will be easily noted. Upon completion of their review, the Interim Editor will again be notified and take appropriate action.
All AAID members and ABOI/ID Diplomates will be receiving an email surveying their interest in becoming a Reviewer for the JOI. Those who will accept this important role will be asked to go online to PeerTrack®, login, and complete a profile sheet of relevant information and designate what their area(s) of expertise for reviewing are. The JOI encourages all AAID members and Diplomates to seriously consider becoming a reviewer. The success of the JOI is vital to the profession and the AAID. Please consider this a call to service, which will provide dividends for all of our members and readers.
Regards,
James L. Rutkowski, DMD, PhD
Interim Editor JOI
