OJS Production Guide: From Copyediting to Publication

Once a manuscript passes peer review and is accepted for publication, it enters the final stages of the editorial workflow—Copyediting and Production. These stages transform a raw accepted manuscript into a polished, professionally formatted article ready for readers. This guide explains both stages in detail, covering the roles involved, the tasks required, and how to navigate OJS to move articles from acceptance to publication.

Overview: The Final Stages

After acceptance, manuscripts pass through two stages before publication:

Copyediting: The manuscript undergoes language editing, style corrections, and formatting checks. This stage ensures the content is clear, consistent, and adheres to journal standards.

Production: Copyedited files are converted into final publication formats (galleys), proofread, and scheduled for publication in a journal issue.

While these stages have distinct purposes, smaller journals may combine them or have the same person handle both. OJS accommodates various workflow configurations.

Roles in Copyediting and Production

Copyeditor

Responsible for improving manuscript quality by:

• Correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Ensuring consistent style and terminology
• Formatting references according to journal style
• Checking for completeness and clarity
• Preparing files for production

Layout Editor

Responsible for creating publication-ready files by:

• Converting copyedited manuscripts into galley formats (PDF, HTML, XML)
• Ensuring proper formatting, pagination, and layout
• Creating consistent visual presentation
• Managing supplementary files and multimedia

Proofreader

Performs final quality checks by:

• Reading galleys for typographical errors
• Verifying figures, tables, and equations display correctly
• Checking cross-references and links
• Confirming metadata accuracy

Author (During Production)

Participates in final stages by:

• Reviewing copyedits for accuracy
• Answering queries from copyeditors
• Proofreading galleys
• Approving the final version for publication

Note: In many journals, the Editor, Section Editor, or Journal Manager handles copyediting and production tasks directly. OJS is flexible enough to accommodate various staffing arrangements.

Stage 3: Copyediting

When an editor accepts a manuscript and clicks "Send to Copyediting," the submission enters the Copyediting stage.

Understanding the Copyediting Screen

The Copyediting stage displays:

Draft Files: The accepted manuscript files that need copyediting. These are the files the copyeditor will download and work on.

Copyedited Files: Where copyeditors upload their edited versions.

Copyediting Discussions: Communication panel for all participants in this stage.

Participants: Shows who's assigned to this stage (editors, copyeditors, authors).

For Editors: Managing Copyediting

Assigning a Copyeditor

1. Click "Assign" in the Participants panel
2. Select "Copyeditor" from the role dropdown
3. Search for and select the copyeditor
4. Customize the notification email with specific instructions
5. Click "OK" to send the assignment

Providing Instructions

Use the notification email or Copyediting Discussions to communicate:

• Any special style requirements
• Deadline expectations
• Areas needing particular attention
• Reference to journal style guides

For Copyeditors: Completing the Task

Accessing the Assignment

1. You'll receive an email notification with a link
2. Click the link or log into your OJS Dashboard
3. Find the submission in your Tasks or Assigned queue
4. Click to open the submission record

Downloading Files

1. In the "Draft Files" panel, click the file name to download
2. Download all relevant files for editing
3. Note any supplementary materials that may need attention

Performing Copyedits

Work outside OJS using your preferred editing tools (Microsoft Word, etc.). Focus on:

• Grammar and Spelling: Correct errors throughout
• Style Consistency: Apply journal style guide (headings, terminology, formatting)
• Reference Formatting: Ensure citations follow required style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
• Figures and Tables: Check captions, numbering, and references in text
• Clarity: Improve unclear sentences while preserving meaning
• Completeness: Verify all required sections are present

Track Changes: Use your word processor's Track Changes feature so authors can see modifications. This is especially important for substantive edits.

Uploading Copyedited Files

1. In the "Copyedited" panel, click "Upload/Select Files"
2. Click "Upload File"
3. Select the copyedited document from your computer
4. Choose "Article Text" as the article component
5. Review the file name and complete the upload
6. Repeat for any additional files

Notifying the Editor

1. Click "Add Discussion" in Copyediting Discussions
2. Add the editor as a participant
3. Write a message indicating copyediting is complete
4. Note any issues or queries for the author
5. Click "OK" to send

Author Review of Copyedits

Journals typically involve authors in reviewing copyedits:

For Editors: Requesting Author Review

1. Add a discussion in Copyediting Discussions
2. Include the author as a participant
3. Attach the copyedited file
4. Ask them to review changes and respond to any queries
5. Set a deadline for their response

For Authors: Reviewing Copyedits

1. Download the copyedited file from the discussion
2. Review all changes (Track Changes should be visible)
3. Accept or reject changes as appropriate
4. Answer any queries from the copyeditor
5. Reply to the discussion with your feedback or approval

Moving to Production

When copyediting is complete and approved:

1. Click "Send to Production" in the action buttons
2. Select which files to send (typically the final copyedited version)
3. Optionally notify the author
4. Click "Record Editorial Decision"

The submission now moves to the Production stage.

Stage 4: Production

The Production stage is where copyedited manuscripts become published articles. This involves creating galleys (final publication files) and scheduling the article for publication.

Understanding the Production Screen

The Production stage displays:

Production Ready Files: Copyedited files ready for conversion to galleys.

Galleys: Final publication files (PDF, HTML, etc.).

Production Discussions: Communication panel for production participants.

Participants: Layout editors, proofreaders, and others involved in production.

For Editors: Managing Production

Assigning a Layout Editor

1. Click "Assign" in Participants
2. Select "Layout Editor" from the role dropdown
3. Choose the layout editor
4. Specify which galley formats are needed (PDF, HTML, etc.)
5. Set deadline expectations
6. Click "OK" to send the assignment

For Layout Editors: Creating Galleys

Accessing Production Files

1. Access the submission from your Dashboard or notification link
2. Download files from "Production Ready Files"
3. Note any special instructions from the editor

Creating Galley Files

Important: OJS does not automatically convert Word documents to PDF or HTML. You need external tools:

For PDF Galleys:

• Use Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, LaTeX, or similar software
• Apply journal template and formatting
• Add headers, footers, page numbers
• Ensure proper pagination and layout
• Export as PDF

For HTML Galleys:

• Convert the document to HTML format
• Apply journal's HTML template/CSS
• Ensure proper display of figures, tables, and equations
• Check responsiveness for mobile viewing

For XML Galleys (JATS):

• Convert to JATS XML format
• Required for some indexing services and preservation archives
• May require specialized conversion tools or services

Uploading Galleys to OJS

1. In the "Galleys" panel, click "Add Galley"
2. Enter a label (e.g., "PDF" or "HTML")
3. Select the language
4. Click "Save"
5. Click "Upload File"
6. Select the article component (usually "Article Text")
7. Upload your galley file
8. Click "Continue" through the wizard and "Complete"

Repeat for each galley format (PDF, HTML, etc.).

Adding Supplementary Galleys

If the article includes supplementary files:

1. Add a galley for each supplementary file
2. Use descriptive labels (e.g., "Supplementary Data," "Appendix")
3. Upload the supplementary file

Notifying the Editor

Use Production Discussions to inform the editor that galleys are ready for review.

Proofreading

Before publication, galleys should be proofread to catch any remaining errors.

Author Proofreading

To involve the author:

1. Add a discussion in Production Discussions
2. Include the author as a participant
3. Provide instructions for reviewing the galleys
4. Ask them to note any corrections needed
5. Set a deadline for response

Authors should check:

• Their name and affiliation are correct
• All text appears correctly (no formatting errors)
• Figures, tables, and equations display properly
• No content is missing or duplicated
• Any final typos or errors

Making Corrections

If corrections are needed:

1. The layout editor makes corrections to the source files
2. Generate new galley files
3. Upload the corrected galleys (delete old versions)
4. Request another round of proofreading if changes were significant

Publishing the Article

Once galleys are finalized and approved, the article is ready for publication.

Verifying Metadata

Before scheduling, verify the article metadata is complete and accurate:

1. Go to the "Publication" tab in the submission record
2. Review each section:
   • Title & Abstract: Correct and complete
   • Contributors: All authors listed with proper affiliations
   • Metadata: Keywords, references, and other fields
   • Identifiers: DOI (if applicable)
   • Permissions: Copyright and licensing information
   • Galleys: All files properly uploaded
3. Make any necessary corrections

Assigning DOI

If your journal uses DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers):

1. Go to the "Identifiers" tab
2. If configured, a DOI will be automatically generated or you can assign one
3. Verify the DOI format is correct
4. DOI registration with Crossref typically happens at publication

Scheduling for Publication

1. Click "Schedule for Publication" in the Publication tab
2. Select the issue:
   • Choose an existing future issue, or
   • Create a new issue
3. Set optional fields:
   • Pages: Page numbers for the article
   • Date Published: Publication date (defaults to when issue is published)
   • Permissions: License and copyright information
4. Click "Save"

Status after scheduling: The article is now "Scheduled" and will appear in the Table of Contents for that issue. It will be published when the issue is published.

Publishing Methods

Publishing an Entire Issue:

1. Go to Issues → Future Issues
2. Select the issue to publish
3. Click "Publish Issue"
4. All scheduled articles become published
5. The issue moves from Future Issues to Back Issues

Publishing to a Published Issue (Rolling Publication):

If you schedule an article to an already-published issue, it publishes immediately. This is useful for continuous/rolling publication models.

Post-Publication Tasks

After publication:

• DOI Registration: If using Crossref, submit metadata for DOI registration
• Indexing: Article becomes available for indexing by Google Scholar, DOAJ, etc.
• Notifications: OJS can notify subscribers and readers about the new issue
• Social Media: Promote the new publication through your channels
• Author Notification: Authors receive confirmation of publication

Managing Issues

Articles are published within issues. Here's how to manage them:

Creating a New Issue

1. Go to Issues → Future Issues
2. Click "Create Issue"
3. Fill in issue details:
   • Volume: Volume number
   • Number: Issue number
   • Year: Publication year
   • Title: Special title if applicable (e.g., "Special Issue on...")
   • Description: Issue description (optional)
4. Upload a cover image (optional)
5. Click "Save"

Organizing Issue Contents

Within an issue, you can:

• Arrange articles in desired order (drag and drop in Table of Contents)
• Organize by section
• Add section headers
• Include supplementary content (editorials, announcements)

Issue Galleys

You can also create issue-level galleys (e.g., a full-issue PDF):

1. Edit the issue
2. Go to "Issue Galleys"
3. Click "Add Issue Galley"
4. Upload the complete issue file

Post-Publication: Corrections and Versions

What if you need to make changes after publication?

Minor Corrections

For small fixes (typos, formatting):

1. Go to the published submission
2. Unpublish temporarily if needed
3. Make corrections to galleys
4. Re-upload corrected files
5. Republish

Creating New Versions (OJS 3.2+)

For significant changes requiring a new version:

1. Go to the publication record
2. Click "Create New Version"
3. Make necessary changes to metadata or galleys
4. Publish the new version
5. OJS maintains version history

Versioning is useful for:

• Corrections that significantly change content
• Post-publication peer review models
• Adding supplementary data

Best Practices for Production

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Galley Not Displaying

Problem: Uploaded galley doesn't appear or can't be downloaded.

Solution: Check file permissions, ensure the file isn't corrupted, try re-uploading, verify the component type is correct.

DOI Errors

Problem: DOI not registering or showing errors.

Solution: Verify Crossref plugin configuration, check metadata completeness, ensure credentials are correct, contact Crossref support if needed.

Article Not Appearing in Issue

Problem: Scheduled article doesn't show in the issue.

Solution: Verify the article is scheduled (not just in production), check the issue is the correct one, ensure galleys are uploaded.

Production Bottlenecks

Problem: Articles backing up in production.

Solution: Establish regular production schedules, consider outsourcing galley creation, use templates to speed up formatting, assign dedicated production staff.