Indexed where it counts
QIC is indexed in Web of Science (Science Citation Index Expanded) and Scopus.
Special issues
Thematic collections that bring a research community together around a focused question in quantum information and computation.
On this page
Calls for papers
Explore current and upcoming calls. Submission availability is shown for each special issue.
Previous calls
Guidance for guest-edited special issues
The following guidance summarises the Guest Editor Guide. For the board-managed Quantum Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Quantum Systems issue, follow its call for papers, including its editorial process and submission arrangements.
Double-blindpeer review for every special-issue paper
10+research articles in a typical special issue
25%maximum share of papers by the guest editors
Open accessimmediate, under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Why guest edit with QIC
Open access from day one
Every article is free to read on publication, under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Editorial support
The journal's in-house editorial team handles administration, so guest editors can focus on content and peer review.
Propose a special issue
Have a topic that would make a strong collection? Start with a short proposal to the editorial office.
- 01
Shape the theme.
Define the title, scope and keywords, and think about who you would invite to contribute.
- 02
Send a proposal.
Contact the editorial office to discuss your proposal and the information to include.
- 03
Editorial review.
The editorial office reviews the proposal and replies with feedback.
- 04
Launch the call.
Once approved, the call for papers is published and the guest editors invite contributors and oversee peer review.
Guest editor responsibilities
What guest editors do
- Define the special issue's title, scope and keywords.
- Identify and invite researchers to contribute.
- Oversee peer review: pre-screen submissions and make editorial decisions.
- Promote the special issue at conferences, on social media and through academic networks.
A successful special issue typically includes 10 or more high-quality research articles. Guest editors may work with early-career researchers, but final editorial decisions remain with the guest editors.
Ethical standards
- Scope. All content must fit the special issue and the journal's scope.
- Citations. Authors must never be asked to add citations to the guest editors' work, the journal or associated publications to raise citation counts.
- Conflicts of interest. Guest editors disclose conflicts before appointment and throughout; where bias is possible, another editor handles the manuscript.
- Own submissions. Guest editors may contribute, but no more than 25% of the articles in the special issue; their papers are handled by a member of the Editorial Board.
- Confidentiality. All submissions are reviewed double-blind.
How special-issue papers are reviewed
- 01
Preliminary review.
Fit with the journal and the special issue, compliance with research ethics, and scientific quality for peer review.
- 02
Double-blind peer review.
Reviewers and authors do not know each other's identities. Suspected plagiarism is checked with similarity-detection software (Crossref Similarity Check).
- 03
Decision.
The guest editor accepts, rejects, requests revisions or invites additional reviewers, based on the reviewer reports, the authors' responses and the paper's contribution.
- 04
Final check.
The Editor-in-Chief or other Editorial Board members may be involved in the final decision. In cases of conflict of interest, unresponsiveness or disagreement, the in-house team consults another board member or the Editor-in-Chief.
Submitting to a special issue
Have an idea for a special issue?
Tell us about the topic and the community you would bring together.