Advances in Archaeological Practice aims to publish two themed issues each year. Themed issues bring together a collection of 8-12 papers on a shared topic regarding contemporary archaeological practice. Find a collection of our past themed issues here.

Themed issues represent an opportunity for scholars with shared or divergent perspectives to move forward the discussion on an emerging concern or opportunity for the field. Theme issues are also an opportunity for archaeologists in a range of career stages and sectors to gain editorial experience by serving as guest editors for the special issue.

Themed issues, like individual papers in Advances in Archaeological Practice, should help researchers and practitioners working in a variety of contexts to consider how we do archaeology. Themed issues should have a strong problem orientation and should lend clarity to, or illuminate the complexity of, addressing that problem in the field. Themed issues should also bring together a diverse group of authors; the field is hardly likely to advance by taking into account a narrow range of perspectives.

Planning a Themed Issue

In order to curate a themed issue, guest editors should first settle on their theme, which can focus on any area of archaeological practice. Themes should be broad enough to appeal to a range of readers, but focused enough to make an identifiable contribution to the field. Potential guest editors are invited to reach out to the Editor of Advances in Archaeological Practice directly to discuss potential theme ideas. Many themed issues arise from organized sessions at the Society for American Archaeology Annual Meeting, or other archaeological conferences.

Guest editors will then want to consider how they would like to approach their theme issue. Questions to consider include:

• Are the authors for this theme issue already determined, or will you solicit contributions through a targeted call for papers?
• If you are recruiting authors, how will you ensure participation from early career or underrepresented authors?
• How will you support authors through the drafting and revision process?
• How can you ensure the widest possible readership of your theme issue?
• How will the publication of this theme issue advance archaeological practice?

Once guest editors have settled on a theme, they should draft and submit a themed issue proposal.

Submit a Proposal for a Themed Issue

A themed issue proposal should include the following:

• A description and discussion of the problem or question that the themed issue is positioned to address
• A set of goals for the themed issue
• Either a table of contents with abstracts for each paper, if the papers are already collected, or a plan for soliciting the papers to be included in the issue
• Guest editors’ plans for ensuring the inclusion of underrepresented authors
• A timeline for the themed issue. Guest editors are advised that themed issues generally take about nine months to a year to complete (shorter if authors and papers are already organized and longer if there will be an open call for papers)
• References cited

Proposals may range anywhere from 6-20 pages in length. When complete, please send proposals by email directly to the Editor of Advances in Archaeological Practice in either Microsoft Word or Google Doc format. The Editor will share the proposal with the Editorial Board, who will work together to offer feedback, ask clarifying questions, and ultimately approve or reject the themed issue proposal.

If guest editors have questions or would like support in crafting a themed issue proposal, they are invited to contact the Editor of the journal directly - Allison Mickel, The Georgia Institute of Technology, USA: amickel3@gatech.edu

Editing a Themed Issue

Since papers for themed issues in Advances in Archaeological Practice undergo the same process of peer review as papers in our regular issues, guest editing a themed issue is an excellent way to gain experience in the editorial work of a journal. Guest editors determine the papers to be invited into themed issues, help to identify peer reviewers, evaluate reviewer feedback, support authors in drafting and revising their papers, and contribute to the promotion of the themed issue upon publication. Guest editors will have, however, the full support of the journal’s editorial office, who can provide mentorship or consultation in any of these areas and who will take responsibility for the day-to-day work of moving papers through peer review and production. Guest editors work together with the journal Editor to deliver final publication decisions on each paper submitted to the themed issue. 

The Editor of the journal may also be available to serve as a co-editor of a themed issue if this will make the role of guest editor more approachable or feasible. A lack of past editorial experience, or employment outside of academia, should not be obstacles to serving as a guest editor for Advances in Archaeological Practice. Anyone interested in serving as a guest editor, but concerned about the workload or expectations, should contact the Editor of Advances in Archaeological Practice.