Editorial boards in academic publishing are crucial to the process of running a peer-reviewed journal. Board members bring their expertise and experience to the journal to guide its content and direction in line with its mission statement.
This article introduces the idea of editorial board and answers some questions you might have: What does an advisory board do? What is their role in academic publishing? We provide an overview of key responsibilities, including oversight and management of quality control and peer review. We will also provide some ideas for those interested in joining an editorial board, as well as active board members looking to recruit new people.
What is an editorial board?
In the context of academic publishing, an editorial board is a group of scholars responsible for overseeing the direction and production of a journal. Essentially, it is an advisory board that helps with decision-making and implementation of the journal’s policies and practices.
A committed and engaged advisory board can help to guide a journal towards increased reach and impact. Ideally, scientific advisory board members should represent diverse perspectives and backgrounds within the field(s) of study.
In addition to bringing knowledge and passion about the field of study, those with backgrounds in other areas are also desirable candidates. For example, skills in logistics, finance, business, marketing, or graphic design can offer significant support to different sides of the journal. In addition, bringing on scholars who are well-established with strong reputations can help to elevate the journal’s visibility.
What does an editorial board do?
The work that editorial boards do varies depending on the needs and goals of the journal and the expertise of board members. There are, however, some standard roles and responsibilities for board members across most journals.
In general, alongside the editor, board members help to shape the direction of the journal in terms of the focus of the subject matter. In addition to editorial decisions, they are responsible for both day-to-day decisions and long-term vision planning. Recruitment of board members, promotion of the journal to readership, and networking with other scholars to increase the visibility of the journal.
They also provide oversight for general operations and publishing workflows. This includes quality control in terms of screening, peer review, revisions, copy edits, and production. Managing ethical concerns and ensuring the implementation of ethical practices within the journal and its publications is also a significant aspect of running a journal.
Joining an editorial board
Developing professional associations is an important part of any academic’s career. Sitting on the editorial board of a journal can be a particularly useful and illuminating experience. Joining an editorial board enables scholars to see the “other side” of publishing.
As with every aspect of academic life, start by doing your research on the different opportunities that exist. What is it about being a board member that interests you? What would you like to do and learn during your tenure? In turn, what can you bring to the role in terms of experience?
Although board members do have obligations to fulfill in their position, each individual usually decides how involved they actually are. Levels of engagement can vary a lot depending on the context of your own work and where you are in your career.
Appealing to board members
If you currently sit on a journal’s editorial board, you likely know a bit about maintaining an engaged and well-rounded board. Building a positive reputation for your journal and its working environment helps with both recruitment and retention of board members.
Academia is a demanding and time-consuming profession. Scholars have many different responsibilities and a limited number of hours they can work. At the same time, sitting on an editorial board is an important role that many take on because of the experience and opportunities it brings with it.
It’s thus important to build an advisory board that is well-managed and effective. Encouraging open discussion and fostering a collegial environment where people’s ideas are valued allows scholars to bring their best selves to the work.
Create a collegial atmosphere that encourages board members to contribute ideas. Current board members can help with recruitment by connecting with their own networks when opportunities are available. If members enjoy the work they are doing, they are more likely to stay on, as well as recommend others to join.
Last updated on: July 25, 2026