About the Journal
Focus and Scope
Editorial Status:
Observatorio (OBS*) is an online, multimedia, academic journal, free of charge, that adheres to the highest standards of peer review and engages both established and emerging scholars worlwide.
Observatorio (OBS*) is an interdisciplinary journal that welcomes contributions coming from and speaking to the many disciplines and approaches that meet at the crossroads that is Communication Studies
Observatorio (OBS*) allows authors of a wide range of theoretical and methodological areas in the Communication Studies, from academia to the business-related world, to interact and publish in their own original languages without time-space publishing limitations and accessibility constraints.
(OBS*) Observatorio is a journal focused on publishing articles within the extended scientific field of communication and media studies, based on original research and new theoretical propositions.
Its interdisciplinary approach also helps highligting original work coming from other areas within the field of Social Sciences and Humanities that privilege communication, media and journalism as research objects.
The journal is open to several publishing languages such as Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Italian, French, and English from all interested authors.
Issues are published in March, June, September and December.
In terms of its editorial logic, (OBS*) pursues high scientific standards, pluralism and social relevance, looking for contributions that foster new and original scientific knowledge.
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Estatuto Editorial:
Observatorio (OBS*) é uma revista académica (journal) online, com publicação e acesso gratuitos, que tem como objetivo principal divulgar trabalhos de excelência de investigadores académicos, tanto reconhecidos como emergentes, segundo os mais altos padrões da revisão por pares.
Observatorio (OBS*) é uma revista académica interdesciplinar que acolhe contribuições na área das Ciências da Comunicação, tanto num âmbito mais restrito como alargado a outras disciplinas e abordagens multidisciplinares.
Observatorio (OBS*) permite a investigadores, com diferenciadas abordagens teóricas ou metodológicas no âmbito das Ciências da Comunicação, publicar e interagir nas suas línguas maternas, sem limitações de espaço ou restrições ao acesso.
Observatorio (OBS*) está aberta à publicação nas seguintes línguas: português, espanhol, catalão, galego, italiano, francês e inglês.
As edições são publicados em Março, Junho, Setembro e Dezembro.
No âmbito do seu objetivo editorial, Observatorio (OBS*) persegue as mais altas normas científicas, pluralismo e relevância social, procurando contributos que desenvolvam novo e original conhecimento científico.
Peer Review Process
No. of reviewers: two (2), from different institutional and geographic belongings.
Criteria for recruiting reviewers: Academic or business-related experts from a wide range of areas in the field Communication Studies; One of them being native-speaker of the language of the text in review; Who accept OBS*’ policy of double-blind peer review and criteria for publication.
Criteria of Reviewing: Double-blind Peer Review process (where both reviewers and authors remain anonymous throughout the review process); Timely Review accordingly to the Reviewer Guidelines, Criteria for Publication, and Review Confidentiality statement.
Double-Blind Peer Review Process: All contributions submitted to OBS* are peer-reviewed according to the following steps:
1. Initial review – Editors evaluate each submitted contributions to determine if it is appropriate for consideration by Observatorio (OBS*). Contributions/Texts that do not meet the minimum criteria for publication (see Author Guidelines) are returned to the authors within 4 weeks of receipt. This procedure is in the best interest of the authors who could fix existing problems or consider its submission to a more appropriate venue, avoiding delays caused by review process that would nonetheless lead to rejection.
2. Peer Review – Contributions/Texts that pass the initial review are assigned to Section Editor who selects 2 referees based on their expertise in the particular area of Communication Studies and linguistic proficiency of the assigned article. The article is then reviewed by these two referees who conduct double-blind peer review, a process in which both authors and referees remain anonymous. Referees are asked to evaluate the article based on its relevance and significance to Communication Studies.
To facilitate timely publication, Referees are asked to complete their Referee’s Comment within 8 weeks, although this process can take up to 4 months to be concluded depending on our reviewers´availability and responsiveness.
3. Recommendation – After collecting both Referees’ Comments, the Section Editor makes a final recommendation on the acceptability of the article to the Editors, who based on Referees and Section Editor’s Comments, make a final decision on the acceptability of the article, and communicate to the Authors such decision along with the Referees’ comments.
If the article falls within the Revision (major or minor) categories, the Author is welcomed to submit a revised version within the following 2 months. Such revised article will usually be returned to initial referees for re-evaluation in a second round of review.
Purpose of the Review:
Reviewers should provide editors with their expert opinions on the quality of the article submitted through a Review Comment.
The Review Comment should identify both the strengths and the weaknesses of the article, and should also provide constructive and specific comments on how to improve the article. Review Comments expressed in a kind and constructive way will persuade the Author(s) of the need to review it effectively and promptly.
Reviewer Guidelines & Suggested format:
1. Comments on the article’s content: a) strengths and weaknesses of the article’s content (e.g. significance of ideas and object of study; appropriateness of theoretical and methodological approach; b) validity and completeness of data and results provided; c) fluidity and build-up of arguments, d) analyses and conclusions presented; e) suitability of bibliography, etc.)
(Note: it will be very helpful to provide page numbers to the parts of the article to which the comments are addressed.)
2. Comments on the article’s readability: a) appropriateness of the title and the abstract; b) Accuracy of the language used; Readability and appropriateness of tables/figures/images/videos/audiovisual illustrations provided; c) Links accessibility (active URL addresses).
3. Criteria for Publication: a) Relevance and Significance to Communication Studies; b) Importance or Originality of theoretical and methodological approaches;
4. Recommendation: Brief justification of the selected recommendation category (“accept as is”, “minor revision”, “major revision”, "resubmit", "resubmit elsewhere" “decline”)
Recommendation:
Reviewers have to select one of the following recommendation categories:
- Accept as is
- Minor Revision
- Major Revision
- Resubmit for review
- Decline
Reviewing Time:
2 to 4 months, in order to facilitate a timely fashion publication. If more time is needed, the Reviewer should communicate and agree to new deadline with the Editor asap.
After each round of the review, Editors will send Review Comments to the Author(s) and all Reviewers of the article under consideration.
Confidentiality of Review:
Reviewers and Editors are requested to treat the contents of the article under review as strictly confidential information, not to be shown to others prior to publication. A reviewer should not use or share with others material from the article under review nor should distribute copies of it, unless it has been already made public.
The Editor reserves the right to include articles accepted for their publication in the most appropriate number.
Observatorio complies with the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Additional note:
(OBS*) Observatorio recognizes the right of its Editorial Board members (including its Director) to submit articles for publication. Whenever a member of the Editorial Board is the author or co-author of an article, this member is necessarily excluded from the review process, including the final decision.
Publication Frequency
Observatorio (OBS*) is a quarterly online journal.
Open Access Policy
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
Observatorio (OBS*) has an academic journal profile. As such, it is dedicated to the open exchange of its contents, and freely available to individuals and institutions without charge or formal permission.
